Pains on Trains

[34D]

Escalators - yes, the LU model would be pretty good nationwide. Stairs - I'm not sure how that would work. After all, most normal people don't just stand on the stairs waiting to be moved somewhere, with other people trying to walk past them. Anybody who decides to loiter on the stairs without a very good reason at busier stations should certainly be moved on ASAP, though.

Standing on the right is signed at most stations managed by Network Rail. Works well at Leeds during the peak. A few "can you stand on the right please" from regular passengers serves to bring the strays into line

 

[Deerfold]

Standing on the right is signed at most stations managed by Network Rail. Works well at Leeds during the peak. A few "can you stand on the right please" from regular passengers serves to bring the strays into line

It does? In my experience (usually of dashing from platforms 10 to 2) it's horrendous at Leeds - I just get blank looks from those on the left.

Maybe it's just because I'm used to London where it does usually work well.

(Mind you, at Paddington recently I asked a woman who'd been about 3 in front of me if she could not just stop when she neared the bottom as it caused a queue to build up and her response was "that's very rude". I walked off instead of actually being very rude).

 

[Muzer]

Yeah, people were all over the place in Manchester, it was a little frustrating as we were slightly late (but we didn't miss anything).

 

[lookingforit35]

Well, it's tough luck isn't it.

Charmed I'm sure!

Not having a pop, just trying to point out that challenging any person's outlook does occassionally elicit a rather terse reply. You dont mind suitcases on tables, others might well do. But your simple "Tough luck" isn't the nicest response.

 

[SS4]

A lack of speed cheeses me off except in those cases where it is not possible. Additionally what possesses people to stop dead at the bottom of the stairs?

 

[Southern]

Charmed I'm sure!

Not having a pop, just trying to point out that challenging any person's outlook does occassionally elicit a rather terse reply. You dont mind suitcases on tables, others might well do. But your simple "Tough luck" isn't the nicest response.

Perhaps but I was just trying to be realistic. No, I don't mind suitcases on tables. I see it as a necessity if there is insufficient room in the racks provided. Perhaps others do but then the train has not been laid on exclusively for them. They can either expect to be seated or standing, anything else is a bonus.

 

[amcluesent]

I certainly got "pained" today on the KGX-EDB run. Go to my booked seat at a table in C to find the others seats were taken by bawling kid, chav mam and relative and the rest of the chav family were on the table opposite stuffing their gobs with McDs and stinking the place out while making a filthy racket in the way that only the deeply ignorant can achieve.

Even though the train was rammed, I at least found an unbooked seat in B at a table to escape from them.

Edit - got as far as York before the shouty kids and harassed Mum turn up in B. FFS.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I truly so not believe it! Get on the EDB-PBO tonight and sitting on the table across from my reserved seat is chav mam and two ferals stuffing their gobs with McDs. Lightening strikes twice. I am in pain!

 

[DarloRich]

People putting bags on seats when the train is busy - guess who i am going to want to sit next to. In fact i make a beeline for these people.

 

[LE Greys]

Standing on the right is signed at most stations managed by Network Rail. Works well at Leeds during the peak. A few "can you stand on the right please" from regular passengers serves to bring the strays into line

Where I live, people stand on the right on escalators in Marks and Spencer's.

A lack of speed cheeses me off except in those cases where it is not possible. Additionally what possesses people to stop dead at the bottom of the stairs?

Someone who doesn't know the place and thinks "Heck, I don't want to go up there, do I?" Or if coming down "Heck, do I want to go left or right?" What annoys me (and it's a Stevenage problem) is people going to the bottom of the stairs and just standing there for ages without thinking about the rush going down.

 

[trainophile]

People putting bags on seats when the train is busy - guess who i am going to want to sit next to. In fact i make a beeline for these people.

Bloke in front of me had a wheeled trolley case upright on the seat next to him today! Goodness knows what that had been dragged through on various pavements .

 

[rdwarr]

What annoys me (and it's a Stevenage problem) is people going to the bottom of the stairs and just standing there for ages without thinking about the rush going down.

I was carrying a heavy case down the stairs there a couple of years ago and a woman was standing on the bottom step chatting on her phone. I was gratified to hear a "Please keep the stairs clear announcement". However she didn't move. Not until the "That means YOU, the woman in the grey coat" follow up .

I do appreciate the staff at Stevenage.

 

[LE Greys]

Oh yes, I can add people who don't know what they are doing with their luggage (who in my experience usually travel between Leuchars and London/Edinburgh). They put their cases in the racks flat, meaning that there is no room to put anything else in, then get very annoyed if someone turns them sideways. They sometimes leave them parked in the vestibules as well. I've heard one or two East Coast guards threaten to remove anything not stowed properly, and they still ignore it.

I was carrying a heavy case down the stairs there a couple of years ago and a woman was standing on the bottom step chatting on her phone. I was gratified to hear a "Please keep the stairs clear announcement". However she didn't move. Not until the "That means YOU, the woman in the grey coat" follow up .

I do appreciate the staff at Stevenage.

Yeah, you've got to love 'em sometimes!

 

[Michael.Y]

Piled up high in the corridor outside the disabled loo on a 175 and against the door, an amount of luggage in the proportions of what Rose Dewitt-Bukater took on board the Titanic.

Its owners halfway down the carriage, blissfully unaware that doors open on both sides of the train. (Prestatyn, Llandudno Jcn etc)

 

[Chapeltom]

I have to admit the people who stand in my way when on stairs, escalators and in front of trains when I get off will a glare, an excuse me and then me barging past with 2 heavy bags on my shoulder, laptop bag first... Often I've just 4 minutes at Manchester Picc to get from Platform 13 to 1. Picc seems to be a bad station for it.

If you are in my way and I need to get somewhere and you are dithering, I WILL get past. But otherwise, if I'm not in a rush I'm patient enough.

 

[Flamingo]

I was carrying a heavy case down the stairs there a couple of years ago and a woman was standing on the bottom step chatting on her phone. I was gratified to hear a "Please keep the stairs clear announcement". However she didn't move. Not until the "That means YOU, the woman in the grey coat" follow up .

I do appreciate the staff at Stevenage.

I was on a tube once, and after two or three "stand clear of the door please" announcements, there was an irate shout over the PA "Hoy, cloth-ears, that means you!"

 

[tempests1]

Some of the public should have to undertake suitcase training, a few years ago I was stood behind an old guy just getting onto a steep esculator going down at New York Penn Station, he lost the grip on the suitcase and it flew down the the full length of the esculator thank goodness no one was ahead of him. It was about 05.00am in the morning. Some Amtrak Police Officers came running over to see what was going on

 

[jopsuk]

What I don't understand with the Underground is why it is "stand on the right" on escalators but passageways are signed as (and escalators usually arranged as) "walk on the left". Surely it would make sense if slow moving people are standing on the right fro them to then walk to the right, allowing fast moving people to overtake up the middle/on the left?

 

[gswindale]

Because you walk on the left with people coming the opposite way on your right as they face you?


Sent by Androids

 

[island]

I get why people want to get off near the exit, if you don't you could end stuck behind that annoying person at the barriers who have to search through there entire bag/pockets on clothing to find their ticket but whilst they are searching they are stood right in the way of the actual barrier so you have to quickly side step them to get to another barrier. You feel like saying perhaps next time get your ticket ready before you leave the train. This is more of a problem off peak as obviously the regular commuters go through the same process day after day. Another thing is people will go through the barriers and their friends or family are waiting for them they will walk a few foot beyond the barriers and just stop to greet them but then cause a blockage as they all stand there and not move out of the way!

Agreed. Before and after the barrier is a big problem. I once was at LBG and someone was stood in the way of a ticket gate while waiting for the gateline attendant to allow her through with her rejected ticket. I was the only one of the dozens of people to suggest that she made way until the gateline guy was ready.

I travel at weekends with family. Regularly there is not a single table for four vacant anywhere on a lightly loaded train. Most are occupied by a single passenger and hardly ever one using a laptop PC which I would understand. We end up unable to sit together.

I do not feel able to ask somebody to move as they are not doing anything wrong but I would like to see a sign on these tables something like "Priority seating for groups of 3 or 4 people travelling together".

I disagree. Airline-style tables are impractical for all but the smallest of laptops, and are not the best for eating and drinking. Now I will only normally sit at a table when using one of those things, because I don't like ending up sharing leg room with the person opposite me.

One of my pet hates is when you get folk sitting in 1st class with std class tickets with the excuse of "there are no seats", only to point out several vacant seats next to other passengers, then to have them grumbling away when ejected while making a big scene then standing in the vestiuble and then when you again show them where the seats are they will say "its ok I will stand". It boils my p**s!

They should be PFed/excessed, not ejected

I suffered about an hour opposite a child who had one of those electronic toys with buttons which say "the cow goes moo", "the dog goes woof" etc.

He was just hammering away at the buttons randomly, so it was more along the lines of "the cow says the cow says the cow the the the cow says..."

Parents? Evidently they were used to it and had completely tuned it out Even my best glare had no effect.

Had that happen with a "Bop It" toy once a while back. I eventually convinced the gripper to talk to the family.

things that anoy me or are a pain:
1. On the rare occasions I deliberately book the quiet coach (often during school holidays as noisy kids anoy me im afraid) and the first thing that happens is some chavvy mum with at least 1 buggy and 2 noisy brats get on and regardless of the signs make a load of noise.

Agreed, although for me it's usually footy fans.

TOCs who operate long-distance services obviously mostly used by people who will be staying overnight but don't provide decent luggage facilities in most carriages

Or any carriages? Problem is, luggage space has been discarded from a lot of stock in favour of more seats.

 

[table38]

Is it just that most people are right-handed, so prefer to hold on to the right hand side of the escallator, thus keeping their left hand free to carry a compulsory dog.

But generally people walk on the left because that's more convenient to smite any enemies with your sword arm.

 

[Anon Mouse]

They should be PFed/excessed, not ejected

Easier said than done, considering I was close to a physical assault the last time I tried to stand my ground and XS a group of drunken blokes

 

[SS4]

I have to admit the people who stand in my way when on stairs, escalators and in front of trains when I get off will a glare, an excuse me and then me barging past with 2 heavy bags on my shoulder, laptop bag first... Often I've just 4 minutes at Manchester Picc to get from Platform 13 to 1. Picc seems to be a bad station for it.

If you are in my way and I need to get somewhere and you are dithering, I WILL get past. But otherwise, if I'm not in a rush I'm patient enough.

New Street is awful for it too. Especially given the layout of the station where you have to go up the stairs and then down them again at the desired platform.

What I don't understand with the Underground is why it is "stand on the right" on escalators but passageways are signed as (and escalators usually arranged as) "walk on the left". Surely it would make sense if slow moving people are standing on the right fro them to then walk to the right, allowing fast moving people to overtake up the middle/on the left?

Surely that would be because people coming the opposite way would be on your right (their left). Stairs are usually deserted on the tube in case you ever need a quick ascent/descent.
That and of course it's often ignored by typically the slowest of people.

Is it just that most people are right-handed, so prefer to hold on to the right hand side of the escallator, thus keeping their left hand free to carry a compulsory dog.

But generally people walk on the left because that's more convenient to smite any enemies with your sword arm.

Don't tempt me although as a lefty it would be interesting
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Easier said than done, considering I was close to a physical assault the last time I tried to stand my ground and XS a group of drunken blokes

You could always tell them there is a kebab shop just outside the next station

 

[Yew]

What I don't understand with the Underground is why it is "stand on the right" on escalators but passageways are signed as (and escalators usually arranged as) "walk on the left". Surely it would make sense if slow moving people are standing on the right fro them to then walk to the right, allowing fast moving people to overtake up the middle/on the left?

But that puts the two fastest lanes of traffic next to eachother, meaning there is more chance of people bumping into eachother at speed. The way it is there is a more readily transition between speeds.

 

[Anon Mouse]

You could always tell them there is a kebab shop just outside the next station

now thats an idea!

 

[Lampshade]

Piled up high in the corridor outside the disabled loo on a 175 and against the door, an amount of luggage in the proportions of what Rose Dewitt-Bukater took on board the Titanic.

Its owners halfway down the carriage, blissfully unaware that doors open on both sides of the train. (Prestatyn, Llandudno Jcn etc)

I was on a Northern 158/8 in November heading over to Bradford. Between Accrington and Burnley Manchester Road I, there's no other way of saying this, had to use the on-board facilities. While using said facilities, the train called at Burnley and when finished, I opened the door and found that I'd been barricaded into the disabled toilet by a pile of suitcases hock:

 

[button_boxer]

What I don't understand with the Underground is why it is "stand on the right" on escalators but passageways are signed as (and escalators usually arranged as) "walk on the left".

Why is that inconsistent? Both escalators and passageways are "walk on the left", the only difference being that on escalators there's the option of not walking at all.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm sure I read in a paper somewhere that there used to be a diagonal plate at the bottom of London Underground escallators on the assumption that it was easier to step off on these (the idea being that as you stood on one leg on the escallator, your other leg would already be hovering over the diagonal metal plate ready to start walking). For some reason, this made it easier for people to stand on the right.

 

[LE Greys]

Don't tempt me although as a lefty it would be interesting

That makes me think of the castle in Scotland where all the spiral staircases go the other way - the entire family has always been left-handed.

 

[12CSVT]

People putting bags on seats when the train is busy - guess who i am going to want to sit next to. In fact i make a beeline for these people.

You could try sitting on the bag if he/she won't move it. That'll soon teach them.

 

[IanD]

You could try sitting on the bag if he/she won't move it. That'll soon teach them.

Or doing something similar on the bags in lampshades case!