Passenger behaviour question

[northwichcat]

2) Board and then immediately start walking through to a different car.

To clarify, we're talking about lightly loaded trains so no issue over seat availability, trains where all the accommodation is identical, and this is not a case of positioning to be nearer the exit at destination.

Maybe they're looking to see if people they know are travelling on the same service?

Maybe they're looking for the toilet?

Maybe they're looking for a luggage rack?

Maybe they're looking for a table seat and don't know the other coach(es) don't have them either until they walk through?

 

[Scotty]

One thing I can never understand is when the platform display states for instance "First Class towards the front/rear" and then the announcer repeats this, no one moves. Yet as soon as the train comes in there is a mad dash up the platform!

Not everyone will know what end the rear is going to be

 

[Chris M]

Not everyone will know what end the rear is going to be

Indeed, I had this very issue on my first ever visit to the through platforms at Manchester Piccadilly. I needed whichever half of the train it was (I can't remember) going to Ambleside. There were no signs and no staff visible to ask.

 

[sheff1]

One thing I can never understand is when the platform display states for instance "First Class towards the front/rear" and then the announcer repeats this, no one moves. Yet as soon as the train comes in there is a mad dash up the platform!

These announcements are so often wrong (at Sheffield at least) that regular travellers ignore them. Less frequent travellers might move to where the first class is announced as being only to then have to fight their way back along the platform to get to where it actually is when the train arrives !

 

[Master29]

Another one of course is when everyone bunches together on about 10 sq metres of platform with a density akin of shoulder to shoulder, and then you have around 3 miles of empty platform. You can then be at one carriage with people standing and further down the train empty carriages. It is clearly platform mentality.

 

[Rick1984]

I've noticed the getting on one carriage and moving to another for absolutely no reason.Very odd. some do the same getting off.

I did move carriage once to get away from screaming child. Only for the offending party to follow me into other carriage!

 

[AndyNLondon]

I did move carriage once to get away from screaming child. Only for the offending party to follow me into other carriage!

Well, if you will try to dump your tantruming kid with someone else, what do you expect? :-P

 

[blotred]

In Japan they had shapes and numbers on the platform floor.
On the departure board it would show shape and a range of numbers, indicating where to stand.
It works because different stock types have different shapes, and it accommodates varying train lengths too.

This link explains it quite well
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/travel-information/howto/train_04.html

Such a system would probably baffle the average joe here who can't even operate a ticket barrier correctly

 

[ungreat]

Not everyone will know what end the rear is going to be

Umm...the back of the train?

 

[vrbarreto]

In Japan they had shapes and numbers on the platform floor.
On the departure board it would show shape and a range of numbers, indicating where to stand.
It works because different stock types have different shapes, and it accommodates varying train lengths too.

This link explains it quite well
https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/travel-information/howto/train_04.html

Such a system would probably baffle the average joe here who can't even operate a ticket barrier correctly

Or have a strip along the platform edge that lights up according to where the train is going to stop. OF course it relies on the train not being short formed and it actually stopping where it is supposed to!

On another note of behaviour.. What are the point of priority seats? People ignore the big P on them. Case in point.. I was sitting at the far end of a carriage.. Lady gets on carrying baby and also pregnant.. I offer her my seat but she says it's a bit too far as she has her luggage with her but thanks.. Fair enough.. 6 priority seats near her and every single occupant looked at her and then pretended that she didn't exist. I know that people will sometimes move if asked but it seems that in the morning at least that good manners go out the window.

 

[Chris M]

Not everyone will know what end the rear is going to be

Umm...the back of the train?

Yes, but which end is that?

Easy enough to determine at a terminal, but when you are on a through platform at station you are unfamiliar with there are no trains in sight, no signage to indicate direction. Which end is which?

If you know something about railways there are some things that can give you clues - green signals for example - but these are not always visible and not everybody knows to look for them in any case.

Then you have things like a reservation in coach B. Is that going to be at the front, second from the front, second from the rear, or rear of the train?

 

[Scotty]

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Umm...the back of the train?

No need for sarcasm. The rear of the train could be to your left, or to your right, it could be in the middle of the platform...