eh? I am sorry but I have no idea what you are on about.
Also worrying about something as minor as this is just a waste of energy.
Personally I don't feel the need to waste energy on frippery.
This situation isn't "minor" to, or thought of as "frippery" by everyone (e.g. elderly, physically disabled or autistic people). If you choose not to care about people like that, that is your choice, but it makes you a selfish person.
Where have I said that "lame excuses" should be accepted? Could you show me?
I didn't say you had said that. Indeed, the part of my post that you quoted there says quite clearly that I wasn't accusing you of making any excuses, lame or otherwise. Try reading it again?
You asked for reasons but then decided they were "lame excuses" because they didn't support your view. I further notice that anyone who doesn't agree with your stance is "dull" or holds views that views are not worthy of your time. Also in disagreeing with you I am "passively aggressive" and now "angry". I simply tried to answer your question with some reasons based on my experience. I am sorry you don't like those reasons or consider them worthy of attention. It is clear you don't like anyone disagreeing with your viewpoint and then resort to silly personal name calling in an attempt to score points. Most posters are better than this.
I fully expect this to be the most ridiculous thing I read today.
eh? It isnt me complaining about the nasty, passively aggressive & angry internet man.
Wow. That really got to you, didn't it? Some people really don't like getting back what they give out!
No. Did I say you did? No. All I said was that I didn't have to like it myself. Try reading it again?
You asked why these situations happen. I set out why. They weren't suggested as a justification or as a validation.
You speculated possible reasons why it might be. I dismissed your suggestions. I might have been slightly kinder about it but I didn't feel your tone warranted or deserved that. Fairly or unfairly, that is my view. Either accept that that is my view and have a reasonable discussion about it, or spout bizarre, childish nonsense about "disgusting lazy train staff"...(your words, not mine). The choice is yours. The choice you make will presumably depend on how seriously you want your views to be taken. Based purely in much of your posting history on here, I find it difficult to imagine a situation in which more than a handful of reasonably intelligent people could hope to take you seriously. I don't give a monkey's what you think of me but feel free to waste your time telling me. I have better things to do than read it.
As I said, I think that printing out some reservation labels and getting them on the train should be a fairly straightforward process especially at a large staffed station! The cost of the ticket plays no part of my view on this.
In which case, why the ad hominem?
Not at all. I couldn't tell you much about byelaws. However if I was in the wrong and broke the law I would expect to be punished and would not expect to use ignorance as a defence. If I buy a ticket that says I must travel on the 10:00 train only why would I expect to be able to rock up at 11:00 and travel on that train? You cant buy a ticket for a matinee performance and expect to attend the evening show after all!
True, but as I suspect you know very well, that is not the kind of thing I had in mind.
BTW many of the dispute threads are about people trying to be clever, failing to buy a ticket, telling lies or being caught out in those lies or scams. Some are hardship stories that should be dealt with better. Many are open and shut cases of dishonesty.
Why so cynical? What happened? It seems a pity but again, your choice.
Your view seems to be that rules don't matter and because you pay what you consider to be a great deal of money to travel you should be allowed to do as you please. Perhaps that is the selfish stance you accuse others of.
Not in the least. Where have I said that? Could you show me?
No, you cannot, for I have said nothing of the kind. I merely expect a company with which I form a contract in exchange for my money to keep to its end of the deal. Is that so wrong?
OK - I accept that you haven't seen any system failures on Cross Country. Will you accept that I have and that the system is not infallible?
Happily. And I am also happy to have a discussion with you as long as you maintain a reasonable tone, as you have in this particular instance as quoted. If you speak to me reasonably, I will respond reasonably. If you try to pick a fight for no obvious reason, I will treat you with the contempt you deserve.
It is worth complaining about. Getting all angry and ranty about it is a waste of energy. Ranting on wont fix the problem.
I am not angry, just bemused and mildly irritated, as I have already said. The only anger I have seen displayed so far during the course of this discussion has come from you, and no-one else.
Personally I would complain in a mature and sensible fashion then go home and get on with better things in my life.
The hypocrisy you display here is breathtaking. I refer you again to that bizarre passage about the "nasty lazy train staff". An interesting definition of talking in a "mature and sensible fashion" of which I was not previously aware.
My position is clear and unequivocal. However, one last time, I will explain it again:
· Train which would normally have seat reservations indicated with printed slips inserted in slots at the top of the seat frame arrives at station without said slips in place.
· Guard gives reason for this as being that the train had been started from a location it would not normally be started from. This is despite both the usual starting station and the unusual one having the facilities to provide these slips, and the fact that the TOC providing the service operate trains which start from the unusual station - it's just that this particular train normally starts its journey from a station other than the one at which it started its journey on this particular day, hence my use of the word "unusual" to describe said station.
· In the absence of further explanation/information, it occurred to me to wonder why this might be. In terms of a solution to the problem, I wondered why it apparently isn't possible to send, by means of electronic transmission, a computer file containing the reservation data for the train to the station from which it began its journey so that the slips could be printed and applied to the train there.
· I furthermore wondered what other apparently smaller problems (accepting the notion that such problems won't appear small to everyone, for very good reasons) might arise as a result of bigger ones (in this case, a broken down train blocking a line) and what could be done to mitigate or prevent them.
· At no time have I made any derogatory remarks about railway staff (you are the only respondent so far to imply/suggest otherwise which itself, surprisingly, appears not to tell you anything about your own attitude or perceptions).
I trust everything is now clear to you. If you wish to contribute further to this discussion in a measured, polite and reasonable tone, I am happy to respond in the same way. If on the other hand you continue with the belligerent, confrontational and insulting tone you have displayed towards me so far, I will not respond to you any further.