Steve Coogan argues with conductor over passengers standing in First Class section

[kristiang85]

I take it you don't have children?

Why "child free quiet zones" and not just "quiet zones"? You may not believe this but some parents and their children can behave in quite a reasonable manner when out and about. Some adults on the other hand...

Are children not allowed to travel in relative peace and quiet too? Would my autistic daughter and I not be allowed to escape the hustle and bustle of non-quiet coaches (which cause her a great deal of anxiety) and be left to fend for ourselves among the other untermensch in your perfect world?



And how many of them had "child free quiet zones" on their trains?

Yes definitely there should not be 'child free' zones, especially for cases like your daughter, but guards should be able to ask noisy children to be removed. Unfortunately this doesn't seem to come under the remit of 'quiet' coach policing.

Totally agree on adults though being the worst culprits at times!

 

[Clip]

31mph?

I dont think thats a fair comparison as a lot of speedos are not calibrated correctly or can go out of calibration so what reads as 30 could be higher or lower hence the allowance in the the enforcement or some such

 

[bnm]

I dont think thats a fair comparison as a lot of speedos are not calibrated correctly or can go out of calibration so what reads as 30 could be higher or lower hence the allowance in the the enforcement or some such

Indicated speed can't be lower. If it is a seperate offence under The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 is commited. No vehicle speedometer should record a speed less than that actually being travelled. And the indicated speed must not exceed 110% of the actual speed, plus 6.25 mph.

For example, if the vehicle is actually travelling at 50 mph, the speedometer must not show more than 61.25 mph or less than 50 mph.

Home Office approved speed recording devices are accurate, provided they are operated correctly. So the police could enforce 31mph. They don't though as they typically show discretion of 10% +2mph.

 

[B&I]

I used to wonder how this country had become a sort of petty authoritarian corporate state without the public apparently raising any protest about it. Reading some of the responses on this thread, I am no longer in a state of wonderment

 

[Busaholic]

I used to wonder how this country had become a sort of petty authoritarian corporate state without the public apparently raising any protest about it. Reading some of the responses on this thread, I am no longer in a state of wonderment

Well said!

 

[Mutant Lemming]

Some TOCs are obliged to offer First accommodation as part of their franchise agreement.

Some TOCs are obliged to provide a train service....

On the whole Coogan probably made a valid enough point but had it been an 'ordinary member of the public' as probably happens much more often on Southern then it's unlikely there would even be a thread about it.

Incidentally, to placate First Class ticket holders who may miss out, do any train operators declassify first class only after allowing any first class ticket holders to take a place in first class? I know it's not practical in many situations but it may diffuse some of the anger of those who have paid the extra.

 

[nw1]

Can these so called comedians not just shut their traps and stop abusing rail staff doing their jobs. If they have a complaint they should make it via the formal channels.

Where is he 'abusing' rail staff? He's saying it's 'outrageous' - I would not call that abuse. Sounds more like a legitimate criticism of corporate policy of the relevant TOC rather than personal abuse of a member of staff, and sounds like he was having a perfectly reasonable discussion. On a crowded train, it seems to me more important to ensure everyone is _reasonably_ comfortable (and they were only standing in first class, not sitting) rather than preserving the luxury of the first-class passengers and having everyone else crush-loaded.

FWIW unlike his famous creation Mr Partridge, Coogan does not come across as a "do you know who I am" type at all. I do think that famous people of his political persuasion come in for an awful lot of unwarranted stick (sadly, Labour and Lib Dem-bashing is very fashionable currently) when arguably it's the celebs of the opposite persuasion come across arrogant and self-important.

 

[fowler9]

I used to wonder how this country had become a sort of petty authoritarian corporate state without the public apparently raising any protest about it. Reading some of the responses on this thread, I am no longer in a state of wonderment

If it was down to me I would have you sent to Gulag for being a subversive.