Stupid things

[umontu]

but surely the red cross is a clue?

Only if you're a regular user of networks that have similar systems, imagine coming from the highlands and using the London Underground for the first time.

In a similar vain to that, although not a railway story, the first time my grandma flew at night she was 100% certain that the red flashing light on the wing edge was a far off lighthouse.

She was from the Hebrides.

 

[WestCoast]

The fuss at some barriers is unbelievable - the ones at Blackpool North seem to send some people into a mild state of panic. They stand infront of the things staring and then after a while start searching for the ticket, which sometimes doesn't work and there is a whole new fuss...

Good job there is three carers (as I call them) to look after everybody!

Clearly barriers aren't that common in Northern-land!

 

[umontu]

The fuss at some barriers is unbelievable - the ones at Blackpool North seem to send some people into a mild state of panic. They stand infront of the things staring and then after a while start searching for the ticket, which sometimes doesn't work and there is a whole new fuss...

Good job there is three carers (as I call them) to look after everybody!

Clearly barriers aren't that common in Northern-land!

I wanted to keep my ticket and as the only barriers I had used were on the Underground when I had an all day ticket for zone 1+2 I was stood waiting for the machine to give me it back.

It's also ruined my pile of tickets used in the past year, I have every one except that one.

 

[jon0844]

I'd expect someone from Mars to have a rough idea what a red cross meant as against a green arrow or tick!

There are many signs/symbols that are totally universal, and a red cross has to be up there was one of the best and most obvious?

 

[WestCoast]

I wanted to keep my ticket and as the only barriers I had used were on the Underground when I had an all day ticket for zone 1+2 I was stood waiting for the machine to give me it back.

It's also ruined my pile of tickets used in the past year, I have every one except that one.

I have stop collecting tickets (unless they're unusual) as I found there was just too many! But, I was using the barrier once at that particular station and wanted to keep my ticket for a Virgin Delay claim (they require you to attach a ticket) and the barrier staff did act a bit like they were doing me a huge favour:roll:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I'd expect someone from Mars to have a rough idea what a red cross meant as against a green arrow or tick!

There are many signs/symbols that are totally universal, and a red cross has to be up there was one of the best and most obvious?

Does common sense not exist anymore, or does some people's nous disappear when entering a rail station....

 

[umontu]

I'd expect someone from Mars to have a rough idea what a red cross meant as against a green arrow or tick!

There are many signs/symbols that are totally universal, and a red cross has to be up there was one of the best and most obvious?

I work in a shop, no matter how universal a sign is at least one person will still not know what it means, even sentences such as "Offer ends" or "3 per person" seem to be a challenge for some.

Plus if they have poor eye sight it could look like anything.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I have stop collecting tickets (unless they're unusual) as I found there was just too many! But, I was using the barrier once at that particular station and wanted to keep my ticket for a Virgin Delay claim (they require you to attach a ticket) and the barrier staff did act a bit like they were doing me a huge favour:roll:

The ones at Huddersfield have started doing that too to me.
One guy at Manchester today asked me where I was going as well when I showed him the ticket..., barrier staff can be stupid sometimes.

My collection from this year is quite high but I've included Metrolink tickets.

 

[jon0844]

Plus if they have poor eye sight it could look like anything.

Well, yes, but that's a bit different. Also, symbols are a bit easier to understand than words I'd have thought. People might struggle to read, or understand English.

They should still recognise a cross or arrows, assuming their eyesight is okay.

 

[Mojo]

I've seen quite a few times people putting the ticket into the slot on the left and wondering why the gate isn't opening.

 

[EM2]

Last Boxing Day at Keighley, Trains as in most areas, dont run. But despite the christmas amendments poster stating on 25th & 26th Dec No service, people turned up waiting for trains.

I've had customers turn up on Christmas Day looking for a train.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
At weekends, when you obviously get more people who aren't used to travelling, I would basically give them instructions as they approached the escalators up to the barriers.

'Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Please have your tickets or Oyster cards ready for the automatic ticket gates. Please ONLY use barriers displaying a green arrow. If your ticket does not open the barrier, please see the Revenue staff in the blue suits at the left-hand end of the gateline'.

 

[umontu]

At weekends, when you obviously get more people who aren't used to travelling, I would basically give them instructions as they approached the escalators up to the barriers.

Always a good way of getting people to do the correct thing when you explain it loudly and clearly.

 

[stut]

Always a good way of getting people to do the correct thing when you explain it loudly and clearly.

Yup, but it's a difficult balance to get right.

Too few announcements and signs, and irregular users don't have a clue what's going on. I can think of several local railway systems in France that fall foul of this.

Too many, however, and people will just reach saturation point. If a regular passenger keeps hearing an announcement about what the "hustle alarm" means in great detail, or being invited to read the evacuation diagrams after boarding on every journey, they're just going to end up ignoring everything, and missing out on important information when it does come through.

Tailoring it to the time of travel like EM2 has suggested is a good way of doing it. I don't envy those whose job it is to get this right, though!

 

[LE Greys]

I've seen quite a few times people putting the ticket into the slot on the left and wondering why the gate isn't opening.

I've done that myself a few times, but only when I've got my right hand OOU for some reason. That's why ticket gates must be a complete pain in the backside if you're left-handed.

 

[Deerfold]

I've had customers turn up on Christmas Day looking for a train.

Are they local?

There's not many countries where the rail network shuts down completely for Christmas day, never mind 2 days.

 

[HST Power]

I've done that myself a few times, but only when I've got my right hand OOU for some reason. That's why ticket gates must be a complete pain in the backside if you're left-handed.

Speaking of left handed, I read an article in the paper last week about a joke Burger King played for April Fools in the US. They placed an advert in the paper saying 'we now sell left handed burgers. Come on down to try your left handed burger!'

And yes, people did show up. :roll:

 

[umontu]

Too many, however, and people will just reach saturation point. ... or being invited to read the evacuation diagrams after boarding on every journey, they're just going to end up ignoring everything, and missing out on important information when it does come through.

They already do! Go on a TPE train no one listens because the old dear bleats on about safety then gives out a huge list of stops until someone decides to have a naughty fag in the toilets and it blurts out "This train is a no smoking train".

In fact I saw this happen once while I was infront of the door to the toilet, the announcement went off twice then the driver got on the pa and said he'd stop the train because he could smell it.

Cue sheepish looking guy leaving toilets with everyone looking at him.

 

[Wyvern]

Nowt whatever to do with the railways, but my future daughter-in-law writes:

"I tried on four wedding dresses in Monsoon yesterday. When I took them to the changing room the girl asked 'Are these for a special occasion?' ???!!!"

 

[ainsworth74]

That's why ticket gates must be a complete pain in the backside if you're left-handed.

Actually speaking as left handed person ticket barriers only accepting tickets from the right are the least of my complaints when it comes to things like this. To be honest for it to be an issue your right hand would have to be completely useless seeing as inserting a ticket and retrieving it isn't really using much fine motor control (unlike writing for instance).

 

[Andrew Nelson]

Keep back from the Platform Edge, as PASSING TRAINS may cause air turbulence.


I think "Air Turbulence" is the least of your worries if a Train "Passes Through".


(pic not Blackpool)

 

[Andrew Nelson]

Are they local?

There's not many countries where the rail network shuts down completely for Christmas day, never mind 2 days.

And Keighley is on of the only places in West Yorkshire to have a Bus service in Christmas Day.

 

[island]

Are they local?

There's not many countries where the rail network shuts down completely for Christmas day, never mind 2 days.

Ireland will fall into the 2 day category. It also used to shut down on New Year's Day for a while!

 

[PinzaC55]

At Kings Cross in the 1980's we had an Australian guard who wasn't the sharpest tool in the box. Working a train he announced it as "All stations to Welwyn Garden City" then after a pause "Sorry ladies and gentlemen I've dropped a Goolie it's all stations to Hertford North!". Then a long pause before "Sorry again, I've dropped another Goolie it IS all stations to Welwyn Garden City!".

 

[EM2]

Are they local?

There's not many countries where the rail network shuts down completely for Christmas day, never mind 2 days.

A few of them were, yes.

 

[Deerfold]

And Keighley is on of the only places in West Yorkshire to have a Bus service in Christmas Day.

And very nice it is too. And trains on Boxing day - so long as you only want to get along the worth valley there's no days with no public transport.

 

[bb21]

And, to counter that one with my own stupidity... arrived at Darlo for my train home, spotted an EC HST sitting at the platform, and ran onto it just as the platform staff were closing the doors. Feeling pretty pleased with myself, I sat down and waited for Durham. Standing up just before the viaduct, I wandered to the door (wondering why nobody else seemed to be getting off) just in time to see the platform go past me at high speed. Whoops - moral of this story - read the departure screens first!

Easily done than many thought.

Got to Loughborough station at 6.30am just to see a southbound CT156 pulling in. Rang for my dear life with a 20kg suitcase i was taking with me on holiday. Over the bridge and to the door next to the guard. Guard went,

"This the right train?"
"Yeah definitely."
"You sure?"
"Yup they're all right trains."

So guard stopped questioning me as I got on.

Sat down. It did not enter my mind the slightest that no one on the platform got on this train. I thought that the train left a bit earlier than scheduled but thought no more of it as I tried to catch my breath, even though there was no other passenger in the whole carriage. Guard came over and checked my ticket,

"You're on the wrong train mate."
"Can't be. I change at Leicester. All trains stop at Leicester."

Of course what I didn't realise was that there was 1 train per day that didn't.

"No this is the Norwich train."
"The 0637?"
"No. 0634."

Cue panic. Ended up getting dropped off at Mowbray and I didn't actually miss my train. That was 10 years ago, however it still reminds me to check departure boards even to this day.

 

[LE Greys]

Easily done than many thought.

Got to Loughborough station at 6.30am just to see a southbound CT156 pulling in. Rang for my dear life with a 20kg suitcase i was taking with me on holiday. Over the bridge and to the door next to the guard. Guard went,

"This the right train?"
"Yeah definitely."
"You sure?"
"Yup they're all right trains."

So guard stopped questioning me as I got on.

Sat down. It did not enter my mind the slightest that no one on the platform got on this train. I thought that the train left a bit earlier than scheduled but thought no more of it as I tried to catch my breath, even though there was no other passenger in the whole carriage. Guard came over and checked my ticket,

"You're on the wrong train mate."
"Can't be. I change at Leicester. All trains stop at Leicester."

Of course what I didn't realise was that there was 1 train per day that didn't.

"No this is the Norwich train."
"The 0637?"
"No. 0634."

Cue panic. Ended up getting dropped off at Mowbray and I didn't actually miss my train. That was 10 years ago, however it still reminds me to check departure boards even to this day.

My version was at Waverley. I saw the down Leeds-Aberdeen in the platform, darted off to get my ticket, and returned to find what I thought was the same train still there. Made a dash and just made it, only to set off the wrong way! Cue three-hour delay going to Newcastle and back.

 

[Andrew Nelson]

And very nice it is too. And trains on Boxing day - so long as you only want to get along the worth valley there's no days with no public transport.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9003948@N05/4220332876/in/photostream/

 

[Deerfold]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9003948@N05/4220332876/in/photostream/

Very nice - I prefer that to the Routemaster, but then my routes, err roots are in Calderdale.

 

[Welshman]

Very nice - I prefer that to the Routemaster, but then my routes, err roots are in Calderdale.

I remember going to school on one like that in the 1960s!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Does anyone remember the scene at the station in "CLOCKWISE" where John Cleese as the headmaster wanting to go the the HMC had an interesting exchange of views with the staff at the barrier....with final disasterous consequences.

 

[Andrew Nelson]

Does anyone remember the scene at the station in "CLOCKWISE" where John Cleese as the headmaster wanting to go the the HMC had an interesting exchange of views with the staff at the barrier....with final disasterous consequences.

Hull Paragon Station for a Train to Norwich????