SWT staff member in potential bother

[14sutton]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ssengers-not-to-sit-down-on-packed-train.html

Could be in a bit if trouble!

Train passengers were shocked when a station announcer said fat people should not sit down because of a lack of space.
A train leaving Basingstoke, Hampshire, was packed full of commuters when a member of the train staff is reported to have said: "We are going to be like sardines on this train, so can I ask that only slim people sit on the three seaters.

 

[Temple Meads]

Train passengers were shocked when a station announcer said fat people should not sit down because of a lack of space.
A train leaving Basingstoke, Hampshire, was packed full of commuters when a member of the train staff is reported to have said: "We are going to be like sardines on this train, so can I ask that only slim people sit on the three seaters.

Oh.... One of those on train station announcers!

 

[ainsworth74]

Joke gone wrong surely?

 

[NSEFAN]

Being on a packed train is never fun and it appears that he was trying to add a bit of humour to lighten the mood, but he should have realised that not everyone might appreciate his comedic style!

 

[PHILIPE]

Who is alleged to have said this ? You say station announcer and then you say on train announcement.
In cases like this with possible disciplining involved it is best not to comment further on the situation

 

[Rich McLean]

I feel a "please explain" is incoming

 

[bb21]

I do like the irony that the article is not even written by a named journo. Maybe he/she is too ashamed to put his/her name to it.

They could at least have got their facts straight. :roll:

 

[theironroad]

Well despite the telegraph saying station announcer, the quote only really works If it was done onboard, and it is generally the guard making announcements.

If so, sure it might have been meant as a joke, but the person was moronic in doing it. At best, I'd put it down to a lapse of judgement. We can only hope the announcer never puts on weight.....

 

[SqUaShIe P]

My first thought when I saw this was 'Was Katie Hopkins the Train Guard?'
Sort of thing I would expect from her

 

[jon0844]

I do like the irony that the article is not even written by a named journo. Maybe he/she is too ashamed to put his/her name to it.

They could at least have got their facts straight. :roll:

Sadly not putting a name to things is becoming increasingly common all over the place.

See: http://tktk.gawker.com/my-year-ripping-off-the-web-with-the-daily-mail-online-1689453286

(Note, bear in mind that the Daily Mail has refuted most of these claims, although I know people who have written for the paper that state a lot of it is very accurate - certainly the changed headlines and the generic byline)

 

[Searle]

Completely inappropriate and stupid, I can't say any more. This angers me hugely.

 

[Merseysider]

Oh lordy lord. How can you expect to say something like that and get away with it, especially in this day and age of political correctness? Aside from that, although I wouldn't be offended or complain, it's not a very nice thing to hear, and it just smacks of carelessness and unprofessionalism.

Not one to lose a job over but probably a chat with management

 

[Bletchleyite]

I do like the irony that the article is not even written by a named journo. Maybe he/she is too ashamed to put his/her name to it.

They could at least have got their facts straight. :roll:

I'll be honest - I'm not that fat though I am a couple of stone overweight, and I am too wide to sit in the middle of a 3 in 3+2 seating, and will always choose to stand instead.

The shoulders of an average male are wider than a seat in 3+2 seating. My backside is as well

Neil

 

[theboywho]

I agree it was unprofessional and stupid to announce, however the comment from the commuter show's the place we've come to where everybody exercises their right to be offended.

 

[RPM]

Yes, sounds like a slightly misjudged attempt at humour. Pity, because it will result in instructions being issued from above and we will be subjected to template/scripted announcements in future, devoid of humour or personality.
OK, it was off-colour and misjudged, but thanks to a hack making a name for themselves, overall we all lose.

 

[Searle]

I agree it was unprofessional and stupid to announce, however the comment from the commuter show's the place we've come to where everybody exercises their right to be offended.

And is there anything wrong with that?

 

[driver_m]

And is there anything wrong with that?

I'm fat and would probably be thinking 'cheeky b*****' if i'd heard that, but there's worse things to get offended about.
There'll always be attempts at humour that fall flat on their backside. This I guess was one of those.

 

[Robertj21a]

And is there anything wrong with that?

Yes.

Life needs a certain amount of 'give and take', not people looking to find confrontation at every opportunity.

 

[krus_aragon]

however the comment from the commuter show's the place we've come to where everybody exercises their right to be offended.

But if "everybody exercises" then there won't be any fat people, shurely? :P

 

[TUC]

Completely inappropriate and stupid, I can't say any more. This angers me hugely.

Why? It very clearly sounds like a joke from the description. Certainly not a matter for disciplining.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There are two enemies of humour. Literalists and south east commuters.

 

[Scotrail84]

Completely inappropriate and stupid, I can't say any more. This angers me hugely.

Oh lordy lord. How can you expect to say something like that and get away with it, especially in this day and age of political correctness? Aside from that, although I wouldn't be offended or complain, it's not a very nice thing to hear, and it just smacks of carelessness and unprofessionalism.

Not one to lose a job over but probably a chat with management

I agree it was unprofessional and stupid to announce, however the comment from the commuter show's the place we've come to where everybody exercises their right to be offended.

You're all hanging the person before any hard evidence has been presented. All hearsay at the the moment.

 

[route:oxford]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ssengers-not-to-sit-down-on-packed-train.html

Could be in a bit if trouble!

Fair enough if it was said yesterday.

It was red-nose day after all.

 

[Merseysider]

You're all hanging the person before any hard evidence has been presented. All hearsay at the the moment.

I ain't hangin' nobody. All I said was that I wouldn't be offended but it was unprofessional.

 

[Searle]

I'm fat and would probably be thinking 'cheeky b*****' if i'd heard that, but there's worse things to get offended about.
There'll always be attempts at humour that fall flat on their backside. This I guess was one of those.

Just because you find something funny, doesn't mean everyone has to right?

Yes.

Life needs a certain amount of 'give and take', not people looking to find confrontation at every opportunity.

This isn't people looking to find confrontation at every opportunity. If I were on that train, it would make me feel extremely self concious, and I'm not even that overweight. I know for a fact that when that announcement was made, people would start looking around for a fat person, and knowing that everyone is looking at you for a negative reason is absolutely horrible. Especially if you have anxiety as well.

Why? It very clearly sounds like a joke from the description. Certainly not a matter for disciplining.

It's a joke is poor taste, as it has the potential to make people feel extremely uncomfortable.

Sigh, at the end of the day, it's just another day on the seemingly never ending war on fat people of this country. Not only does this article show this but all your comments do as well.

 

[bramling]

And is there anything wrong with that?

Yes.

On breakfast news two days running this week there's been a barrage of people complaining about cyclists riding on pavements.

In a world where people are being beheaded alive or burned in cages, there are more important things in life to complain about than minor irritants.

*Most* people are good, but a minority are poison. The attitude of those who go around stirring up trouble then starts to rub off on others, leading to a downward spiral. People should worry about getting on with their own lives, not what others are doing / saying.

That's not to say that the staff member was right in making the announcement. From the reports it sounds like a silly and unprofessional choice of wording. But there are more important things in life to worry about - life goes on.

 

[sadgit]

Yes.

On breakfast news two days running this week there's been a barrage of people complaining about cyclists riding on pavements.

In a world where people are being beheaded alive or burned in cages, there are more important things in life to complain about than minor irritants.

You do realise that it's more than possible to deal with two things at once, and that you can't just delay dealing with more minor problems until all other problems are solved first, right?

Here's a thought. Let's stop people being beheaded... AND stop inconsiderate gonks riding bikes on the pavements. Because we, as a society, can multitask.

 

[Via Bank]

Why? It very clearly sounds like a joke from the description. Certainly not a matter for disciplining.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
There are two enemies of humour. Literalists and south east commuters.

Never mind people who suffer from crippling self consciousness issues, people who suffer from bulimia or anorexia, etc., or people who might be overweight because they are seriously ill.

Assuming this is true, it's extremely crass and unprofessional. A bit of humour is fine, but when it becomes offensive to large groups of people (especially if it mocks a condition that is widespread and debilitating) it really isn't a nice way to treat paying customers.

 

[Greenback]

I'm not going to complain about the council not emptying rubbish bins until world hunger, poverty and disease have been eradicated.

No hang on, the local refuse situation is more important to me than people being burned in cages and beheaded.

I know that sound awful and uncaring, but it's true. At least I can have an influence on local problems and issues, there's nothing I can do about IS except post on here how terrible their actions are.

Similarly, if I heard that announcement, while I personally wouldn't take any action about it, I can understand why people would fee it was unnecessary, misplaced and ill advised, and make those comments publicly so as to try and ensure it didn't happen again. That doesn't mean that they aren't concerned about the bigger issues in the world at all.

 

[rdeez]

I think the point is that it could potentially have made someone who is overweight, and was on-board at the time, feel embarrassed and uncomfortable, which isn't very nice. Some will have taken it on the chin - it's not like 'fat jokes' aren't prevalent - but there's a big difference between, say, a stand up comic on TV and this situation where people might (subconsciously, even) look at them as a result.

I do believe in announcements having personality and humour, but there's a thin line between what's OK and what's offensive, and I think anyone adding jokes to their announcements should consider "if in doubt, leave it out".

 

[6Gman]

Yes, sounds like a slightly misjudged attempt at humour. Pity, because it will result in instructions being issued from above and we will be subjected to template/scripted announcements in future, devoid of humour or personality.
OK, it was off-colour and misjudged, but thanks to a hack making a name for themselves, overall we all lose.

Quite. A fuss about (next to) nothing.

I recall hearing "we will shortly be arriving at Warrington, centre of the universe" a few years ago. Perhaps I should have taken offence.

After all, Crewe is the centre of the universe.