Telling people you're a train driver

[43066]

Always the same three questions:

- is it just pulling a lever/pressing a
button/all automatic;
- when were you last on strike;
- have you hit anyone?

 

[Horizon22]

I used to tell people that's its like air traffic control for the railways, and that seemed to work most of the time!

Somewhat true - although I've heard control roles described the same which isn't quite true either.

 

[Seejwalker]

I used to tell people that's its like air traffic control for the railways, and that seemed to work most of the time!

Yeah we had air traffic controllers and pilots jump ship during COVID, they couldn’t wrap their head around the job or handle doing a week of nights.
I think in reality the two roles are worlds apart.

 

[whoosh]

Always the same three questions:

- is it just pulling a lever/pressing a
button/all automatic;
- when were you last on strike;
- have you hit anyone?

What???

You mean you've never had the, "Do you have a steering wheel?" question?

 

[S-Car-Go]

Haven't received the typical questions a lot, but I know they are asked a lot! I did have a nice reaction from a phone conversation with a banking/insurance advisor when we were planning to move house. She just went "OoooOOOhhh that's an interesting job!"

 

[Turtle]

What???

You mean you've never had the, "Do you have a steering wheel?" question?

I can understand where the steering wheel question originates, at least in south London/ Southern territory. Passengers hurrying along to board their train would notice the very prominent ships wheel style handbrake in the driving cab. Indeed, as a child I wondered what it was although I knew enough about railways to realise it wasn't a steering wheel.

 

[D6130]

Prior to my retirement, I generally used to have positive and interested responses when I told people that I was a train driver....especially in Italy, which is a much less class-conscious society than the UK and train drivers are highly-respected - even though they are paid considerably less than here and tend to strike much more frequently! When people ask what I do/did for a living, I often ask them to have three guesses. The first one is nearly always teacher/university lecturer/professor....probably because of my appearance (longish hair, beard, round glasses, etc.). After that, they tend to be scrabbling for an answer, so I have to put them out of their misery eventually. I do/did frequently have the fatality question though.

 

[Ashley Hill]

Try telling people you’re a Guard. Most people have no idea what it is and think it’s something like a security guard. Even saying you blow a whistle and wave a flag they think you work on the platform. Add selling and checking tickets to the description gets “oh you’re the ticket man”! I’ve never cared for the terms conductor,senior conductor or train manager.

 

[43066]

What???

You mean you've never had the, "Do you have a steering wheel?" question?

Nope. I have been asked “do you control the direction of the train from the cab?”

“No, the signaller sets the route, but I have to know if I’m being sent the wrong way.”

“What’s a signaller?”

“the person who operates the points and signals.”

“What are points and signals?”

Etc.

A mate of mine used to describe my job as “go, stop, operate the doors”. Now that I have a guard it’s just “go, stop.”

Works for me.

 

[glasgowceltic1]

Always the same three questions:

- is it just pulling a lever/pressing a
button/all automatic;
- when were you last on strike;
- have you hit anyone?

This with the addition of "it's not like you can get lost".

 

[43066]

This with the addition of "it's not like you can get lost".

“Do you drive underground or overground trains?”

“Neither.”

“Is it all automatic?”

“That’s right, the train is automatic, just like the DLR. I’m just paid to sit there and wave at people.”

“Shall we do starters?”

“Nope, let’s go straight to mains.”

 

[Plodster]

This with the addition of "it's not like you can get lost".

Did you reply - “I can get lost on the way to my Cab!”

Now was it Platform 1 or 3??

 

[centro-323]

Not been a driver long but tend to get the same questions a lot:

"How fast does your train go?"
"How do you steer the train?"
"Is it true that if you hit 3 people, you get to retire on full pay?"

Then if they have any interest and the conversation continues a bit, the following will come up:

"Can you drive any kind of train?"
"Why do you have to learn the route?"

And a couple of weeks ago, I finally got one of the classics:

[Train is at a terminus station]
"Which way will forwards be?"

I suppose it makes sense; for most people, they just press the door button when the train arrives, and then press it again to get off. As long as it turns up, they're not bothered how it all works.

 

[baz962]

Prior to my retirement, I generally used to have positive and interested responses when I told people that I was a train driver....especially in Italy, which is a much less class-conscious society than the UK and train drivers are highly-respected - even though they are paid considerably less than here and tend to strike much more frequently! When people ask what I do/did for a living, I often ask them to have three guesses. The first one is nearly always teacher/university lecturer/professor....probably because of my appearance (longish hair, beard, round glasses, etc.). After that, they tend to be scrabbling for an answer, so I have to put them out of their misery eventually. I do/did frequently have the fatality question though.

On the appearance you describe , I would of guessed at a wizard

Not been a driver long but tend to get the same questions a lot:

"How fast does your train go?"
"How do you steer the train?"
"Is it true that if you hit 3 people, you get to retire on full pay?"

Then if they have any interest and the conversation continues a bit, the following will come up:

"Can you drive any kind of train?"
"Why do you have to learn the route?"

And a couple of weeks ago, I finally got one of the classics:

[Train is at a terminus station]
"Which way will forwards be?"

I suppose it makes sense; for most people, they just press the door button when the train arrives, and then press it again to get off. As long as it turns up, they're not bothered how it all works.

I don't know why it popped in my head as it's not a question specifically as a driver , but your post made me remember a question I got on an EMR Corby service as we got to Luton as a passenger while heading for Corby.
Passenger... Excuse me but what station is this. Me... Luton. Passenger... Does it stop at st pancras. Me... No , we just came from there. Passenger... But does it stop at st pancras. Me ... No , we were just there. Passenger... But this is Luton. Me... Yes . Passenger... But I got on at Luton and the train was stopped at a station for a very long time. Me... That was st pancras. Passenger... Oh I'm so stupid I was supposed to get off there.

 

[Fireless]

Try telling people you’re a signaller, it’s difficult to explain the job so people stare vacantly at you, or think you’re the dispatcher on platforms with a ping pong bat (to quote those people)

A good description for anyone without at least some basic railway knowledge I heard is "It's like an air traffic controller but for trains".

 

[MostlyHarmless]

Yeah we had air traffic controllers and pilots jump ship during COVID, they couldn’t wrap their head around the job or handle doing a week of nights.
I think in reality the two roles are worlds apart.

Same as at my box. They turned out to be decent signallers and didn't seem to be any more bothered about a week of nights than the rest of us. I have a sneaking suspicious that quite a few have gone back to being pilots and ATCs

Somewhat true - although I've heard control roles described the same which isn't quite true either.

Sure.... I just tried to keep it as simple as possible and most folk seem to know what an air traffic controller does!

 

[Horizon22]

Same as at my box. They turned out to be decent signallers and didn't seem to be any more bothered about a week of nights than the rest of us. I have a sneaking suspicious that quite a few have gone back to being pilots and ATCs


Sure.... I just tried to keep it as simple as possible and most folk seem to know what an air traffic controller does!

Indeed they have, its caused a few issues around the country. I get that, I know that colleagues and I have had difficulty trying to explain it!

 

[S-Car-Go]

Passenger... Excuse me but what station is this. Me... Luton. Passenger... Does it stop at st pancras. Me... No , we just came from there. Passenger... But does it stop at st pancras. Me ... No , we were just there. Passenger... But this is Luton. Me... Yes . Passenger... But I got on at Luton and the train was stopped at a station for a very long time. Me... That was st pancras. Passenger... Oh I'm so stupid I was supposed to get off there.

This doesn't surprise me, having lived in Luton for years (it was all I could afford at the time!). I finally escaped the place & people to somewhere leafier... and more intelligent

 

[Trackman]

Just tell them 'I work for >>insert TOC/FOC or whatever here<<' and if they ask what you do, just say we've been told not disclose our actual positions- which will shut them up.
I had someone fishing on these forums a few weeks backs on what I do, I just ignored it.

 

[RollingStock19]

I just say " I work on the railway " then move on.... I just cant be doing with the comments regarding the salary.

 

[skyhigh]

Eventually when making new friends (on holiday for example) the ‘what do you do for a living ?’ question comes up. When you tell them your a train driver in (x) part of the country you can see their eyes glaze over or a comment about strikes or ‘I thought you was a doctor’. From there on the conversation dries up as you’re not deemed ‘worthy’.

Anyone had this experience ?

Based on what you've posted in another thread today, I'm not entirely sure you've ever had this experience

I’m a bus driver but I’ve also logged plenty of time on train simulator. Im pretty sure I could get the hang of it quickly. Where do I sign up ?

 

[Railworker101]

Best just telling them you don't work

 

[43066]

Based on what you've posted in another thread today, I'm not entirely sure you've ever had this experience

Maybe he drives pacers

(I think @notadriver is the real deal).

 

[dk1]

Its monotonous & you can just pre-empt the same ridiculous questions coming I quite like then spinning it round & asking them what they do for a living often then bit by bit pulling their job & poor working conditions apart

 

[axlecounter]

Either the “have you ever hit someone/does it happen often” question or the “why are trains always late” (particularly from relatives! ) one.

“Is it difficult” does come up too.

 

[baz962]

I got the question from the registrar while doing my wedding banns thingy about two weeks ago . She was quite excited about it and asked if we need some sort of licence and we ended up chatting until her next appointment.
The previous time was my new doctor who asked aren't you usually striking, about three months ago.

 

[dk1]

The previous time was my new doctor who asked aren't you usually striking, about three months ago.

I thought doctors where supposed to have some sort of intelligence.

 

[Daytona600]

I was once asked seriously about the mythical steering wheel.

 

[357]

Even our staff taxi drivers think we get to retire on full pay if we hit three people....

 

[dk1]

Even our staff taxi drivers think we get to retire on full pay if we hit three people....

They watch too many budget films.