Telltale sìgns of newbie rail travellers

[sprinterguy]

Those people who get on a 2 car 158 unit via the centre doors, then walk all the way to the end of the train, go through the doors to the driver's cab, then walk all the way back where they've came from, announcing to their partner "It's the end of the train". Surely they must have noticed the number of carriages when the train pulled in?

Not necessarily, most people feel that their time can be better employed (reading a book, checking a phone, chatting) than in counting carriages as the train pulls in.

 

[hulabaloo]

I thought this thread would start to go badly.

It reminds me of Richard Herring playing the driving instructor and mocking people saying "Can't you drive??"

 

[Mag_seven]

Two from LuL

1.People who don't understand the meaning of the request "seek assistance" as they frustratingly feed their ticket through the barrier several times without result.

2.People who don't understand the request "This train terminates here - all change please, all change" as they continue to sit on the terminated train wondering why it hasn't moved for 5 mins.

 

[trainophile]

Two from LuL

2.People who don't understand the request "This train terminates here - all change please, all change" as they continue to sit on the terminated train wondering why it hasn't moved for 5 mins.

People who then give evil looks and/or verbal abuse to passengers trying to board for the return journey, while they finally decide they had better drag themselves out of their seats and gather their belongings together, before starting to stroll towards the doors five minutes after the train arrived.

It's one thing barging on as soon as the doors open, but when no-one has disembarked for 30 seconds it should be safe to assume that all those leaving have left.

 

[plymothian]

They stare at a door because either

- it's slam door and they expect it to open automatically
- it's a sliding door and they expect it to open automatically

 

[andrewkeith5]

They stare at a door because either

- it's slam door and they expect it to open automatically
- it's a sliding door and they expect it to open automatically

Additionally, they stab uncontrollably at the door open button despite the fact that the door is locked and in some cases the train isn't even berthed in the platform yet.

Also, they stab uncontrollably at the door open button even though it's an underground train and they have literally no control over when the door will open.

Also, they stab uncontrollably at the door open button even though the train is preparing to, or even has started to, depart.

 

[paulfoel]

2.People who don't understand the request "This train terminates here - all change please, all change" as they continue to sit on the terminated train wondering why it hasn't moved for 5 mins.

People really do that?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

People who then give evil looks and/or verbal abuse to passengers trying to board for the return journey, while they finally decide they had better drag themselves out of their seats and gather their belongings together, before starting to stroll towards the doors five minutes after the train arrived.

It's one thing barging on as soon as the doors open, but when no-one has disembarked for 30 seconds it should be safe to assume that all those leaving have left.

Aye. I hate it when that happens normally. People get off the train, so you start to board, then someone comes barrelling down the aisle 30 secs later because they were sleeping/couldnt be bothered.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

People really do that?

Yes - usually those who have headphones on, are concentrating on mobile phone games or both.

 

[RailAleFan]

Aye. I hate it when that happens normally. People get off the train, so you start to board, then someone comes barrelling down the aisle 30 secs later because they were sleeping/couldnt be bothered.

...or trying to extract their luggage! Which causes a double-whammy because everybody waiting to get on thinks everybody who's getting off has got off only to be confronted by someone coming in the opposite direction with the World's biggest suitcase.

 

[Bletchleyite]

This kind of thing is of course made better with doors not at the ends of the vehicles.

 

[dgl]

Weather or not they were newbie rail travellers but I was travelling from castle cary to Weymouth last week, 153+150 combo. 150 was 2+3 with no tables and the 153 being standard layout 2+2 with plenty of tables.
Amazingly lots of people on the 150 (quite full but don't think anyone standing) and only a few (possibly 4+me) on the 153, ended up had a whole table to myself (and more comfortable seating than the 150).

 

[TUC]

Those who stand in the aisle taking forever to put their bags on the rack, apparently oblivious to the line of boarding passengers behind them.

 

[Merseysider]

This one might well be unprecedented, but...

Waiting at a station when there are no more trains due that day! I was on the 1552 Barton-Cleethorpes today and as we passed New Clee at about 30mph there was a gentleman sitting on the bench on the opposite platform apparently waiting for a train (no camera/notebook/anorak so probably not a spotter).

Unfortunately for him the last train had departed New Clee at 1458

 

[plastictaffy]

People really do that?

Yep. Then they get the hump when you tell them they'll have to move forward to continue their journey, as the rear bit terminates here. You get "Younever told me....."

Nope, I didn't, because when I got here I wanted an argument with you!!
Fool.

 

[yorksrob]

Yep. Then they get the hump when you tell them they'll have to move forward to continue their journey, as the rear bit terminates here. You get "Younever told me....."

Nope, I didn't, because when I got here I wanted an argument with you!!
Fool.

That can be very annoying when everyone in a reasonably loaded 12 carriage unit has to squash into a standing room only front four carriages !

 

[168lover]

gerrards cross earlier this evening, there was quite a few people waiting for the 16:26 to London which started there. At 16:24 a 168 that wasn't scheduled to stop there came to a stand at the far end of the London platform(towards gerrards cross tunnel) due to a train fault that the driver needed to investigate from the outside. This was alright, however all the people waiting for the 16:26 started to try and board it thinking that it was the 16:26, que the disgruntled faces when the doors didn't open and then them being shooed away by the driver and fitter that was on the train at the time!

 

[bramling]

This one might well be unprecedented, but...

Waiting at a station when there are no more trains due that day! I was on the 1552 Barton-Cleethorpes today and as we passed New Clee at about 30mph there was a gentleman sitting on the bench on the opposite platform apparently waiting for a train (no camera/notebook/anorak so probably not a spotter).

Unfortunately for him the last train had departed New Clee at 1458

I can do better than that, whilst out and about taking photos on a Sunday, Urmston station in Greater Manchester, no trains that day due to engineering work, and 100yds from the station can be seen an engineers train standing on one line, and the other line dug up and being renewed. Meanwhile, people standing around on the platform looking at the timetable and wondering why no train has turned up at the scheduled time. Even when pointed out to them that there were no trains that day, still greeted with suspicion.

 

[Merseysider]

I can do better than that, whilst out and about taking photos on a Sunday, Urmston station in Greater Manchester, no trains that day due to engineering work, and 100yds from the station can be seen an engineers train standing on one line, and the other line dug up and being renewed. Meanwhile, people standing around on the platform looking at the timetable and wondering why no train has turned up at the scheduled time. Even when pointed out to them that there were no trains that day, still greeted with suspicion.

That's hilarious bit of schadenfreude haha.

Wonder how long the poor folks had been waiting! And how long they'd be waiting afterwards if some unscrupulous person decided not to tell them

I'll admit to being a newbie on the East Coast earlier this year. Living in the NW I don't travel on slam door stock; everything is done electrically. So I was utterly perplexed by the handle being on the outside when pulling into Sunderland on a GC. Took me about 2 whole minutes to open the bloody door

 

[blotred]

I am often surprised at the number of people who at London Victoria who don't know when the doors are unlocked on a Southern 455 (for example, the platform has been announced, but the driver has not reached the cab yet, so the doors are still locked).

People just stand there pushing the "door open" button, but nothing happens. Then they just wait around, not realising that the hazard lights on the exterior have come on, and that the buttons now work.

(Southern's 455s don't beep or have a flashing light on the exterior door open button, though I think that might be changing)

 

[trainophile]

I must admit that some Scotrail services seem designed to perplex both newbies and regular travellers, as they don't put the coach letter on the outside of the coach, so if you have a reservation it's pot luck whether you get on at the right end.

Particularly frustrating when the service is rammed, as it's almost impossible to fight your way through three coaches to reach your reserved seat.

We asked two different guards why they don't put the letters on the doors, but all they could say is that the Disabled toilet is always in Coach A, so look out for the door with the Disabled sticker on it. A bit hit-and-miss when there's less than a minute's dwell time.

 

[Pinza-C55]

It's years since I worked at the Cross but I remember once seeing a woman on the platform holding the handset of a BR internal telephone and looking at me blankly while holding a coin in her hand.

 

[satisnek]

They stare at a door because either

- it's slam door and they expect it to open automatically
- it's a sliding door and they expect it to open automatically

Ah yes, reminds me of an occasion down on the South Coast during the final years of the slammers. We departed Eastbourne and upon arrival at Polegate this young lad, probably one of the foreign language students who populate the area during summer, walked into the end vestibule to alight. Sitting in the end bay, opposite, I could see what was happening - he was quite clearly looking around for the button to open the door. So I leapt to his aid.

I can't remember whether it was the driver's bell or the guard's switch I could hear, but the sequence went something like:

'ding ding' as I opened the door,
hiss of brakes being released as he jumped out,
'ding' as I closed the door
and finally 'ding ding' again.

The delay was minimal but I must have caused an annoyance!