The Kings Cross hologram-a new form of torture

[lincolnshire]

Yes that dreaded woman, she was telling me to use the lifts at Kings Cross the other day, it was the third one near the barriers leading to the trains on the bridge, so I told her to ****** off and mind her own business and she just smiled at me.

 

[jon0844]

I have to say, it scared the living daylights out of me just now getting off a train at Leeds at 1:20am and to be faced with 2 of these!!!

Just wait until she goes off script and starts to tell people to overthrow the Government.

 

[GatwickDepress]

I bet there's a programmer at the company's headquarters rubbing his hands together and saying to his project lead: "you know what we need; the hologram's eyes to lock onto passers-by and follow them until they leave her field of vision."

 

[Deerfold]

I bet there's a programmer at the company's headquarters rubbing his hands together and saying to his project lead: "you know what we need; the hologram's eyes to lock onto passers-by and follow them until they leave her field of vision."

Wait until they add the lasers to target those who are non-compliant.

 

[185]

They took arrre jobs

 

[Tetchytyke]

she was telling me to use the lifts at Kings Cross the other day

If she used the word "lift" then it's an improvement. I don't know what an elevator is, I'm not American.

However, both of them are plugged into a 3 pin socket at the foot of the stairs, when I was last there some enterprising soul had unplugged one of them to plug his phone in to charge it....!!!

Sadly the ones at Kings Cross seem to be hard wired into the ground. I did look for the plug, with the intention of accidentally turning it off, back when I was stuck listening to that bloody thing for over an hour, after yet another 91 had sat down and had a tantrum.

 

[stut]

Sadly the ones at Kings Cross seem to be hard wired into the ground. I did look for the plug, with the intention of accidentally turning it off, back when I was stuck listening to that bloody thing for over an hour, after yet another 91 had sat down and had a tantrum.

http://www.test-meter.co.uk/kew-technik-1000v-cable-shears/?gclid=CIXkmsqel78CFUINcwodHDkA-w

Soon to become essential commuter equipment...

 

[Class377]

I don't know what an elevator is, I'm not American.

It's a lift

 

[HowardGWR]

It's a lift

No it isn't. An elevator is what farmers use to raise bales of hay.

 

[Class377]

No it isn't. An elevator is what farmers use to raise bales of hay. ??????

Go anywhere in the world and ask someone what an elevator is, they'll tell you a lift. The language evolves, what might have been right for a pedant 50 years ago isn't relevant nowadays.

NB: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator - "An elevator (lift in British English) is a type of vertical transport equipment that efficiently moves people or goods between floors (levels, decks) of a building, vessel, or other structure." I think that aptly describes what the hologram is asking people to use at Kings Cross!

 

[stut]

Why are we uniquely unable to use lifts/elevators with luggage in this country? They manage it just over the North Sea perfectly well, with much more unwieldy objects:

 

[Deerfold]

Don't suggest that.

Last week I caught a woman with one hand and her suitcase with the other on the escalators at Green Park. Her friend caught her other hand. The suitcase was almost as large as she was. If I hadn't caught it, it would have been domino time...

She was not from this country.

I doubt I'd have managed a bike.

 

[asylumxl]

Why are we uniquely unable to use lifts/elevators with luggage in this country?

Cos this country (England) is full of idiots.

We have people who take more luggage than they can handle, who then complain when there isn't space or they cause an accident with them.

 

[Deerfold]

Cos this country (England) is full of idiots.

We have people who take more luggage than they can handle, who then complain when there isn't space or they cause an accident with them.

But as I observed in my previous comment this does not appear to be unique to people from this country (observe also backpackers from various countries doing their best to knock people over on the tube with huge backpackers).

 

[stut]

But as I observed in my previous comment this does not appear to be unique to people from this country (observe also backpackers from various countries doing their best to knock people over on the tube with huge backpackers).

Not to mention crowding around the end of the escalator. I do put that down to "foreign country self awareness loss syndrome", something that appears to affect all nationalities to some extent...

I think we're the only country (apart from Japan, possibly) that has an expectation that you're able to walk on one side of the escalator. I wonder if that has anything to do with it? It forces you to use a position that's not great for everyone (pulling it alongside you is easier).

The easiest way, I find (in the UK), it to roll the luggage with your left hand, so it's directly behind you - it then fits neatly on the step behind you and leaves your right hand free for the handrail. The mistakes I commonly see are either people holding the case with their right hand, and being unable to grab the handrail (leading to either unsteady person or unstable case if it's released) or trying to maneouvre it in front - fine for getting on the escalator, but a nightmare getting off.

Or maybe it's drunkenness. Every incident I've seen with falling luggage on escalators has involved someone half-cut.

 

[edwin_m]

Most of our station lifts are simply too slow or too small to cope if everybody with a modest-sized bag decided to use them, and there are plenty of reasonably fit people with reasonably small bags who can use the escalator with no problems. The simplistic message of "use the lift if you have luggage" needs to be qualified by saying large items or items too big to manage on the escalator. Otherwise like so many other "safety messages" it's no more than a knee-jerk reaction to a hazard or even worse just an attempt to avoid liability.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I would support the airport style barricades around escalators (or moving staircases perhaps for some on this forum) which would instantly stop people from pulling their bags through without need for the androids.

 

[jon0844]

I am amazed at how small the lifts are at many stations. You might only get one wheelchair in 'per trip', and realistically they're more commonly used by buggies and those with luggage, so it does mean queues build up. Once a queue gets to a certain length, people will say 'sod it' and have a go at the escalator or stairs.

They don't need to be Ikea sized, but some seem far too inadequate.

 

[asylumxl]

I am amazed at how small the lifts are at many stations. You might only get one wheelchair in 'per trip', and realistically they're more commonly used by buggies and those with luggage, so it does mean queues build up. Once a queue gets to a certain length, people will say 'sod it' and have a go at the escalator or stairs.

They don't need to be Ikea sized, but some seem far too inadequate.

Speaking of Ikea, I think the best solution is to use inclined moving walkways (or travelator or whatever you want to call it) like they do in some of their stores. It has the benefits of an escalator without the draw backs of steps.

 

[joeykins82]

It does however take up a significant amount of premium retail space. Plus NR are bound to have one of those infuriating "caution, you are approaching the end of the walkway" messages on perpetual loop.

 

[tsr]

It does however take up a significant amount of premium retail space. Plus NR are bound to have one of those infuriating "caution, you are approaching the end of the walkway" messages on perpetual loop.

If they did so, it would only be the same as the slightly-infuriating announcement at the end of the (normal) escalators at Gatwick...

 

[GatwickDepress]

If they did so, it would only be the same as the slightly-infuriating announcement at the end of the (normal) escalators at Gatwick...

I've taken to gymnastics to try and avoid the sensors, to no avail.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Could the hologram machine be fitted with LIDOR type detectors to determine who had large luggage and who didn't, then have a specific message "yes you, the young lady with the black trolley case, use the lifts not the escalator"?

I was at Windermere yesterday. I stood well behind the yellow line, as instructed, in case a train passed at speed. It would make a hell of a mess of the Booths supermarket though if it did.

 

[tsr]

I've taken to gymnastics to try and avoid the sensors, to no avail.

Ha! I might alert the managers to your antics, though only so they can make appropriate announcements... "And now for the cartwheels down the escalator, followed by a pole vault over the burning 442, landing neatly in the bin bag holder on the opposite platform"

...or you could just use the stairs... that sometimes doesn't set the dreadful things off!

 

[johnnychips]

I was at Windermere yesterday. I stood well behind the yellow line, as instructed, in case a train passed at speed. It would make a hell of a mess of the Booths supermarket though if it did.

Excellent!

 

[NorthernSpirit]

There are three of the bloody things in Leeds now. Still need to find any old paper and chuck it on the top of the projector screen, probably wheeled in fro the Le Tour.

 

[yorksrob]

There are three of the bloody things in Leeds now. Still need to find any old paper and chuck it on the top of the projector screen, probably wheeled in fro the Le Tour.

Perhaps they should consider installing a beret and a string of onions on one

 

[lincolnshire]

I was at Manchester Picadilly yesterday there was people galore taking suitcases on the escalator on Platform 13 & 14 and up the travelators.
Network Rail should buy her a ticket to Manchester and she could have a day out and get on to the passengers about not taking luggage on the escalatore there, bet they would not take any notice of her.

Wonder why she has not arrived at Manchester then? is it because its a station not run by Network Rail and the station operators at present don,t think its so important.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Ha! I might alert the managers to your antics, though only so they can make appropriate announcements... "And now for the cartwheels down the escalator, followed by a pole vault over the burning 442, landing neatly in the bin bag holder on the opposite platform"

...or you could just use the stairs... that sometimes doesn't set the dreadful things off!

Clear bin bags of course, we don't want to violate health & safety now.

For the change I normally do, using the escalators is pretty much the only way now. Platform 7 has a lot to answer for!

 

[VauxhallandI]

She was there on the Southern side on Friday. I didn't even notice her but my Father pointed her out. I think my response was "bugger that I'm quite capable"