Tube to change 'ladies and gentlemen' announcements

[PaulHarding150]

If you still identify as the gender you were assigned at birth do you really care about the change?

Had it not been for this press release, I can virtually guarantee no one (not even this forum) would have noticed.

Do you really care if an announcement is:

"Afternoon folks, sorry about the delay, we're being held at a red signal"

rather than:

"Ladies and Gentleman, sorry about the delay, we're being held at a red signal"

 

[bramling]

Just seen this.



I don't understand this as personally I find "Ladies and Gentlemen" more polite than "Hello Everyone" and it seems to be fixing a problem that isn't really as bad as they say it is.

When I first read it I thought it was some kind of joke. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. Speaking to a few staff just now, they have no intention of implementing this stupid change -- in fact one of them who currently doesn't use any specific introduction will now make very sure he uses "Ladies & gentlemen".

 

[graham11]

Why not go the whole way :


"My Lords , Ladies and Gentlemen , . Boys and girls and all others "

That should keep everyone happy.

 

[BestWestern]

If you still identify as the gender you were assigned at birth do you really care about the change?

Had it not been for this press release, I can virtually guarantee no one (not even this forum) would have noticed.

Do you really care if an announcement is:

"Afternoon folks, sorry about the delay, we're being held at a red signal"

rather than:

"Ladies and Gentleman, sorry about the delay, we're being held at a red signal"

By the same token, LUL could have just gotten on with it and then we wouldn't have been discussing it. But instead, as is always the case with these matters, they are trying to look clever and point score.

 

[PaulHarding150]

Why not go the whole way :


"My Lords , Ladies and Gentlemen , . Boys and girls and all others "

That should keep everyone happy.

How about because it's both ridiculous and offensive?

 

[WelshBluebird]

Like a lot of things in life, it's the tiny things we tend not to notice which can be a big deal for some members of society.

Exactly this.
Does it matter to me? Not one bit. Am I likely to even notice the difference? Probably not!
But it does matter to people who are otherwise left out and it is going to affect them.

 

[Cliveblackpool]

Disappointing.
Why not outside the barriers ''Customer announcement/ Information''
Train side of barriers ''Passenger announcement/information''

 

[thenorthern]

If London Underground did it quietly and not make a big announcement about it I don't think many people would have noticed or cared. But because they have released a press statement and many news outlets are making a big story out of it then people do notice it.

 

[rebmcr]

When I first read it I thought it was some kind of joke. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. Speaking to a few staff just now, they have no intention of implementing this stupid change -- in fact one of them who currently doesn't use any specific introduction will now make very sure he uses "Ladies & gentlemen".

Why do you believe it's ridiculous and stupid?

 

[YorkshireBear]

Why can't everyone just be nice to everyone? This change will make some of our most vulnerable parts of society a little happier. And have no impact on the rest of us. I feel like being angry about this is just being angry about it for the sake of it. Just go down the pub have a pint and a curry. The world will be a better place after.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

How stupid. And to think Britain is supposed to be a formal country!

 

[MCR247]

there are more important issues in the world, why are TfL pampering to minor issues like this, when "Ladies and Gentlemen" is a nice pleasant and polite start to an announcement

When I first read it I thought it was some kind of joke. Absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. Speaking to a few staff just now, they have no intention of implementing this stupid change -- in fact one of them who currently doesn't use any specific introduction will now make very sure he uses "Ladies & gentlemen".

Thats a bit sad don't you think? This is a move to be more inclusive, and if you don't see the point in it, its probably because it isn't aimed at making you feel more included (since you already are). What satisfaction does this staff member get from going out of their way to avoid being inclusive?

 

[Starmill]

Aldi have been doing this for a very long time. Their announcement says "Dear customers" - I very much like it.

 

[Starmill]

I thought we'd learned a lesson about talking down to social conservatives with Brexit.

Saying 'Hello everyone' is talking down to social conservatives?

 

[GW43125]

Reading through the posts, I'm one of the millenials and I would much rather the formal "Good morning/afternoon/evening" than "hello everyone". It just doesn't seem right. *opens can of worms* "ladies and gentlemen" sounds fine to me. PC gone mad.

 

[Muzer]

How stupid. And to think Britain is supposed to be a formal country!

...it is? I must have missed that memo.

I personally have no particularly strong feelings about this. But if it makes a few more (intersex?) people happy, and doesn't cost anything, and doesn't harm anybody, I don't see why not. I echo the thoughts that maybe "Hello everyone" isn't the best replacement, but honestly, it doesn't matter enough to me for me to get in any way worked up about it.

(Besides the whole intersex issue, I'm under the impression there are women who object to being called "ladies" thanks to the historical implications, or something. I wasn't alive during the term's heyday so I wouldn't understand that, but I suspect that also might well be a larger part of it.)

 

[AM9]

Have you ever been to Manchester? It's probably in many ways the most cosmopolitan city in the UK, including London.

Yes I have and the centre of it visually at least does seem have similar diversity to London. Maybe those responsible for the city's public services will acknowledge that diversity and take similar action to TfL's in the near future.

Well I live in London, and think it is a ridiculous idea.

For some reason, that doesn't surprise me.

... I don't mind a bit of geographical banter, feel free to 'diss' my southern fairyness

Me too, - I have no issues with any regions, (or countries) per se, but attitudes do vary from place to place, often without reason.

This is a classic thread that reveals more about the general attitudes of the poster rather than the content of the story.

That's where I am coming from. I don't buy the generation X, Y millenial observation thing either, - I'm a baby boomer and I have no hang-ups about formal terms of address.

 

[LiftFan]

How much is this going to cost? Surely the money is better spent on disabillity access to the stations instead. I know the difference would be large but every little helps... I simply can't believe people nowadays have enough free time to be offended by an automated announcement at a train station, isn't it a little blown out of proportion?

 

[mickulty]

I simply can't believe people nowadays have enough free time to be offended by an automated announcement at a train station, isn't it a little blown out of proportion?

I can never tell if comments like these are directed at those for the change, or those against it.

"Good <time of day> everyone" does seem like a slightly better option when said by a human as it gives people a little more time to notice and pay attention but getting the time of day right would add complexity to an automated system.

Hopefully we can all agree "hello everyone" is much more pleasant than "this is a customer announcement".

 

[anti-pacer]

Lard or dripping?

Joking Very fond of the north.

I don't mind a bit of geographical banter, feel free to 'diss' my southern fairyness

Do you know, as a Northerner I have never actually had dripping. Am I letting the side down?

I have however had pie, mash and liqour, and jellied eels. I've had flat beer too, and learned how to freak out in fear at bus stops in London if some old lady asks me if the number 150 to Chigwell Row is due yet.

Obviously being a thick Northerner, I think the rest of London and Southern England is extremely "posh", as is the way you all speak because you use the word "the". You all eat quinoa and foie gras, work for a living, live in houses not owned by the local council, and wash your hands after the toilet.

Anyway, isn't 'Diss' in Norfolk? Not quite south, but then again it's south of Sheffield so I suppose it is.

 

[shredder1]

I noticed the new announcement in Leeds today, ""Ey up, how's tha doin?"

 

[westv]

Why not just say "Good morning/afternoon/evening..." followed by whatever the announcement is about. It should be obvious who is being addressed without people getting their knickers in a twist.

 

[shredder1]

Do you know, as a Northerner I have never actually had dripping. Am I letting the side down?

I have however had pie, mash and liqour, and jellied eels. I've had flat beer too, and learned how to freak out in fear at bus stops in London if some old lady asks me if the number 150 to Chigwell Row is due yet.

Obviously being a thick Northerner, I think the rest of London and Southern England is extremely "posh", as is the way you all speak because you use the word "the". You all eat quinoa and foie gras, work for a living, live in houses not owned by the local council, and wash your hands after the toilet.

Anyway, isn't 'Diss' in Norfolk? Not quite south, but then again it's south of Sheffield so I suppose it is.

Dripping, horrible stuff, us Northerner always get stereotyped, had my parents given me dripping or tripe I would have reported them to the child cruelty people, its horrible stuff, I wouldnt even give it to the ferrets

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

...it is? I must have missed that memo.

I personally have no particularly strong feelings about this. But if it makes a few more (intersex?) people happy, and doesn't cost anything, and doesn't harm anybody, I don't see why not. I echo the thoughts that maybe "Hello everyone" isn't the best replacement, but honestly, it doesn't matter enough to me for me to get in any way worked up about it.

(Besides the whole intersex issue, I'm under the impression there are women who object to being called "ladies" thanks to the historical implications, or something. I wasn't alive during the term's heyday so I wouldn't understand that, but I suspect that also might well be a larger part of it.)

So sorry. Didn't mean to sound snobbish, but...

God, I sound like Katie Hopkins! Mean, rude, but you can't help but love her

 

[GusB]

God, I sound like Katie Hopkins! Mean, rude, but you can't help but love her

Seek help, immediately!

 

[Mojo]

Reading through the posts, I'm one of the millenials and I would much rather the formal "Good morning/afternoon/evening" than "hello everyone". It just doesn't seem right. *opens can of worms* "ladies and gentlemen" sounds fine to me. PC gone mad.

I don't know where this "hello everyone" has come from. It seems to be something the BBC made up.

 

[GW43125]

I don't know where this "hello everyone" has come from. It seems to be something the BBC made up.

Fake news? Someone call trump.

 

[MikeWh]

They could always copy Southeastern. They've decided to start one particular announcement with: "hello <pause> hello <pause> good, now I've got your attention ..."

 

[Hadders]

Isn't 'Ladies and gentlemen' relatively new anyway? I seem to recall it being introduced under Tim O'Toole's tenure.

 

[Dstock7080]

Isn't 'Ladies and gentlemen' relatively new anyway? I seem to recall it being introduced under Tim O'Toole's tenure.

Indeed it was, replacing the previously used: "customer information . . . " standard.