Unattended Bags

[Chrisgr31]

There was an amusing incident, well for me as a spectator, on the train yesterday.

The 16.08 London Bridge to Uckfield was busy leaving London Bridge with plenty of passengers standing. As the train approached Norwood Junction a gentleman siting in a window seat got up and left his seat. The train stopped at Norwood Junction, quite a few people got off and there was a general rearrangement of passengers inc,using one who went to sit in the vacated seat.

However they found a bag on the floor by it, so asked "Did the guy sitting here get off? If so he has left his bag." There was a general consensus he had and so his bag was passed off the train and someone who had just got off the train and was still by the train took it down towards the gateline.

The doors shut and off we went. A few minutes later the gentleman reappeared asking where his bag was! To say he wasn't impressed his bag had been evicted at Norwood Junction is an understatement and he was calling those sitting in his vacated seat F'ing idiots etc. however he got no sympathy from fellow passengers who all said it was thought he had got off and he should have told someone.

He wandered down to the doors and I assume got off at East Croydon to go and look for his bag back at Norwood Junction.

Personally had I been the one finding the bag I'd have probably kept it onboard until East Croydon, but can't blame those that passed it off at Norwood Junction as they only had seconds to make that decision.

I also would never leave my seat with bags at it if the train was approaching a station, and if it was would ask the person sitting beside me to keep an eye on it.

However it does show the perils of using the toilet on a train!

 

[Camden]

He shouldn't have left it unattended, and he should receive a talking to.

 

[ComUtoR]

However it does show the perils of using the toilet on a train!

Leaving your luggage unattended.

 

[Chrisgr31]

At the same time you can't be expected to take all your bags to the toilet if you go!

 

[ComUtoR]

No, thats very true but the sensible option would be to tell someone you'll be back in a sec etc.

The passengers had no suspicion that it was a "suspect package" and treated it like lost luggage and it sounds like they did the right thing, for the right reason. Kudos to them.

A slight inconvenience but at least it was handed in. So much lost luggage just gets "found" or ignored. We get folks saying they lost their bag on a train that's gone up and down the line for the past few hours.

All in all this was a perfect example of good sense. Gutted for the guy but at least he will still have his luggage and will doubtfully repeat it again.

 

[Antman]

Leaving a bag whilst going to the toilet doesn't sound like the most sensible thing to do, presumably he could have got it back albeit with the inconvenience of returning to Norwood Junction?

 

[sarahj]

A couple of recent stories about bags and stuff.

Woman on the train being very ill. Was removed , for her own safety, at East Croydon, along with her hand bag and a suitcase she was leaning on (and covered with sick). Train continues. Punter: Where is my bag. Seems the sick covered case was not hers.

Conductor walking through train. A punter says, 'someone has left this coat', a discussion occurs. Conductor removes coat. Punter sitting across, says, 'OI!!! that's my coat'. :roll:

 

[Antman]

A couple of recent stories about bags and stuff.

Woman on the train being very ill. Was removed , for her own safety, at East Croydon, along with her hand bag and a suitcase she was leaning on (and covered with sick). Train continues. Punter: Where is my bag. Seems the sick covered case was not hers.

Conductor walking through train. A punter says, 'someone has left this coat', a discussion occurs. Conductor removes coat. Punter sitting across, says, 'OI!!! that's my coat'. :roll:

Seems to be something about the Norwood Junction/East Croydon area

 

[edwin_m]

Probably best to choose your time to go to the toilet when the train isn't going to stop at a station in the meantime, but not easy if you don't know the route or stops are frequent.

 

[Antman]

Probably best to choose your time to go to the toilet when the train isn't going to stop at a station in the meantime, but not easy if you don't know the route or stops are frequent.

And just ask somebody sitting nearby to keep an eye on the baggage for you

 

[SPADTrap]

And just ask somebody sitting nearby to keep an eye on the baggage for you

And the rest of the train watches as said guardian becomes an opportunist and disappears into the platform hustle with said bag. Seen it happen - twice, although the second occasion the bag was taken by an onlooker, one thing you can guarantee is your chosen guardian doing nothing as your bag disappears! Do they become responsible? On this occasion the owner of the now stolen bag thought so!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

An ex BR manager was once summoned by the conductor(many years ago) to an unattended bag found on a seat on a Bletchley bound 310. At Berkhampstead.

He took instant action - not wishing to cause a major delay - by removing bag and throwing in into the frozen canal , calmly advising "OK to go"

 

[6Gman]

And just ask somebody sitting nearby to keep an eye on the baggage for you

Which would require speaking to a stranger.

Terribly unBritish!

 

[455driver]

Seems to be something about the Norwood Junction/East Croydon area

Oh don't worry, its like that all over the Country!

Yesterday a young Lady comes running up to the Conductor and I as we are confirming stops and asks if we have got the bag she left at Torquay, when we state we haven't she starts going off on one that it our fault she has lost her bag because 'the man on the phone said you had it'. When we ask who the man was she couldn't/wouldn't tell us, and my question of 'who left the bag on the platform' didn't go down too well either. We sent her to the station managers office to see if it had been handed in by another crew and carried on our way to sunny Exmouth.

 

[al78]

Which would require speaking to a stranger.

Terribly unBritish!

More that it relies in trusting a complete stranger with your baggage which someone who is concerned about thieving hands whilst using the toilet might not feel comfortable doing.

 

[Llanigraham]

At the same time you can't be expected to take all your bags to the toilet if you go!

Possibly not, but he could have done that thing called TALKING and actually spoken to the person next to him!

Oh, I forgot, they don't do that down south!

 

[Chrisgr31]

Possibly not, but he could have done that thing called TALKING and actually spoken to the person next to him!

Oh, I forgot, they don't do that down south!

For the avoidance of doubt I have no objection to the actions of the passengers that ejected the bag, they did what they thought was best.

I agree the bag owner should have said he was going to the toilet, or should not have gone when the train was approaching a station. I think he got up after Norwood J was announced but can't be sure.

There is a risk leaving your bag with a stranger but hopefully a very low risk as most people are honest.

 

[TUC]

Leaving a bag whilst going to the toilet doesn't sound like the most sensible thing to do

Do you carry all your bags with you if you go to the toilet on a train? Is it something you see most passengers doing?

 

[Retorus]

Do you carry all your bags with you if you go to the toilet on a train? Is it something you see most passengers doing?

Personally I'd find it very strange if I saw someone taking all of their bags to the toilet with them. You're on a moving train, there are very few places anyone could run off to with your things.

 

[sheff1]

Do you carry all your bags with you if you go to the toilet on a train? Is it something you see most passengers doing?

It very much depends on what sort of train and where. If I am on a long distance train with plenty of time to the next stop I would not take my bag or coat to the toilet. If I was on a local train with frequent stops I probably would, unless the train was very quiet.

Finally, if I was on any train in the vicinity of Croydon I would not dream of leaving anything unattended if I left my seat and would keep a damn good eye on my belongings whilst I was seated .

You're on a moving train, there are very few places anyone could run off to with your things.

As already mentioned people could, and do, leave the train with your belongings at the next stop, before you return to your seat.




Interestingly, I have quite often been asked to "keep an eye" on a stranger's bags etc but never ask anyone to do the same for me.

 

[Antman]

Possibly not, but he could have done that thing called TALKING and actually spoken to the person next to him!

Oh, I forgot, they don't do that down south!

They do up north, but understanding them can be a problem
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Do you carry all your bags with you if you go to the toilet on a train? Is it something you see most passengers doing?

I thought we were talking about a bag here?

If I had large suitcases and such like I would inform a fellow passenger or ask them to keep an eye on them, just to avoid any security scares as much as anything else.

 

[trainophile]

I always feel a bit awkward asking someone to keep an eye on my stuff, mainly because I feel it casts aspersions on the honesty of the other passengers in range.

I generally throw my coat over my bag so it is obvious I haven't left the train.

 

[Antman]

Oh don't worry, its like that all over the Country!

Yesterday a young Lady comes running up to the Conductor and I as we are confirming stops and asks if we have got the bag she left at Torquay, when we state we haven't she starts going off on one that it our fault she has lost her bag because 'the man on the phone said you had it'. When we ask who the man was she couldn't/wouldn't tell us, and my question of 'who left the bag on the platform' didn't go down too well either. We sent her to the station managers office to see if it had been handed in by another crew and carried on our way to sunny Exmouth.

When I was on the buses somebody left a child onboard, I was alerted by another passenger of a 2/3 year old fast asleep on a rear seat. I contacted the depot and they got the police to come down, they did reunite child and mother but I don't know what her explanation was

 

[Bletchleyite]

At the same time you can't be expected to take all your bags to the toilet if you go!

Or if you do, make sure you plonk it on the seat (or put a coat on it) - if only to ensure that the seat is still yours when you return.

 

[Antman]

And the rest of the train watches as said guardian becomes an opportunist and disappears into the platform hustle with said bag. Seen it happen - twice, although the second occasion the bag was taken by an onlooker, one thing you can guarantee is your chosen guardian doing nothing as your bag disappears! Do they become responsible? On this occasion the owner of the now stolen bag thought so!

And probably find it's full of somebody's dirty washing

 

[maniacmartin]

For me it depends on the journey. If I'm on an intercity train that doesn't stop for another hour, I'm not going to bother packing up my stuff into my bag and carting it to the toilet. For a stopping that service, I'd take a small rucksack but not wheeled luggage cases.

 

[fowler9]

I once left (Whilst rather drunk) a very large metal framed rucksack on a Liverpool to Manchester service late at night when I got off at Warrington Central. I pressed the emergency call button on the platform and they were most put out. They wanted to know why I had called them. I said that I had left a very large metal framed rucksack on the train and that they make constant announcements on trains and platforms telling people to notify the relevant people if such a thing is ever found. They seemed really put out and apparently my 75 litre rucksack was never found or made it to the news when it was destroyed by the police on its discovery. Fills you with confidence.

 

[edwin_m]

It very much depends on what sort of train and where. If I am on a long distance train with plenty of time to the next stop I would not take my bag or coat to the toilet. If I was on a local train with frequent stops I probably would, unless the train was very quiet.

Finally, if I was on any train in the vicinity of Croydon I would not dream of leaving anything unattended if I left my seat and would keep a damn good eye on my belongings whilst I was seated .

Me too on all counts, although arguably a quiet train makes your luggage more likely to be stolen not less. Luckily most of the trains to Croydon now have wheelchair-accessible toilets that are large enough to take several items of luggage!

 

[trainophile]

So it's okay to leave your suitcase on the rack at the end of the train when your seat is in the middle, even though "you should keep your luggage and personal belongings with you at all times"? Never understood that.