Weird Things You See People Do on the Railway

[EM2]

Can I raise you with a group of non-league footballers (they said who they played for) snorting Class A off a table in First Class (late northbound Euston - Brum), with uniformed BTP in the adjacent vestibule. Proper brass neck!

I'll fold!

 

[Merseysider]

Those who have business calls or whatever to make, fair enough.

But those who, on the phone to someone else, enlighten the 100+ other people in the carriage with all the intimate details of their private life... weird

 

[Randomer]

Swiss Stadler FLIRTs do that, never seen it in the UK, I guess the concern is that people will press it, forget about it, lean on the door then when it opens fall out.

It has a secondary purpose in that pressing it requests a stop at a request stop.

Will be interesting to see if the UK FLIRTs have that feature, I expect not. I don't think the DB AG ones do.

I've seen it happen to a very drunk person on S-Bahn stock somewhere in Germany but for the life of me can't remember where. I want to say Hamburg but really can't remember well, personally I really like it and don't see a problem as long as the hustle alarm sounds before the door opens.

The button being "pre-avaliable" for lack of a better turn really reduces dwell time at stations when the driver is in a rush; was doing sub 15 second stops at stations late at night on the same S-Bahn. I was wondering if the driver had some kind of in cab notification of the button being pressed so the request stop thing seems likely.

Also seen people flummoxed by slam door stock (one of the XC HST sets had to repeatedly ask a person to move so I could open door to alight as people were already boarding thru the next carriage). Likewise people looking puzzled as you open door without looking at indicator when you hear the CDL unlock.

Personal pet hate regarding slam door stock; people looking shocked and tutting as you open the drop light whilst the train is still moving into platform. Naughty I realised but not a risk of you don't lean out.

 

[hexagon789]

Personal pet hate regarding slam door stock; people looking shocked and tutting as you open the drop light whilst the train is still moving into platform. Naughty I realised but not a risk of you don't lean out

I've always done that on HSTs, speeds things up a bit.

 

[stut]

Personal pet hate regarding slam door stock; people looking shocked and tutting as you open the drop light whilst the train is still moving into platform. Naughty I realised but not a risk of you don't lean out.

Ha! As a Waterloo commuter in the 90s, I remember being constantly exhorted not to open the door and leave the train while it was still moving into platform. Not that anybody paid the blindest bit of attention. Was quite a sight!

 

[tsr]

Rolling joints in the 1st class on Thameslink - and not just "yoof" either ....?

Came across that on another GTR brand recently. I was not amused.

They may or may not have been detrained for some considerable time at a remote and inhospitable location, one stop from home...

 

[Bromley boy]

Rolling joints in the 1st class on Thameslink - and not just "yoof" either ....?

Came across that on another GTR brand recently. I was not amused.

They may or may not have been detrained for some considerable time at a remote and inhospitable location, one stop from home...

Not just rolling joints, but also smoking them on board is by no means unusual in my experience of one of the GTR brands.

 

[mmh]

Ha! As a Waterloo commuter in the 90s, I remember being constantly exhorted not to open the door and leave the train while it was still moving into platform. Not that anybody paid the blindest bit of attention. Was quite a sight!

In the mid 90s I was working in the city and living in Croydon, walking to London Bridge station each evening. One day I was lazy and got on at Cannon Street - everything stops at London Bridge from here doesn't it? Oh no they didn't, as the packed train I was on slowed down pulling in to London Bridge I walked into a compartment from the corridor and started to open the door but was pulled back by a pinstriped gent. "No no, it doesn't stop here!" "Oh, thank you so much, I'm really sorry, I thought they all did! Where's the next stop?" "Rochester". Oops.

I've been trying to find a youtube video I saw years ago which was just of doors slamming at London Bridge, a fantastic racket. Couldn't find it, but this video from 1990 is great - shows that the station looked identical from then until being rebuilt, but the very best things about it are the awfully well spoken RP annoucements and jaffa cake NSE liveries within 30 seconds!

 

[jon0844]

1: Over complicate things.
Ask when trains leave York for Huddersfield. Then ask when the lasttrain will leave Kings Cross to York. Two separate questions.
Why not just ask what time they have to leave Kings Cross to make the last train for Huddersfield?

2: Tap their card in a specific way.
Seen loads of people turning their card to specifically tap it with the numbers on the bottom, as if they think it won't work with the numbers facing up.

3: Expect doors to open automatically.
Many times watched someone waiting at a door while everyone else is boarding. Once or twice the person even walks to another door.

4: Push the door open button before it's lit.
It reminds me of those people who flash at traffic lights hoping they'll change, or people who twist the little knob underneath the pedestrian button thinking it changes the lights quicker...

I had another but can't remember it right now.

1. Sometimes people can be confused and ask questions in weird ways, perhaps having mulled over the question(s) in their head then getting flustered. It's a public railway and not everyone is an expert. History shows that sometimes asking seemingly obvious questions IS a good idea when information screens can turn out to be showing incorrect information. Once bitten...

2. I can also see why some would not realise the difference between a contact less card and a paper ticket that they're probably used to having to use one specific way (face up) and, on some tickets, the right way around because the magstrip isn't centred.

3. When some trains open doors automatically and some don't, people can be confused if they live somewhere that has train doors open by themselves (like a Londoner used to the Tube).

4. On older stock this is a great trick and I bet someone who has held the button for years (not the same button!) will have been caught out by the newer stock that doesn't work that way, and requires you to take your finger off and push again once activated.

313s, 365s, 317s, 319s, 321s and many more allow this. I've also noticed that many buttons on the 313s are no longer illuminated and are unlikely to be fixed before they're replaced by 717s, so you just need to keep pressing!

Overall, nothing here is particularly weird IMHO.

People who appear to be embarrassed about knowing where the train is going:

Someone asks "Is this the train to Leeds?"

Passenger responds either "I think so" or "I hope so". Never seem to just say "Yes".

This. Although I am not sure that it's just that answering with confidence makes you look like a nerd, or the fact that people don't want to risk being wrong and blamed.

 

[185143]

Go on a long journey with no books, magazines, newspapers, content loaded on mobile devices or any form of entertainment, and repeatedly announce to their travel companion how bored they are. (Obviously, this doesn't apply to self-entertaining window-gazers...)

Expect every train to have a buffet on board, even commuter services where you can see from one end of the train to the other.

Insist that the train stops at x station (usually an interchange station on the edge of a city) despite not being marked on the departures board, it's "just hidden" so you use other trains (always amusing when someone headed for Finsbury Park gets carried to Biggleswade...)

Think that the centre aisle is the best place to store a bag/briefcase on a commuter train, and get all huffy when someone accidentally steps on it when walking past.

People who are capable of operating smartphones and driving cars getting all flustered when faced with having to press a big button that says "LOCK" in order to lock a toilet door.

Buy food from Pumpkin.

Get really annoyed when there's a ticket inspector on board because they've bought a ticket you know. Also, get really annoyed when there's not a ticket inspect because they might as well not have bought a ticket (as if that's the only reason you would get one).

Or York! It happens-I saw someone tweet VTEC a couple of weeks back...

More locally, I've had to send people from Birchwood back to Deansgate a few times! People just blindly jump on any westbound at Occy Road...

 

[EM2]

1. Sometimes people can be confused and ask questions in weird ways, perhaps having mulled over the question(s) in their head then getting flustered. It's a public railway and not everyone is an expert. History shows that sometimes asking seemingly obvious questions IS a good idea when information screens can turn out to be showing incorrect information. Once bitten...

The most unusual question I've ever been asked was 'Do trains arrive here, or do they only depart?'. While desperately wishing to answer 'They have to arrive before they can depart', I eventually managed to ascertain that what the lady really wanted to know was whether trains from a particular station arrived at the station where we were currently, or another one nearby.

 

[whhistle]

5: Hand over paperwork only for the ticket office person to turn it round so they can read it.

6: When calling out reference numbers, no regularity. A-BB-CCC-D-E-FF.
Why not ABC-DEF-GHI or whatever?

7: People calling out reference numbers using the phonetic alphabet, even when there's no glass.

8: People shoving their phones through the small gap under the glass for the ticket person to read a reference number, instead of just showing their phone... through the glass.

Witnessed three just this morning! I just find it really strange behaviour. Poor ticket lady!

 

[Dhassell]

People who appear to be embarrassed about knowing where the train is going:

Someone asks "Is this the train to Leeds?"

Passenger responds either "I think so" or "I hope so". Never seem to just say "Yes".

Don't wanna be liable in case its not!

4: Push the door open button before it's lit.
It reminds me of those people who flash at traffic lights hoping they'll change, or people who twist the little knob underneath the pedestrian button thinking it changes the lights quicker...

I normally do that on most stock, I normally hold my finger on the button as soon as the train stops, and quite normally I don't have to make another action to get the door to open, I personally find it quicker than waiting for the light to show and then try and have fast reaction lol.

 

[LordCreed]

7: People calling out reference numbers using the phonetic alphabet, even when there's no glass.

8: People shoving their phones through the small gap under the glass for the ticket person to read a reference number, instead of just showing their phone... through the glass.

The entire point of the phonetic alphabet is to make this sort of thing clearer. I wish every customer did this, as it would make life so much easier...

I’d also rather be passed the phone, as the glass can cause reflections making it hard to view the screen.

 

[DarloRich]

or perhaps things that people who don't always travel on trains do that people who always travel on trains find funny. Not everyone has our level of knowledge, experience, ability or confidence in using the railway system. It helps to remember that while chortling.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Not just rolling joints, but also smoking them on board is by no means unusual in my experience of one of the GTR brands.

Sevenoaks via Catford perchance ?

(my observation was on a fast Bedford around 2100 hrs - this well dressed suit proceeded to wrap up some Birthday presents , write cards - and finished his party preparations by rolling up several large joints - completely unfazed by everyone watching him) .....

 

[pdeaves]

HST stops. Guard is slow releasing the doors for some reason. People wait patiently on the train and on the platform, except for one person furiously yanking at the door trying to open it. Why? What causes such people not to notice the different behaviour of everyone else in sight?

 

[ArchieWoodbine]

HST stops. Guard is slow releasing the doors for some reason. People wait patiently on the train and on the platform, except for one person furiously yanking at the door trying to open it. Why? What causes such people not to notice the different behaviour of everyone else in sight?

Usually these people get their due reward with the door jamming on the latch when the central locking tries to release. Whilst it's mostly "every second counts" commuters who do this; one can understand tourists falling foul of this, given that a fair bit of the older stock on the continent doesn't have central locking.

 

[SteveP29]

Boarding: Seeing people queue up in an orderly fashion at a door on coach B (IC225) waiting for people to get off before boarding. Meanwhile the door next to it into coach C is still closed! Cue angry looks when someone walks to the door, opens it and beats them into coach B!

VTEC Coach Boards: Watching people walking the length of the platform to the board that says Coach B at Darlington to then see them running back down when it turns out they are travelling on a Cross Country train. I don't know how big the "Travelling on Virgin Trains?" and "on Virgin Trains services only" message needs to be for people to notice it.

Boarding: My main gripe is that people stand too close to the door before it opens, not giving people enough room to alight, secondly, people that see a gap in the line of people getting off and decide that was the last person off, so they're getting on, not realising somebody has to retrieve their case from the vestibule rack (and often holding up the people behind them). Personally, I always stand far enough away from the door, to see the line of people getting off and wait until that last person I can see in the queue in the carriage to alight before I think about getting on, thirdly, the number of people I see trying to get on the guard door on HST's on the east coast is phenomenal, I have in the past shouted down to them that they won't get on there, mostly to be ignored.

VTEC Coach Board, I see that happen a lot at Newcastle and Waverley. I do sometimes have a problem with that myself due to the Cross Country rolling stock and formations, I always try to ensure I'm in coach G on XC, then I'll know it's an HST and I'll be at one end of the train (departure boards are usually correct in stating the end at which 1st class is at, so I can work out where to be on the platform). With voyagers, is pot luck I think, so waiting at the centre of the platform is usually best and taking my cue from there when the train arrives.

 

[317666]

I'm sure there are some classes of trains which will do this, push the open button once and as soon as the doors are released it'll open.

The newer stock on the U-Bahn in Vienna has this feature - amusingly, if somebody just misses the train and pushes the button on the outside as it starts to move off, it still registers and the doors will open by themselves at the next station even if no-one is using them!

 

[hexagon789]

The newer stock on the U-Bahn in Vienna has this feature - amusingly, if somebody just misses the train and pushes the button on the outside as it starts to move off, it still registers and the doors will open by themselves at the next station even if no-one is using them!

For a minute there I thought you were going to say the door opened while the train started off!

 

[Clansman]

People running to their coach rather than boarding at the closest door, on a train that the guard had kindly held to let them on before departing. And those running for a train that's already departing.

 

[hexagon789]

People running to their coach rather than boarding at the closest door, on a train that the guard had kindly held to let them on before departing. And those running for a train that's already departing.

Even more annoying when the guard shouts: "in here please".

 

[E_Reeves]

People who ask when the next train is to a certain destination, they're told when the next service is and they reply "Is there not one sooner?". It's like they think there's a service that they're not allowed to know about!

 

[sefton]

People who appear to be embarrassed about knowing where the train is going:

Someone asks "Is this the train to Leeds?"

Passenger responds either "I think so" or "I hope so". Never seem to just say "Yes".

I frequently respond with that for several reasons.

1. I got on the train before it was announced on the boards and I am guessing.

2. People don't ask what they mean. "Is this the Peterborough train" "Yes" Twenty minutes later "Doesn't this train stop at Stevenage" "No, it is the fast train" "Oh I thought all Peterborough trains stopped at Stevenage"

But mainly if you are too lazy to look at the departure board why is that my problem.

 

[hexagon789]

How about people who when you ask them to move their bags so you can sit down who insist vehemently on keeping the aisle seat but when they get off are so slow that the end up the back of the queue anyway?

Or people who enter/exit the toilets whole eating/drinking.

People who board trains half dressed.

Or my personal favourite as far as weird ones go, girls who randomly walk up to you, say "there you are my love" and hand you 3 packets of out of date bacon as though it was a belated Xmas present?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Or my personal favourite as far as weird ones go, girls who randomly walk up to you, say "there you are my love" and hand you 3 packets of out of date bacon as though it was a belated Xmas present?

This has happened to you more than once?!

 

[hexagon789]

This has happened to you more than once?!

Only once, on Friday last as a matter of fact.

I would be very worried if it happened again.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Not weird, but highly annoying, is the significant minority of Dewsbury passengers who only get out of their seats to alight at the last possible moment- which puts them in conflict with those who have politely waited for folk to get off before they try to board.

Another vote for those who don't get their tickets ready until they're at the barrier. But also barrier attendants who position themselves in such a way as to block one of the adjacent barriers whilst tapping people through the wide ones (Huddersfield, I'm looking at you!) when this isn't necessary.

There's a lady of indeterminate age who regularly catches Northern services from Dewsbury to Huddersfield who is always wearing these enormous headphones which look like the sort worn by Air Traffic Controllers except they're bright red (they aren't Beats, by the way) and sings along to whatever she's listening to (her singing doesn't give any clues) loudly but only intermittently.

Not to mock the lady as she presumably has some mental health issues, but her behaviour categorically matches the description of "weird". Though not as "weird" as some of the ale-trail crowd on a weekend!

 

[Lucan]

At Mitcham (the old station before Tramlink), every morning a middle-aged woman would kneel at the bottom of the footbridge on a small mat that she carried with her and set out a mirror and make-up stuff on the first 3 or 4 steps. It became her dressing table for the ten minutes before the train arrived. She did keep to one side, but you had to step round this stuff. Fortunately we were all regulars on that train, no more than 20 people, so we were used to it.