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Any way to treat a young lady?
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Half a story. If that.
How'd she come to travel with no money? She's a grown woman who should be able to look after herself, not a 'girl'.
Staff could've been more helpful, but if she's as timid as that anecdote suggests, she probably didn't even ask properly.
How'd she come to travel with no money? She's a grown woman who should be able to look after herself, not a 'girl'.
Staff could've been more helpful, but if she's as timid as that anecdote suggests, she probably didn't even ask properly.
anthony263
Established Member
If this is is true then i do find it shocking. Also the bus operator should have sent another driver out if that 1 was out of hours and maybe those members of staff need a talking to.
I travel quite a bit and still hate to ask station staff things, even if I have to or are forced to. So I'd completely understand if she was too nervous. I've only ever met one helpful staff member in my travelling on the railway.
MidnightFlyer
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Really? Re: money, there's cashpoints aplenty on Reading station.
Maybe if you spoke to more staff, you'd find more willing to help. On the face of it, I'm sure I could find many staff who are as shocked by this as you seem to be.
Lampshade
Established Member
Personally, having been in a similar situation before, I'd have walked it, it's only 11 miles along the A321. Also it's hard to believe that someone would travel from Plymouth with no money, not even a card.
However, that doesn't change the fact that the customer service she received was nothing short of abysmal and I hope she is duly compensated. It was also the responsibilty of FGW to arrange for a taxi home as it was down to them that this happened.
However, that doesn't change the fact that the customer service she received was nothing short of abysmal and I hope she is duly compensated. It was also the responsibilty of FGW to arrange for a taxi home as it was down to them that this happened.
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CarterUSM
Established Member
My word! Only one! Come up here to Scotland , we will , by and large, treat you well on the railway! On topic, from what i've read, not a nice sounding predicament for the girl in question. I hope it does not put her off travelling by train. If the story is completely accurate , then it is rather an abdication of responsibility on the railways part.
Well, having no money made things more difficult, but it doesn't reduce the TOCs duty to get her to her destination. I often returned home absolutely potless at that age, ATM card or not.
And how should an infrequent rail traveller unaware of all the protections afforded her by the NRCoC 'ask properly' for assistance? It would appear she didn't even get the opportunity to 'ask properly'.
You've assumed a couple things so I'll assume as well. She was directed to board a rail replacement bus at Reading and took that advice at face value as it came from someone employed by a train company. The staff should've ensured that the bus was calling at stations that passengers wished to go. The TOC responsible for providing the rail replacement bus should also have been made aware of driver hours if that was an issue.
It's an anecdote. Whether it's true or not is to be decided by someone with all the information, not us. I very much doubt that this is the full story. For instance, why would staff just 'slam the door in her face'? As with all these stories, there is more here than we're being told, but as with all of them, people run around scared shouting 'sack'em' and 'compensation' without knowing all the facts.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Since when did you need to be aware of the NRCoC to being able to ask for assistance? Was she the only one who this happened to? If so then the question needs to be asked, why?
CarterUSM
Established Member
That is pretty much how i see it.
This really doesn't sound right. I honestly doubt a member of staff would not speak to you at all and then slam a door in your face. If a member of staff was going to ignore you, they wouldn't be outside in the main ticket hall area, surely? If they were going to avoid passengers they wouldn't stand where they could be asked questions.
What I should think of as more likely is that the female was incredibly annoyed at being shoved onto a bus which then terminated short, found the first member of staff and took her frustration out on them. That member of staff may have felt it too much and went to a place of safety.
I honestly doubt someone would be there to speak to if they were the kind of person to walk off without saying a word to a "timid" passenger.
What I should think of as more likely is that the female was incredibly annoyed at being shoved onto a bus which then terminated short, found the first member of staff and took her frustration out on them. That member of staff may have felt it too much and went to a place of safety.
I honestly doubt someone would be there to speak to if they were the kind of person to walk off without saying a word to a "timid" passenger.
CarterUSM
Established Member
This is also true, it is hard for some to speak up for themselves, it doesn't relieve the TOC from their responsibility to get you to your destination though. But it would be interesting to know if something similar happened to anyone else?
I called her timid, it wasn't mentioned in the original post. I was speculating. I agree with the rest of your post though.
I think you'd struggle to find a single member of staff who would refuse to talk and slam the door in a passenger's face.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Oh no, the TOC should have given her all the information she needed to complete her journey.
Aictos
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Without knowing both sides of the story from all parties involved, I can only offer a limited commentary which is why didn't Wokingham staff try to organise onward travel ie taxis to get your missus's colleague to Farnborough.
The very least they could have done is offer her the use of a phone so she could contact her friends so someone might have been able to meet her at either Wokingham or Farnborough.
I know I've been here before which at the time I believe was the right decision and I stick by it which was a young lady who was the same age as me (24 yrs old) who missed the last connection to a station further south on the line so to cut a long story short, we ended up chatting about food and life in the nice warm platform office while we waited for our train.
After all, it was cold, dark and travelling solo so you don't really want to be freezing on the platform do you now?
Anyway back to the OP's post, it's a very safe bet that had I been on duty I would have least have tried my best to get her home safely and not just because she was a female.
The very least they could have done is offer her the use of a phone so she could contact her friends so someone might have been able to meet her at either Wokingham or Farnborough.
I know I've been here before which at the time I believe was the right decision and I stick by it which was a young lady who was the same age as me (24 yrs old) who missed the last connection to a station further south on the line so to cut a long story short, we ended up chatting about food and life in the nice warm platform office while we waited for our train.
After all, it was cold, dark and travelling solo so you don't really want to be freezing on the platform do you now?
Anyway back to the OP's post, it's a very safe bet that had I been on duty I would have least have tried my best to get her home safely and not just because she was a female.
Well I haven't shouted 'sack'em or compenstation' and neither has the OP on the other forum where this 'anecdote' was posted. I've quoted it in full, unedited. Only one mention of compensation so far on this thread and not hyperbole.
As for why the staff at Wokingham slammed the door in her face. Indeed, why? Perhaps the DSM had had a pretty bad day of it following the lightning strike. Perhaps he saw it as a FGW problem, perhaps he's not a people person. With only part of the story all equally possible as much as some action on the girl's part that got her the short-shrift.
CarterUSM
Established Member
Oh bravo, mr cheek!!!
You may be right though! What is the girl in question doing about this alleged farce anyway?route:oxford
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It wouldn't be good to be abandoned in Wokingham (or anywhere) really.
There would have been opportunties to protect herself though.
0800 REVERSE is a handy service and there are still usually payphones to be found near a railway station.
Or even dial the operator and ask for a reverse charged call...
Don't all stations have a telephone "help point" too?
There would have been opportunties to protect herself though.
0800 REVERSE is a handy service and there are still usually payphones to be found near a railway station.
Or even dial the operator and ask for a reverse charged call...
Don't all stations have a telephone "help point" too?
I did chuckle at the thread title and you're pretty much spot on there. It's no way to treat anyone!
PS. Does she have a boyfriend?
Do tell us then!
That just isn't true at all. Who is running around, scared (of who/what?), shouting "sack'em" and "compensation"?
The only person who is being sensationalist and making assumptions is you. Is there any reason for this chip on your shoulder?
Post of the week!!
My word! Only one! Come up here to Scotland , we will , by and large, treat you well on the railway! On topic, from what i've read, not a nice sounding predicament for the girl in question. I hope it does not put her off travelling by train. If the story is completely accurate , then it is rather an abdication of responsibility on the railways part.
Yeah only one, it's quite disturbing.
I would talk to more staff but as I've travelled around I've looked over for help and all I can see usually (I'm not saying every staff member is this way) are staff huffing and puffing and complaining, so it's a case of. "they look fed up, do I really need to disturb them?" When I was at Crewe once, (this is my encounter with the nice staff member), I'd missed a train (the PIS board had a completely different train up - about ten of us got caught out). I got onto the train and the conductor sighed as he walked up the train to me and seemed less than helpful as I purchased a new ticket.
Dai - I find this concerning, it does not match my experiences. I have experienced several bad staff, but out of many hundreds of journeys that is to be expected; the percentage is relatively small. Do you really travel much to only have met one helpful member of staff? Or maybe you don't usually need help (but then it's surely unfair to assume staff are not helpful until proven otherwise?) or maybe you've had terribly bad luck?
37401
Established Member
It's not a nice feeling when you're lost and feel totally helpless and at that time of night it can't have been nice wondering if you're going to be stuck there all night
YorkshireBear
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I've not travelled as much as you guys this year but, over the last few years I have travelled a far bit. I do love travelling. (I couldn't really afford it all the time). But yeah it may be bad luck, I hope it is because I do enjoy train travel. I usually steer clear of staff (maybe I've avoided the good ones?). I can't really say after my bad experiences I talk to staff any more, out of not wanting to get the brunt of bad service.
I do feel sorry for her but I'm no virgin...... it has been a while though. Can your virginity return?
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