unprofessional onboard announcements

[forrest]

I think you miss the psychological point that manual announcements with different intonations and ways of expressing a message catch people's attention more effectively than auto-announcements.

Like many people, I switch off during auto-announcements. It's not just then being over-full of content. It's the style of presentation that is ineffective.

Manual announcements are also reassuring and build goodwill. They confirm that a human being is actually attending to the subject in hand.

Have you ever been on a Manchester train? I crack up every time that northern bloke says "Mobberley".
Fred Dibnah reincarnate - and I'm from Cheshire so it's not even an out of the ordinary accent.

 

[TUC]

I’m trying to think of a tactful way to say that I do wonder whether people’s opinions on this issue reflect the degree both to which they have a sense of humour more generally, and to whether they have a preference for a more formal approach to communication in life?

 

[AdamWW]

I’m trying to think of a tactful way to say that I do wonder whether people’s opinions on this issue reflect the degree both to which they have a sense of humour more generally, and to whether they have a preference for a more formal approach to communication in life?

Senses of humour vary somewhat.

I can choose to watch and listen to comedy that appeals to me and generally ignore the rest.

Doesn't work so well if it's over the PA on a train.

 

[forrest]

"Time and place"

I wouldn't be overly enthusiastic about a Dr making a joke whilst my parents are on their deathbed for example... But I wouldn't mind them cracking a joke if I went in for a routine blood test.

 

[Pyewipecarshed]

I think you miss the psychological point that manual announcements with different intonations and ways of expressing a message catch people's attention more effectively than auto-announcements.

Like many people, I switch off during auto-announcements. It's not just then being over-full of content. It's the style of presentation that is ineffective.

Manual announcements are also reassuring and build goodwill. They confirm that a human being is actually attending to the subject in hand.

Exactly!

And some passengers find excessive announcements damned annoying if they are trying to get on with work, or perhaps have had a stressful day at work and just wish to chill out and relax.

I see no reason just to repeat what an auto-announcer has just said. Fine if a guard wants to cut off the announcer and make the announcement themselves, but why on earth would anyone just want to duplicate a message? In facts, many passengers will probably form the view “what is the point of paying a member of staff just to repeat messages”.

I’m quite happy to let auto announcers do it. Someone like Julie Berry is a professional, she has extensive experience of exactly this sort of thing, and indeed is paid for her work. Let her do the voice stuff, and let the train driver drive the train which is their specialism, not trying to be some kind of entertainer or whatever.

There’s also nothing more annoying than some happy clappy idiot spouting rubbish during disruption, which is the time people actually need decent information. Just because they can crack a joke doesn’t mean they have any clue when it comes to providing useful information.

You have also missed the point that in many (most?) cases guards are simply doing what they have been told to do by their employer.
Being a train guard is the same as most other jobs in that the management tell you what they want doing, and you do it.

 

[bramling]

I’m trying to think of a tactful way to say that I do wonder whether people’s opinions on this issue reflect the degree both to which they have a sense of humour more generally, and to whether they have a preference for a more formal approach to communication in life?

It‘s always been said that people who communicate less tend to be more intelligent. Certainly in my workplace this seems to hold very true indeed.

 

[Russel]

How many times does the purpose of 61016 need to be explained?

Yeah yeah, it allows the BTP to build up data on problem areas etc, etc...

Back in reality, if the BTP or even standard police force don't have the resources to actually deal with crime, then it all becomes a bit pointless.

 

[Krokodil]

Yeah yeah, it allows the BTP to build up data on problem areas etc, etc...

Back in reality, if the BTP or even standard police force don't have the resources to actually deal with crime, then it all becomes a bit pointless.

I've used it plenty of times (both on duty, and occasionally off duty). It has generally produced results.

 

[43066]

I’m trying to think of a tactful way to say that I do wonder whether people’s opinions on this issue reflect the degree both to which they have a sense of humour

Agreed.

Yeah yeah, it allows the BTP to build up data on problem areas etc, etc...

So, if you know that, why the endless negativity about it (other than the usual hatred of announcements)?

Back in reality, if the BTP or even standard police force don't have the resources to actually deal with crime, then it all becomes a bit pointless.

Not disagreeing with that, but it’s a separate issue, and doesn’t in any way take away from 61016 being a useful method to gather intelligence.

 

[AdamWW]

I've used it plenty of times (both on duty, and occasionally off duty). It has generally produced results.

And much as I get annoyed by repeated announcements, the reason that I have the number memorised is because I've heard it so many times.

 

[saismee]

Or those God-awful northern train toilets "please don't flush tissues, clothes, vapes, hopes and dreams, goldfish" it was - and i'm being generous here - very slightly amusing the first time I saw it...

I think "Don't flush tissues, clothes, vapes, or goldfish" down the toilet with some pictograms would be funnier. The "hopes and dreams" part is clearly a joke, and adding goldfish afterwards seems like dragging it on to me. Goldfish only? Now I could imagine someone reading that and having a chuckle thinking it was serious.

Sadly quite a few "gentlemen" (and some "ladies") don't fit the traditional profile these days! Had a group of three feral lads in my coach yesterday afternoon, one in particular kept shouting abusive words at the top of his voice. His companions loudly implied that he was high on something or other, which is still no excuse for his appalling behaviour. Never a guard around when you need one! It was turning into a 61016 job when they suddenly got off thank goodness.

I had a large group of kids join my Great Northern train absolutely shouting and screaming at eachother (not arguing, just loud) for the whole journey between Littleport and King's Lynn. First time I've not had a ticket check on this service and the first time I was desperately hoping for one! Singing party in the USA and going around showing eachother sexual images isn't exactly the kind of thing I'd expect anyone sober to do.

 

[trainophile]

I’ve always assumed that 61016 is for people who you fear might be planting a bomb or something, not for overly boisterous behaviour.

 

[43066]

I’ve always assumed that 61016 is for people who you fear might be planting a bomb or something, not for overly boisterous behaviour.

If you think someone is planting a bomb (ie an emergency) call 999. 61016 is for things like fare dodgers, sex pests etc.

 

[Krokodil]

I’ve always assumed that 61016 is for people who you fear might be planting a bomb or something, not for overly boisterous behaviour.

Nope, any crime on the railway that wouldn't merit a 999 call (or where it would, but you wish to be discreet for your own safety) will do. Similar to calling the 101 non-emergency number for territorial police forces, but more discreet and more convenient.

If I've got someone refusing to pay and I know that I'll soon be at a railway station where I'll have a reasonable chance of a response then I'll send a text in to see if an officer or PCSO can meet the train. Though sometimes I'll often phone ahead to the station to see if they can get officers down from the BTP station upstairs quicker than the text can be read and acted upon by 61016 (I'll still send the text to get a crime number).

When I've been assaulted at work I've sent a text in - only where I didn't deem a 999 call worthwhile such as where the offender has already left the scene. In some cases I never needed to see a police officer face-to-face, I spoke to them over the phone, sorted a statement out by email, and with bodyworn video the result was a guilty plea without me even needing to attend court.

I've been off-duty and changing trains at Birmingham New Street and observed a beggar doing the rounds of a seating area. I sent a text in, two officers appeared and I directed them to the man.

 

[TUC]

Nope, any crime on the railway that wouldn't merit a 999 call (or where it would, but you wish to be discreet for your own safety) will do. Similar to calling the 101 non-emergency number for territorial police forces, but more discreet and more convenient.

If I've got someone refusing to pay and I know that I'll soon be at a railway station where I'll have a reasonable chance of a response then I'll send a text in to see if an officer or PCSO can meet the train. Though sometimes I'll often phone ahead to the station to see if they can get officers down from the BTP station upstairs quicker than the text can be read and acted upon by 61016 (I'll still send the text to get a crime number).

When I've been assaulted at work I've sent a text in - only where I didn't deem a 999 call worthwhile such as where the offender has already left the scene. In some cases I never needed to see a police officer face-to-face, I spoke to them over the phone, sorted a statement out by email, and with bodyworn video the result was a guilty plea without me even needing to attend court.

I've been off-duty and changing trains at Birmingham New Street and observed a beggar doing the rounds of a seating area. I sent a text in, two officers appeared and I directed them to the man.

A rather more direct approach was carried out by a Northern conductor last week. She waited until the train had arrived at the next station, walking down the train to the carriage where the miscreant passenger was located and said 'off the train. I'm not being sworn at like that'. He duly departed. I wanted everyone watching to burst into applause.

 

[Krokodil]

A rather more direct approach was carried out by a Northern conductor last week. She waited until the train had arrived at the next station, walking down the train to the carriage where the miscreant passenger was located and said 'off the train. I'm not being sworn at like that'. He duly departed.

Sometimes that works. Sometimes a police response is warranted.

 

[Purple Train]

I’m trying to think of a tactful way to say that I do wonder whether people’s opinions on this issue reflect the degree both to which they have a sense of humour more generally, and to whether they have a preference for a more formal approach to communication in life?

I find this point of view very interesting as I generally prefer a more formal approach to communication, but (genuinely accidentally) kept inserting humour into English essays!

I have to say, I'm just perked up by a departure from the normal script, however humorous. To me, it shows that the member of staff has a handle on the situation rather than simply repeating a constant script like a computerised voice.

I haven't had much experience of long disruptions while actually on board a train (waits at stations however...), but, in that limited experience, fellow passengers with a sense of humour have helped enormously. I appreciate that some contributors may prefer an efficient, deadly-serious voice, only speaking when there's an update, but the lighter you are, the closer to the end of the tunnel...

 

[CaptainHaddock]

"Time and place"

I wouldn't be overly enthusiastic about a Dr making a joke whilst my parents are on their deathbed for example... But I wouldn't mind them cracking a joke if I went in for a routine blood test.

Doctor: I'm just going to put the needle in. You might feel a bit of a prick."
Me: "Don't worry, I'm used to that!"

 

[frankmoh]

I remember being on a Southeastern train a year ago held at a red signal outside Lewisham where the driver listed off several facts about when smoking was banned on various National Rail services. "That applies to vapes too, especially you lot hanging around the toilet." That group of vapers all got a bit embarrassed and promptly left the train at London Bridge.

 

[Lockwood]

Doctor: I'm just going to put the needle in. You might feel a bit of a prick."
Me: "Don't worry, I'm used to that!"

I had someone tell me they were no longer allowed to say "You may feel a little prick", and some people found "little prick" offensive

So they switched to "You may feel a sharp scratch..... You big prick"

 

[saismee]

I had someone tell me they were no longer allowed to say "You may feel a little prick", and some people found "little prick" offensive

So they switched to "You may feel a sharp scratch..... You big prick"

Must have taken it as a personal attack

 

[MagicMonkey]

Oh dear, the life of a train guard/conductor/manager - your damned if you do, your damned if you don't, woe betide anyone to try to inject a bit of humour into their repetetive job where your treated as subservient and worth less than the dog muck you have stuck in the tread of your shoe having accidentally trodden in earlier in the day.

Surprised anyone actually heard the intended humour anyway, normally too paralytic, high or just ignorant to listen to most announcements on the last train home.....any train in fact! That's not to mention those who have earbuds/headphones in and then blame said employee because they never heard the announcements regarding service alterations!

 

[Bristol LHS]

As a guard myself and also a frequent rail traveller I take great pride in my announcements.

I keep them to an absolute minimum and the ones that I do make are, in my modest opinion, polite, clear and relevant.

The keeping to a minimum thing is key for me. Grand Central are awful for this.

There’s a female conductor who’s added in all sorts of warnings, presumably each based on something she’s encountered at least once. So in addition to the “This is not a LNER train, tickets marked LNER or LNER and connections are not valid on this service (etc etc) you also get announcements including:
- ‘First class upgrades are not available on this train. If you have a standard class ticket please do not sit in first class and expect to be able to upgrade your ticket. This needs to be done in advance of boarding using an app called SeatFrog”
- ‘If you wish to place your feet on the seat opposite you, to respect future passengers, please ensure you remove your shoes first” (I mean, really…?)

You them get an additional 5minutes of verbal diarrhoea from the buffet, which usually includes some needlessly detailed description of a)whatever fault the boiler/coffee machine has today, b)a step by step account of how to order food in first class using the QR code on the seat or table in front of you, and often c) “I am fulfilling first class orders and serving first class passengers at their seat first, therefore the buffet will not open to passengers in standard class until the at-seat service is completed. At that point I will make a further announcement” - at which point the tarradiddle about the boiler/coffee machine begins again.

The fares are cheap, but it is like travelling on the Titfield Thunderbolt in terms of professionalism.

 

[frankmoh]

There’s a female conductor who’s added in all sorts of warnings, presumably each based on something she’s encountered at least once. So in addition to the “This is not a LNER train, tickets marked LNER or LNER and connections are not valid on this service (etc etc) you also get announcements including:
- ‘If you wish to place your feet on the seat opposite you, to respect future passengers, please ensure you remove your shoes first” (I mean, really…?)

I thought all TOCs were very clear on the whole "literally no feet on seats EVER" thing. I guess not.

 

[WAB]

A slightly different sort of unprofessional announcement in my view is when you can hear the AWS and DSD going off in the background of the announcement.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Surprised anyone actually heard the intended humour anyway, normally too paralytic, high or just ignorant to listen to most announcements on the last train home.....any train in fact! That's not to mention those who have earbuds/headphones in and then blame said employee because they never heard the announcements regarding service alterations!

But the fact train staff make so many unnecessary announcements is one of the reasons why people wear headphones - no one wants or needs to hear them!

Assuming you're train staff, next time you're about to announce something take a deep breath and ask yourself "do the passengers need to know what I'm about to say?". If the answer's no then keep quiet!

 

[Segedunum]

"We'll shortly be arriving into Doncaster, apologies to anyone leaving the train here, as this is where my ex-wife lives" is probably the most risqué I've heard from a guard That will have been a good 10 years ago or so in either the latter days of East Coast or early VTEC operations.

 

[wilsontown]

I did once have "We are now approaching Doncaster. If you're alighting here, good luck". I did laugh, but I'm not sure I'd have liked it if I lived in Doncaster.

 

[Fenchurch SP]

"We'll shortly be arriving into Doncaster, apologies to anyone leaving the train here, as this is where my ex-wife lives" is probably the most risqué I've heard from a guard That will have been a good 10 years ago or so in either the latter days of East Coast or early VTEC operations.

Not sure if it was actually true, but I did once read about an Underground driver who announced "Sorry for the delay, I know everybody wants to get home, unless you're married to my ex-wife in which case you're probably not in so much of a hurry."

 

[lookapigeon]

Bare minimum and that's it. This is the train X, next station Y. The less verbal the better, they need to cut out all of the crap.

It's what they do abroad - and it also helps those that aren't native speakers of English understand where they are, and what station is next, rather than all of the waffle about texting 61016, reading the safety notices, daring not to breathe etc.

As said above people wear headphones to not have their ears punished by this endless amount of verbiage - the irony being that IF there is something that is crucial and needs announcing, they'll miss it ebcause they're plugged in.

I'm certainly not averse to a slightly off-piste annoucement on a late night train with some merry people on board if that's the vibe, but daytime, keep it professional.