Is there any specific policy around vomiting on trains?

[ChiefPlanner]

One of the issues dealt with by self with 313's on the North London / DC lines was to get proper locks on the intermediate cars ,so that a "vomited car) could be locked out and remain in service till the cleaners could deal with it , subject to carefull train crew briefing of course ........2 cars running better than 3 cars out of service of course ........

 

[Brightonboy]

I've had 2 related experiences - many years ago returning home on a Friday evening to NW London after a course at Hereford, I started throwing up shortly after changing at Newport but fortunately always made it to the toilet each time - by Paddington I was virtually permanently resident in there.

Not willing to risk the tube I got a taxi from Paddington to Colindale but warned the driver of my condition first. Luckily I only had to ask him to stop once (near Stirling Corner) so that I could open the door and decorate the gutter.

The rest of the journey was uneventful & i paid the meter fare (with a decent tip).

Another time, my son (then aged around 12 or 13) decided that the middle of a day out in London was a good time to have an adverse reaction to something he'd eaten.

We warned the TTI when boarding the return train to Norwich at Liverpool Street and he gave us a 'freebie' to ride in the otherwise empty 1st at the London end of the train so we could have easy access to the toilet with minimal risk of it being occupied by another passenger.

Again, thankfully, the journey home went without untoward contamination.

 

[Carlisle]

In practice, not really - it will just be cleaned up, taped off or left for the overnight cleaners to deal with. Which in some ways is regrettable when viewed by those of us who don’t touch alcohol and take a rather dim view of those who do and fail to be able to handle it.

In my experience it’s roughly equally split between sick children, medically ill adults & drunks, but maybe it varies significantly on different routes like inner suburban services.

 

[Russel]

Was on the last LNWR Trent Valley service out of Euston a few Saturdays ago, sat right up front in the seats behind the cab, someone further down the coach decided to throw up in the aisle in multiple places just after Watford Jn, not wanting to walk through it and with it being far enough away to not worry too much about, I decided the best option was to just stay put until Milton Keynes where I could move to the next coach via the platform.

 

[cats_five]

That's probably because the cabin crew clean it up before it poses a risk. Happy for my company to employ an onboard crew member for such eventualities.

If they have an illness causing them to vomit it's probably a risk as soon as they puke

 

[John Luxton]

I travel a fair bit by sea which means one sometimes encounters fellow passengers who are poor sailors.

Ships crew usually have access to some a powder, not sure what it is called, which they sprinkle on the mess until it is possible to clear it up usually at the end of a sailing.

Not only does it cover it up but it kills the odour completely which is important as sometimes that can trigger sickness in other passengers near by.

 

[choochoochoo]

I travel a fair bit by sea which means one sometimes encounters fellow passengers who are poor sailors.

Ships crew usually have access to some a powder, not sure what it is called, which they sprinkle on the mess until it is possible to clear it up usually at the end of a sailing.

Not only does it cover it up but it kills the odour completely which is important as sometimes that can trigger sickness in other passengers near by.

I understood powder to be a temporary measure until it got cleaned. But the area needs to be locked off. There's nothing to stop a curious toddler/unaware person accidentally/inadvertently disturbing the powder and getting contaminated.

 

[LowLevel]

Response varies. As someone who misbehaved once or twice under the influence of alcohol as a youth I do have some tolerance of it and have been known to go out of my way to assist people who have overindulged to get home safely provided they're not violent. I remember one Christmas Eve some kid had projected vomited Strongbow dark fruits coloured sick all over the doors and ceiling of my 158 and shortly afterwards my boots and was collapsed barely conscious outside the toilet he hadn't made it to. Luckily for him his unlocked phone was in his hand where he had been trying and failing to text his house mate and I managed to ring them and get them to come and help me carry him off the train at the terminus. I supplied them with a bin bag and some paper towels for the journey and managed to dodge the thank you kiss on the way out

If it's confined under a table or on a seat tape the seats off, chuck some dessicating powder on if you have some. If it's more widespread lock the coach out.

Trying to get BTP to come and deal with disorderly drunks is like most occasions of trying to get BTP to come and deal with anything that might need them to take someone into the custody - extremely difficult. I'm not aware of anyone being prosecuted just for chucking up on a train.

 

[Trackman]

Ships crew usually have access to some a powder, not sure what it is called, which they sprinkle on the mess until it is possible to clear it up usually at the end of a sailing.

Think its an all-purpose powder for bodily fluids, blood etc..

 

[LowLevel]

Think its an all-purpose powder for bodily fluids, blood etc..

Sanitaire emergency clean up powder is the stuff in question and it's miraculous powers are much appreciated.

 

[John Luxton]

Sanitaire emergency clean up powder is the stuff in question and it's miraculous powers are much appreciated.

Thanks for putting an name to it.

Perhaps a container should be kept on board every train?

 

[RiverDon]

Thanks for putting an name to it.

Perhaps a container should be kept on board every train?

I'm pretty sure I saw a biohazard clean up kit in the cab of an LNER azuma when I was speaking to a driver a few weeks ago so presumably that would have it in. Our trains don't carry anything like that though.

 

[PLY2AYS]

Good reason for bringing back droplight door windows

I’m not sure GWR would agree with you.

I'm not sure that vomiting counts as soiling.

It most certainly does.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I'm not sure that vomiting counts as soiling.

It most certainly does.

I wouldn't be so certain - it seems to have a specific meaning - urinating or defecating, rather than the more general definition of "making unsanitary".

It would be "interesting" to know if there's a definition in English law, in the act itself, or if one has been determined in court.

 

[PLY2AYS]

I wouldn't be so certain - it seems to have a specific meaning - urinating or defecating, rather than the more general definition of "making unsanitary".

It would be "interesting" to know if there's a definition in English law, in the act itself, or if one has been determined in court.

Where there isn’t a definition specifically outlined in this particular sense; I suppose it depends on how good your lawyer is at arguing a definition in court.

soil, v.¹ meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary

soil, v.¹ meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

www.oed.com

As you can read here the Oxford English Dictionary has several definitions; most only referring to dirtying, tarnishing or staining, rather than defecation per se.

 

[father_jack]

I've said before on here that on the "STAR" ticket office machines there was a debit button named "CONSCIENCE MONEY" where if an envelope came in the post with money in it and a note saying "puked on last train from xxxxx last Friday night, sorry" you could pay it in.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

I've said before on here that on the "STAR" ticket office machines there was a debit button named "CONSCIENCE MONEY" where if an envelope came in the post with money in it and a note saying "puked on last train from xxxxx last Friday night, sorry" you could pay it in.

I wonder how that got accounted for? Hopefully, it went to buy some nice biscuits or similar for the cleaner's break room!

 

[father_jack]

I wonder how that got accounted for? Hopefully, it went to buy some nice biscuits or similar for the cleaner's break room!

Went in the till !!!

 

[island]

I'm not sure that vomiting counts as soiling. It could happen for any number of reasons, many of which would not be deliberate.

I would read soiling as a reference to urination or defecation.

It probably also applies to someone carelessly or deliberately spilling say paint on a train. Hopefully that's very rare indeed, but then...

It covers vomiting, and what Starmill says, and also stuff like placing dirty shoes on seats.

 

[ollyrogers]

Yes SouthEastern’s stated policy is that it’s compulsory on the 00:25 Victoria to Ashford “Vomit Comet” service. Preferably by Bromley South:

 

[GordonT]

Jump hastily out of the firing line?

 

[Stigy]

I'm not sure that vomiting counts as soiling. It could happen for any number of reasons, many of which would not be deliberate.

I would read soiling as a reference to urination or defecation.

I’d say it depends. This would be an offence of strict liability, meaning the prosecution only has to prove that it happened. Everything else is mitigation. The fact that a person has vomited, means that they have soiled the railway. It doesn’t have to be intentional.

I’d like to think common sense would prevail if it was due to illness etc that it occurred, but one could argue that nobody ever really intends to vomit (make poor choices on a night out, yes, but not intentionally vomit), so where do you draw the line?

Maybe the “line in the sand” would be the difference between someone vomiting and then seeking out a member of staff to report it and have it cleaned up, or vomiting and just walking off?

 

[SCDR_WMR]

Was on the last LNWR Trent Valley service out of Euston a few Saturdays ago, sat right up front in the seats behind the cab, someone further down the coach decided to throw up in the aisle in multiple places just after Watford Jn, not wanting to walk through it and with it being far enough away to not worry too much about, I decided the best option was to just stay put until Milton Keynes where I could move to the next coach via the platform.

We've had passengers vomit in the gangway between units on 350s, especially troublesome as guards need access to the cabs for UDS. Common for the train to be taken out of service in such inatances

 

[DarloRich]

I was ill on a train once. I was very embarrassed but the on train staff were very caring and helpful. There was NO suggestion of having committed a crime! I actually wrote to the train company to apologise and to commend the staff who did a great job.

PS - it wasn't drink related or anything like that. It was just illness. I felt a touch green when I set off and should not have travelled really but these things happen. Luckily it was mostly in the toilet so the area could be locked out of use.

 

[PLY2AYS]

I was ill on a train once. I was very embarrassed but the on train staff were very caring and helpful. There was NO suggestion of having committed a crime! I actually wrote to the train company to apologise and to commend the staff who did a great job.

PS - it wasn't drink related or anything like that. It was just illness. I felt a touch green when I set off and should not have travelled really but these things happen. Luckily it was mostly in the toilet so the area could be locked out of use.

I think, couldn’t say for certain, that this is a large reason why it isn’t enforced as a railway bye-law most of the time.
Because there is such an element of legitimate sickness, travel sickness etc. and if there wasn’t, it could be easily disputed.
That and trains are much easier to clean these days, and enforcing it is such a draw on manpower and has the capacity to increase delays or conflict with otherwise unprotected staff.

Add that to the fact that being drunk in public is much less of a social taboo than it was when these bye-laws were written, just adds to the hassle of chasing down fines.

 

[saismee]

I felt a touch green when I set off and should not have travelled really but these things happen.

Nearly did this the other day when travelling with a headache. Very hot train with too many layers on combined with a lack of drink. Held a can of energy drink to my head to cool off until I sprinted to the shop for water. Felt much better after the water and continued my journey fine. Headache didn't go though.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Taxi drivers charge for vomiting because they lose revenue whilst their car is off being cleaned. I think that's fair enough. It's also a bit easier to ask the driver to stop to allow you to be sick outside the vehicle.

It's not quite the same on other types of transport. It happens. On my flight home from Manchester on Sunday there was a young woman vomiting copiously, the cabin crew just kept her stocked up with sick bags and a plastic bin liner to put the filled bags into.

We've had passengers vomit in the gangway between units on 350s, especially troublesome as guards need access to the cabs for UDS.

It's an unfortunate issue, I'd imagine that the people responsible will think they're being helpful vomiting there rather than vomiting in the passenger cabin. But it's not very nice for the guard who need to be in those cabs for UDS. I suppose WMT/LNR doing away with 12-cars on most services helps with this, though I assume the last couple of trains out of Euston on a Saturday night are as 'lively' as they ever were.

 

[Russel]

...though I assume the last couple of trains out of Euston on a Saturday night are as 'lively' as they ever were.

I've used the penultimate and last Trent Valley services out of Euston on a Saturday on numerous occasions and surprisingly they are normally fairly quiet, though given the last one is 20:30 on a Saturday, it's probably still too early to be lively...

 

[Mikey C]

Many years a go I met a schoolfriend of mine who was working in a London Underground depot, and he used to refer to the puke shift late in the evening...

I regrettably have been sick once on a train, in my youth, an empty EPB carriage late at night, so nobody else was around, and I was sick on the floor. Hopefully somebody in the depot noticed it before it went back into service the next day!

 

[The_Van]

The last Cambridge/ Stortford out of Liverpool Street on a Friday night was a regular vomit comet