Use of phones while driving.

[Gooner18]

On a train and can hear the driver having a conversation on their phone while driving ( currently 10 minutes into the journey and they are still on the phone ).
Surely just like a car a train driver should not be having a phone call while driving?

 

[Crithylum]

Surely this should be reported to the operator of your train?

 

[TFN]

Are you sure there isn’t another person in the cab with the driver?

 

[Gooner18]

100% no one else is in the cab. The driver walked through changing ends to start the journey

 

[saismee]

Surely this should be reported to the operator of your train?

I agree if there's concern of the driver being distracted.

100% no one else is in the cab. The driver walked through changing ends to start the journey

Are you sure nobody jumped in via the cab door? Can you actually hear what they're saying, and are certain it isn't just risk triggered commentary?

 

[guard1]

He might be talking to himself. I talk to myself in the cab from time to time like a weirdo. Could also be a conversation on the cab to cab with other on board staff like a guard.

 

[driver9000]

It's drilled into us that mobile phones are banned from use while driving and the companies take it very seriously. Are you 100% certain they're using a mobile phone and not Cab to cab or GSMR? Are you certain that someone hasn't joined from the platform or using a form of commentary driving?

 

[800001]

Could they be on the gsmr-r radio having a conversation with a signaller or someone from the control department?

 

[Gooner18]

It’s a DDO Train. They are laughing and having a conversation, think I picked up about a babies weight being 6 lbs something

 

[Magrar]

10 minutes is a long time to be talking to yourself or a signaller.

Even a ten minute chat with a work colleague is a bit, well, wierd.

 

[Gooner18]

20 minutes in and still talking

 

[800001]

If that concerned raise i

20 minutes in and still talking

If you are adamant that they are on the phone, report it via 'X' to the relevant TOC.

 

[sportzbar]

20 minutes in and still talking

I take it you have absolute concrete proof that the driver is talking on a mobile phone?

 

[John R]

You could record part of the conversation as evidence too.

 

[Gooner18]

My bad. Just got off the train i think I saw someone two people in the cab ( not 100% ) maybe someone was in the back of the train as there was definitely no one who got in after.

 

[Tetragon213]

He might be talking to himself. I talk to myself in the cab from time to time like a weirdo. Could also be a conversation on the cab to cab with other on board staff like a guard.

Now now, there's nothing wrong with having a conversation with an equally smart person

That said, iirc talking on a mobile while driving a train is a VERY big no-no.

My bad. Just got off the train i think I saw someone two people in the cab ( not 100% ) maybe someone was in the back of the train as there was definitely no one who got in after.

Let's sincerely hope you were tight about there being 2 people in the cab.

 

[185143]

I was on a West Midlands Metro tram not long after the Croydon derailment and was stood behind the cab, could clearly see the driver with his mobile phone held to his ear whilst the tram was in motion. That got reported straight to the operator.

In hindsight I should probably have vocally squared up to the driver.

 

[Gooner18]

Now now, there's nothing wrong with having a conversation with an equally smart person

That said, iirc talking on a mobile while driving a train is a VERY big no-no.

Let's sincerely hope you were tight about there being 2 people in the cab.

It was difficult to see into the cab due to the design, however I think I picked up two heads. Not 100% but it’s made me think someone was there as surely they would not to stupid enough to a) have a phone call and b) be taking so loud , laughing etc to make it that obvious

 

[dk1]

We had a snitch of a manager a few years ago who reported lots of conductors and guards for various reasons. One of our drivers knew she was sitting right behind the cab door in 1st class so he pretended to be having a phone conversation. When she alighted she looked in the cab (no doubt to confirm he was alone) and even waved. Just as expected he was contacted by his line manager in his PNB to say there had been a report that a driver was on the phone whilst driving.

This same snitch was a few years later dismissed for gross misconduct.

 

[Magrar]

To state the obvious, even if there was a second person, then talking and even laughing for 20 minutes about nonsense like baby weights, loudly enough to be heard through a door, does not suggest the driver's mind was fully focused on the job.

 

[L3sterSantos]

Never a good position to have to snitch on a co-worker. Easily undermines workplace cohesion and morale, and can lead to cliques. Always surprised to read in situations where co-workers have elected to rat each other out.

To state the obvious, even if there was a second person, then talking and even laughing for 20 minutes about nonsense like baby weights, loudly enough to be heard through a door, does not suggest the driver's mind was fully focused on the job.

Well we don't know if it's the driver speaking or not.

 

[iamraymond]

Never a good position to have to snitch on a co-worker. Easily undermines workplace cohesion and morale, and can lead to cliques. Always surprised to read in situations where co-workers have elected to rat each other out.



Well we don't know if it's the driver speaking or not.

Its ludicrous that you think it is ratting. It's a fragrant breach of safety. I hope you don't take this approach in your vocation, for the safety of your colleagues.

 

[L3sterSantos]

Its ludicrous that you think it is ratting. It's a fragrant breach of safety. I hope you don't take this approach in your vocation, for the safety of your colleagues.

Suspected and unsubstantiated allegation, I think you mean. If one takes this attitude and reports every minor infraction they will be strongly disliked by their colleagues. In this case, despite how adamant OP was that there was nobody in the cab, it turns out there was someone else in the cab. If they got out without checking and reported it, it could've seriously damaged the driver of the train.

 

[IanMac]

Its ludicrous that you think it is ratting. It's a fragrant breach of safety. I hope you don't take this approach in your vocation, for the safety of your colleagues.

Especially if the language is a bit flowery.

 

[trentside]

To state the obvious, even if there was a second person, then talking and even laughing for 20 minutes about nonsense like baby weights, loudly enough to be heard through a door, does not suggest the driver's mind was fully focused on the job

To be quite clear, a driver using their phone in the cab breaches PED policy and is indefensible.

Something that is quite different is having an authorised second person in the cab. If I have a road learner, manager or colleague on an authorised front end turn with me then it’s natural we’ll chat about things unrelated to work. Train driving has significant periods of “under load” and an in person conversation with another member of staff in the cab won’t present a significant risk during this time. The second things require my focus most other drivers will recognise this and be quiet. If they don’t they’ll be told. Not respecting that and you’ll be out the cab.

 

[matt]

The post above summarises the use of phones and other conversations so we will bring this thread to a close