Bad Experience on GWR - Bag Removed from Train

[BrianW]

I find it 'interesting' that contributors to this discussion seem more ready to criticise the OP (as I would too) than the many 'transgressors' who have crossed swords with those officials seeking revenue protection on behalf of the traveling public, who seem to me to be treated lightly and considerately. The OP is understandably annoyed, possibly with himself? How do newcomers to train travel with a bike manage at intermediate stops, where much of the stop time may be taken up with locating the bike area- is there advice available to users in advance?

 

[Belperpete]

A member of staff wouldn't have randomly picked on the OP's bag - someone must surely have pointed it out to them. Someone who was suspicious about the OP's behaviour. After all, it is not normal to come into a coach, deposit a bag, and then promptly disappear back the way they have come without even taking their coat off. It would certainly look suspicious to me. It is NOT the same as leaving a coat or bag on a seat after you have been sitting there for some time, or depositing your bag in a rack before you find a seat.

Should the member of staff have shouted out if the bag belonged to anyone? What would be the point if one or more passengers have just told you that the person who left it has gone?

If this is the scenario that happened, as seems likely to me, then I think the member of staff behaved correctly in removing the bag, and warning the OP not to behave in a way that alarms other passengers again.

 

[Spaceship323]

How do newcomers to train travel with a bike manage at intermediate stops, where much of the stop time may be taken up with locating the bike area- is there advice available to users in advance?

GWR tell you which zone to wait in for the on train cycle spaces, during the platform announcements for intercity trains

 

[D Williams]

Go by long distance coach. Much less trouble. In general railways treat their passengers as potential criminals. And charge extortionate rates for the experience.

 

[Spaceship323]

Go by long distance coach. Much less trouble. In general railways treat their passengers as potential criminals. And charge extortionate rates for the experience.

With a bicycle? (which is how the OP was travelling)

 

[The Puddock]

On Saturday I travelled from London to Cardiff on GWR, with a bicycle and a fair bit of luggage (rucksack + panniers on the bike). I boarded the train, immediately realised that (a) I had no idea how you're supposed to put the bikes in the bike compartments, and (b) if I tried to figure it out while still wearing my large rucksack I'd largely block other passengers from boarding. I therefore instead quickly went to look for seat and having chosen one, left the rucksack on it. so I could return to the bike to try to figure out how to properly get it into the bike compartment. I thought that would only take a few seconds and I'd quickly be back to the seat where I'd left my rucksack
...
My intention is to take this up very seriously with GWR, demand a full apology, and make it clear that I regard their actions as attempted theft of my luggage and that if I hadn't had the good luck of retrieving my bag in the nick of time, I would now be in the process of taking legal advice with a view to suing them for many thousands of pounds (ruination of several days of trip, plus the value of the stuff in the rucksack).

But thought I'd post here fiurst to see what people think.

At the time you left your rucksack on the seat, you were the only person who knew your intentions. To everyone else in the carriage it looked like you deposited a potential bomb and left in a hurry.

 

[Haywain]

Leaving a coat or bag on a seat whilst you go to the toilet or the (usually static) snacks trolley is incredibly common, so much so I'm somewhat amazed people are having a go at the OP for it.

Yes, once the train is under way. It is clear that this was quite some time before departure and that is a very different case.

 

[Malaxa]

GWR tell you which zone to wait in for the on train cycle spaces, during the platform announcements for intercity trains

Yes. exactly my experience [not]on a dark wet night in somewhere like Kingham, trying to decide where Coach H or whatever booked for the bicycle is located

 

[WesternLancer]

At the time you left your rucksack on the seat, you were the only person who knew your intentions. To everyone else in the carriage it looked like you deposited a potential bomb and left in a hurry.

In that case better to evacuate the whole train to be on the safe side

Hard to believe a have a go hero member of staff lifted up a large heavy bag of Semtex and dumped it on a platform trolley.

Maybe as suggested above they assumed it was left luggage by mistake from an alighting passenger and wanted to keep it safe for them in lost property as they were trying to be helpful?