Boarding while people are unboarding

[YorkshireBear]

Think I mentioned this a while back, but Merseyrail do prosecute for this bye-law offence (unsurprisingly), but more in cases were they are acting dangerously or very selfishly.

More TOCs should follow suit, especially with the Feet on Seats prosecutions (interfering with passenger comfort byelaw) and smoking (Merseyrail- Underground stations are banned).

Some people see it as draconian, but it improves the service for the majority that act normally.

exactly, only a problem for those who do it.

 

[Invincibles]

I often find myself stepping off trains to let people out then getting back on again, I think the 5 stations on a commuter train in KL was the most I have done.

I had a few problems yesterday with people not leaving enough room to get my suitcase out of the train, but a quick look at them made them part a little bit wider.

In many places they have marks on the platform to show the boarding areas to either side and the alighting route down the middle. While this needs the train to stop in the right place the result always seems very effective.

 

[OuterDistant]

I always make sure I go on trains with a chainsaw and hockey mask to avoid this eventuality.

 

[alloneword100]

Jimmyowl1992 - since I have a son who is dyslexic (amongst other things) it always annoys me when people assume that mistakes in spelling are down to 'sloppiness'.

And as someone who edits words for a living, it makes me even more annoyed when I see those same people also making mistakes. You might not realise it, but 'the Colonel' can't punctuate to save his life, and while he knows how to spell he doesn't know how to form verbs correctly and mixes up singular and plural words.

Your answer wiped the floor with him. Please don't limit your posts by having to take so long to check them - as you say, we can all understand what you are saying, particularly because you make strong, vivid, points with passion.

 

[northwichcat]

Think I mentioned this a while back, but Merseyrail do prosecute for this bye-law offence (unsurprisingly), but more in cases were they are acting dangerously or very selfishly.

More TOCs should follow suit, especially with the Feet on Seats prosecutions (interfering with passenger comfort byelaw) and smoking (Merseyrail- Underground stations are banned).

When have Merseyrail successfully prosecuted someone for putting their feet on the seats? A female student teacher got taken to court for that but the judge threw out the case and accused Merseyrail of wasting his time. The media jumped on that story because had she been prosecuted she wouldn't have had full CRB clearance so couldn't work with children.

 

[Hydro]

Anyone else reminded of "Major Misunderstanding" from Viz when looking at the Colonel's post?

 

[chris89]

People boarding whilst others come off i've mostly encountered on LM trains between Stafford - Wolvo, Wolvo - New Street and also on some Scot Rail services.

Also a handful of times getting off at Wolverhampton on Virgin services people nearly always try to get on before you get off.

But i always let others off first and do quite often offer to help people if they have bulky bags and so on.

Also don't worry Jimmy i also have dyslexia and i let other peoples comments go over my head and i understand how diffucult it is, as i leave out comma's and so on due to reading slower and not thinking i require them.

Chris

 

[Wyvern]

I had a few problems yesterday with people not leaving enough room to get my suitcase out of the train, but a quick look at them made them part a little bit wider.

I'd have used it as a battering ram - and I have in the past.

Plus my size nines on their insteps soon makes then move.

Mind you had problems getting off a train at Birmingham due to people trying to get on.

I found out why after I pushed my way through. There was a fight going on surrounded by snarling police dogs. :roll:

 

[YorkshireBear]

I always make sure I go on trains with a chainsaw and hockey mask to avoid this eventuality.

(like button)

also cheers alloneword100 and chris89
tbh i was tired and struggling to sleep due to a lovely chest infection ive picked up off one of my friends, i thought a rather heavy handed reply to him would make me feel better and it did i went to sleep pretty quickly after that :P

 

[Malderon]

I experience this quite often at East Croydon in the mornings. I'm getting off and not only are people crowding around the doors making it difficult to get off but they happily start piling on.

I have to say that I think this is sometimes compounded by the platform dispatchers who start frantically blowing whistles almost as soon as the doors are open and it seems people on the platform think (strangely) they are going to get shut out so just start boarding!

I usually find a shoulder and a disgusted look get the job done.

 

[First class]

When have Merseyrail successfully prosecuted someone for putting their feet on the seats? A female student teacher got taken to court for that but the judge threw out the case and accused Merseyrail of wasting his time. The media jumped on that story because had she been prosecuted she wouldn't have had full CRB clearance so couldn't work with children.

She was successfully prosecuted actually- but the court decided to issue a conditional discharge. Still found guilty none-the-less.

Certainly wasn't "thrown out of court". Many hundreds of people are successfully prosecuted by Merseyrail for an array of byelaw offences.

MEN Quote:

The company has a zero tolerance policy towards this and 250 people have already been prosecuted since February.

Merseyrail:

“To date, we have prosecuted some 240 people for putting their feet on the seats and other by-law infringements such as smoking. All have either pleaded guilty or been found guilty by magistrates. A further 600 people or so are due in court over the next few months.”

Read More http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk...r-feet-on-seats-64375-19735812/#ixzz1E4hgzmqS

 

[northwichcat]

She was successfully prosecuted actually- but the court decided to issue a conditional discharge. Still found guilty none-the-less.

On checking again it was an absolute discharge:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1562141/Feet-on-seat-student-escapes-conviction.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/6977871.stm

And it was actually Cheshire Police who criticised Merseyrail for prosecuting over feet on seats and not the judge. (The offence happened in Capenhurst, Cheshire and went to Chester crown court, others will have gone to courts in Merseyside.)

 

[DarloRich]

It is very rude and i have noticed this problem more down here in the south (not so much of a crush to get on a 142 at Darlo!)

I find that having played rugby as a prop forward for a long time has left me the idea size to:

a) block up both doors of a 350 AND
b) and “persuade" those responsible for this kind of behaviour to cease and desist

 

[Railjet]

I can't believe that absolute discharge. It doesn't matter that she took her feet off when she saw the inspector coming. Why did she have her feet on the seat in the first place, for heaven's sake?? It still makes the seat dirty for the next passenger! Honestly, the way some people behave you think they must live in a cave or something.

Why did she get off? Because she was a 19 year-old tearful blonde? I can only say I totally agree with Merseyrail and in particular the LibDem spokesman:

Cllr Peter Millea, the Lib-Dems spokesman on Merseytravel, last night attacked the court’s decision to award an absolute discharge.

“The magistrates have done a great disservice as far as I am concerned. We are attempting to improve conduct for the travelling public on our trains and placing feet on train seats is not acceptable. I will raise the court’s decision with our next rail committee. This decision will be seen by some passengers as giving them carte blanche to behave in a way that is unacceptable.”

 

[ralphchadkirk]

An absolute discharge still means the person was found guilty, just that the judge or magistrate felt any kind of punishment to be inappropriate.

 

[Mojo]

I find this is far worse off peak (or in the evening peak when there are lots of irregular travellers thrown into the mix) than in the morning. Presumably it doesn't click with irregular travellers that if they got out of the way and let people off first everything would move a lot smoother. Similar to how weekend Tube passengers prefer to crush in the door areas so less people can get on and it's harder to get off, rather than moving right down inside the cars as the regular commuters do.

 

[Railjet]

An absolute discharge still means the person was found guilty, just that the judge or magistrate felt any kind of punishment to be inappropriate.

Effectively not, because the accused is deemed not to have been convicted, and does not get any criminal record whatsoever.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Effectively not, because the accused is deemed not to have been convicted, and does not get any criminal record whatsoever.

I suggest you read up on the law then. To give an absolute discharge require the person to have been found guilty. The judge (or magistrate) gives an absolute discharge where they feel it would be inappropriate to apply another kind of punishment. In this case, I would imagine they considered the whole experience of being taken to court to be a suitable punishment.

 

[Mojo]

I suggest you read up on the law then. To give an absolute discharge require the person to have been found guilty. The judge (or magistrate) gives an absolute discharge where they feel it would be inappropriate to apply another kind of punishment. In this case, I would imagine they considered the whole experience of being taken to court to be a suitable punishment.

Yes but he said effectively not (or de facto if you prefer) which is correct, because an absolute discharge becomes "spent" after just 6 months, as opposed to a fine for which most are 5 years.

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Yes but he said effectively not (or de facto if you prefer) which is correct, because an absolute discharge becomes "spent" after just 6 months, as opposed to a fine for which most are 5 years.

He also said "the accused is deemed not to have been convicted" which is incorrect, because they have been convicted and sentenced.

 

[Mojo]

He also said "the accused is deemed not to have been convicted" which is incorrect, because they have been convicted and sentenced.

Yes they are deemed not to have been convicted, by society at large, because it becomes spent after 6 months and therefore would have had no bearing on her desire to become a teacher. That's a different thing to him saying "the accused has not been convicted."

 

[ralphchadkirk]

Yes they are deemed not to have been convicted, by society at large, because it becomes spent after 6 months and therefore would have had no bearing on her desire to become a teacher.

Maybe not by the lay society, but according to records and the law they have been convicted and sentenced, and, as you say, it appears on your record for 6 months.

Which is why this was appropriate. As much as I agree with people that it's disgusting to put your feet on the seats, I don't see it as a reason to prejudice someone's career (that they haven't even started yet!) over it.

 

[Railjet]

Yes, I was looking at the reality (as Mojo said), not the legal pernicketiness.

Of course she was guilty in fact - there was photographic evidence, so I presume a solicitor advises his client that there is no option but to plead guilty in this case.

In reality, the words "absolute" and "discharge" give the game away.

PS: ralphchadkirk - clearly you have the legal knowledge, so apologies if I take a more pragmatic view!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

PS: ralphchadkirk - clearly you have the legal knowledge, so apologies if I take a more pragmatic view!

No, I don't! I agree though, there is a difference between the law and real life.

Of course she was guilty in fact - there was photographic evidence, so I presume a solicitor advises his client that there is no option but to plead guilty in this case.

There was clear video evidence (I believe the article said the person was wearing a head-cam?), so you'd be silly to plead not guilty.

 

[northwichcat]

Why did she get off? Because she was a 19 year-old tearful blonde? I can only say I totally agree with Merseyrail and in particular the LibDem spokesman:

She was actually a brunette. She appeared on both Granada Reports and BBC North West Tonight at the time. It's likely the judge gave an absolute discharge because otherwise she wouldn't have had a clean CRB check when she came to apply to become a teacher. The viewers of both the programs I mentioned were very unsympathetic towards her and most mentioned that if she wanted to become a teacher she should be setting an excellent example for children, which she wasn't doing by putting her feet on train seats.

It doesn't matter that she took her feet off when she saw the inspector coming.

In doing that she knew she was in the wrong. It would be like walking past a queue-less open ticket office to the train when you don't have a ticket, realising RPI staff are on the platform and then buying a ticket from the ticket office.

Why did she have her feet on the seat in the first place, for heaven's sake?? It still makes the seat dirty for the next passenger! Honestly, the way some people behave you think they must live in a cave or something.

It seems to be the case generally that once girls are tall enough to put their feet on facing seats they think it's the cool thing to do. Look around any train in school holidays and there's girls, more so than boys, with their feet on facing seats (assuming the train has facing seats.) Frequently other passengers have to get them to move their feet to let them sit down. On occasions girls remove their shoes before doing it but then start painting their toenails with intoxicating nail varnish.

On one occasion a TPE service leaving Liverpool was packed. Just as it was approaching Warrington Central and people were getting up to alight the train one girl aged around 16-18 decided to take up another seat that had just been vacated by someone alighting for her feet. She didn't stop to consider that one of the 40 people who'd been standing in that carriage since Liverpool might have liked to sit in that seat.

 

[YorkshireBear]

On one occasion a TPE service leaving Liverpool was packed. Just as it was approaching Warrington Central and people were getting up to alight the train one girl aged around 16-18 decided to take up another seat that had just been vacated by someone alighting for her feet. She didn't stop to consider that one of the 40 people who'd been standing in that carriage since Liverpool might have liked to sit in that seat.

id of punched her in the face (in my dreams anyway)

just to point out, its obviously a joke.... just to cover my back and all that jazz

 

[MCR247]

hock:hock:

 

[Dolive22]

Just to clarify, if you are convicted and get an absolute discharge you have been convicted and it will show up on a criminal record check. It will stay for a very short time (possibly 6 months) on a normal check but the checks they run for teaching, care work, barristers, police etc. will show it forever. But it shou;dn't stop you getting a job as a teacher. You're not banned forever from teaching just because you have a minor conviction.

On the original subject, I don't see many people barging on trains because I'm not mormally travelling at peak times, but I suspect I would stop them and tell them it was illegal.

 

[Flamingo]

Teenage girls do put their legs in strange positions (all right, calm down there at the back), I've had to ask them to take their feet off the drop-down table in front of them at airline seats, and off the same seat as they were sitting it!

Short of wrapping their legs around their necks (settle down, I've told you once), they seem able to put their feet pretty much anywhere!

 

[YorkshireBear]

Teenage girls do put their legs in strange positions (all right, calm down there at the back), I've had to ask them to take their feet off the drop-down table in front of them at airline seats, and off the same seat as they were sitting it!

Short of wrapping their legs around their necks (settle down, I've told you once), they seem able to put their feet pretty much anywhere!

the amount of inuendo's that came into my head there are uncountable

but yes they do, much more flexible than us mere men.