Guard gives woman a note!

[curtly]

just seen this post on Facebook and believe this is brilliant work by the guard. Is this a industry thing or just quick thinking?

Edit- changed photo to remove people’s names.

 

[greyman42]

just seen this post on Facebook and believe this is brilliant work by the guard. Is this a industry thing or just quick thinking?

Edit- changed photo to remove people’s names.

Does it give any info re where this happened or which TOC it was?

 

[LowLevel]

It's just using your noodle. My style if someone looks uncomfortable is to go up to them and say 'hi, sorry, I've got a few minutes free now to deal with your journey plan issue, come for a wander with me if you need help' and they can stay or go at their choosing. If all is actually well and I get a 'what are you on about, I don't have an issue' having misread it I can say 'oh sorry, wrong person!' and move on.

On our of our suburban services the guards recently collaborated with the BTP to find a rather slippery character who was sexually assaulting women on board between unmanned stations resulting in him being arrested.

We can be quite useful when we want to be!

 

[brompton rail]

just seen this post on Facebook and believe this is brilliant work by the guard. Is this a industry thing or just quick thinking?

Edit- changed photo to remove people’s names.

Excellent! Which operator?

 

[tsr]

Always best to go with gut feeling and err on the safe side. Glad to see the onboard crew were able to help out discreetly in this way.

But of course it can go the other way, as LowLevel suggests. I had 3 separate people report a case of something similar on an overnight train once. I went down to the carriage pronto, slowed down a bit on entering, and then stood vaguely nearby and observed for an appropriate length of time - and I thought it didn't look suspicious - sure enough it wasn't!

 

[craigybagel]

Excellent! Which operator?

ATW

It's both a sad thing that such things happen - that many guards, myself included, have had to step into similar incidents. But hopefully this can be used as a bit of good publicity at a time when the profession needs it. I don't want to turn this into another DOO debate, but passenger welfare really is a huge part of the job.

 

[InOban]

I think the public would argue that it's the core of the job, while to the TOC ticket issuing (if appropriate) and checking is the most important.

 

[bb21]

... while to the TOC ticket issuing (if appropriate) and checking is the most important.

Wrong on so many fronts.

Ticket checking comes secondary to safe operation AND customer service, as is the case at every TOC.

 

[InOban]

But every TOC, as I see it, wants to reduce and if possible eliminate, the routine (as opposed to the emergency) role of the guard in the safe operation of the train. Isn't that the fundamental issue in the disputes?

 

[bb21]

That is a different question, involving a whole load of other factors - politics, cost, egos, etc.

As far as existing guard's roles are concerned, no TOC will place revenue above the other two.

 

[NoOnesFool]

It's really frustrating that a SMALL minority of men still feel this kind of harrassment is acceptable. It's a shame that society tends to tar all males with the same brush, so to speak as a result of it, even men who don't swing that way!

 

[ComUtoR]

It's really frustrating that a SMALL minority of men still feel this kind of harrassment is acceptable.

Who said anything about harassment ? He 'struck up a conversation' If another passenger 'struck up a conversation' with me I'm not sure if I'd scream harassment :/

 

[Darandio]

It's really frustrating that a SMALL minority of men still feel this kind of harrassment is acceptable. Its a shame that society tends to tar all males with the same brush, so to speak as a result of it, even men who don't swing that way!

Have to admit that i've seen no mention of harrassment, not even in the photo from the OP. Have you seen further evidence elsewhere?

 

[NoOnesFool]

Have to admit that i've seen no mention of harrassment, not even in the photo from the OP. Have you seen further evidence elsewhere?

Yes, someone upthread referred to sexual assaults, which I'm pretty certain also counts as harassment. The note was probably given because the Senior Conductor had witnessed harassment previously from other customers, perhaps not on the occasion in question, but it could certainly be a catalyst.

 

[Darandio]

Yes, someone upthread referred to sexual assaults, which I'm pretty certain also counts as harassment. The note was probably given because the Senior Conductor had witnessed harassment previously from other customers, perhaps not on the occasion in question, but it could certainly be a catalyst.

So nothing to do with what initiated the thread then. It's important to clarify.

 

[NoOnesFool]

So nothing to do with what initiated the thread then. It's important to clarify.

Would you agree that the thinking behind sending the note would be to prevent harassment? I'm not saying anyone was harassed in what the OP refers to but, it's because of harassment happening, that precautionary measures are undertaken.

 

[Darandio]

Would you agree that the thinking behind sending the note would be to prevent harassment? I'm not saying anyone was harassed in what the OP refers to but, it's because of harassment happening, that precautionary measures are undertaken.

Yes. The lady seemed very grateful to know that people were looking out for her. She didn't seem particularly distressed about it though.

 

[NoOnesFool]

Yes. The lady seemed very grateful to know that people were looking out for her. She didn't seem particularly distressed about it though.

I agree that no distress seems to have been caused.

 

[curtly]

I can confirm in the comments on Facebook the woman says thank you to the guard for the note, and is happy to have the conversation with the man.

She said if she wasn’t happy she’d say something like I’m not happy, you appear to have over charged me.

 

[AlterEgo]

How can just the act of talking to a woman you don’t know be perceived as harassment?

 

[curtly]

How can just the act of talking to a woman you don’t know be perceived as harassment?

It’s not, but in some situations harassment occurs. The person who wrote the Facebook post mentions times when men have followed her home and tried to get into her house after being on a train.
So it’s good to know people are watching out for people.

 

[Re 4/4]

When I was a teenager, I was once in a carriage with perhaps 3-4 other passengers and otherwise full of empty seats - this was an SBB carriage with 2-facing-2 seats on each side and there was no shortage of whole "compartments" of 4 empty seats on either side of the carraige. A middle-aged person got on at one station, insisted on sitting down in the seat right next to me (not even opposite) and starting a "conversation". It made me feel very uncomfortable and I left for the next carriage as soon as I could; luckily they didn't follow me.

 

[AlterEgo]

It’s not, but in some situations harassment occurs. The person who wrote the Facebook post mentions times when men have followed her home and tried to get into her house after being on a train.
So it’s good to know people are watching out for people.

I would not be happy to be quite innocently speaking to someone I didn’t know for them to be passed a note by someone else. Especially if it inferred I may harass them or later follow them to their house.

 

[30907]

I would not be happy to be quite innocently speaking to someone I didn’t know for them to be passed a note by someone else. Especially if it inferred I may harass them or later follow them to their house.

"Is he bothering you?" scarcely implies all that.

 

[Basher]

I’m showing my age here now, but for those of you who remember the TV series of 'tales of the unexpected' (Roald Dahl). There was an episode of a guy pestering a young girl on a bus, a woman intervened and chased him off. The intervening woman then persuaded the girl to get of the bus with her and come to her house for safety, and she did. Well after a short time in the house the guy who was pestering the girl came into the house. The guy was the woman’s husband, so beware.

 

[trainophile]

I think the best policy for people of both sexes travelling on their own is to avoid getting into conversation of any sort with a stranger. A polite nod when someone (e.g.) moves a bag so you can sit down, or stands up to let you out, but anything beyond merely looking pleasant could be perceived as an invitation to engage in conversation, which most likely one or other party doesn't want.

I know I for one do not encourage any form of interaction with a stranger, you just don't know who they are and what they might have in mind.

 

[142Pilot]

I think the best policy for people of both sexes travelling on their own is to avoid getting into conversation of any sort with a stranger. A polite nod when someone (e.g.) moves a bag so you can sit down, or stands up to let you out, but anything beyond merely looking pleasant could be perceived as an invitation to engage in conversation, which most likely one or other party doesn't want.

I know I for one do not encourage any form of interaction with a stranger, you just don't know who they are and what they might have in mind.

I hope this is said in jest.

If not, then I pity you and your life.

Imagine being that scared that you won't speak to people. A very sheltered world if that's the case.

Some great conversations take place with random people.

 

[AlterEgo]

"Is he bothering you?" scarcely implies all that.

The note doesn’t, no. But the woman couches the note in the context of her being followed and harassed before and that’s why she was pleased to receive it.

The bloke was just talking to her.

 

[HLE]

Good grief I’ve struck up loads of conversations with strangers on trains.

I’d rather have people start conversations than sit in silence. Nothing wrong with being sociable.

This woman seemingly felt glad someone was aware they looked uncomfortable!

 

[NoOnesFool]

She could have been autistic and thus uncomfortable with social situations.