How late is irritating?

[ASharpe]

Like most people I don't mind so long as I am kept informed.

But delay repay is usually only just enough to cover the cost of the extra overpriced beer I buy on the train, so not really beneficial.

I do however dread the day I get a multi hour delay on a dry train or one without catering.

 

[trainophile]

Like most people I don't mind so long as I am kept informed.

But delay repay is usually only just enough to cover the cost of the extra overpriced beer I buy on the train, so not really beneficial.

I do however dread the day I get a multi hour delay on a dry train or one without catering.

... or in my case, without toilets hock: .

 

[VauxhallandI]

When my train is 20/50/100% late for a 21 min journey

 

[TSR :D]

the 2 lines are totally different. the line from new street is one of the busiest in the country.

part of it is double track so if theres any issues the knock back is huge

Yes, I know that, but it still gets irritating after a while. I don't really think there's anything can be done to fix this issue.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Personally, I really can't see the point in getting that annoyed. I'm pretty sure that if I was driving a similar distance (this person does Farringdon to Haywards Heath) I'd be more than ten minutes late every day.

Time is money, especially for people who are likely to be doing that sort of commute. Ten minutes once in a blue moon would not be irritating, but ten minutes most days becomes infuriating extremely quickly. It's wasted time.

It used to drive me mad when I lived in the north east and commuted from Newcastle to Durham. Often the trains were 5-10 minutes late in both directions, the 1725 Durham to Newcastle being the worst offender, and often these delays were not announced on the app or on the National Rail website as I left the house/the office. My office ran a flexitime system based on when I clocked in and out, so the delays translated directly into lost time for me. Not to mention that the knock-on delays (just missing a bus, etc) meant I was maybe 20-30 minutes late home, so I lost family time too.

I've always been a firm believer that a company's punctuality tells you a lot about their perceptions of their customers. You see this with courier services like Yodel, and you see it with the likes of First Capital Connect. They simply don't care about their customers enough to turn up when they say they will.

 

[GodAtum]

I was delayed by 20 mins today which made me 40 mins late into the office.

 

[EM2]

Time is money, especially for people who are likely to be doing that sort of commute. Ten minutes once in a blue moon would not be irritating, but ten minutes most days becomes infuriating extremely quickly. It's wasted time.

It used to drive me mad when I lived in the north east and commuted from Newcastle to Durham. Often the trains were 5-10 minutes late in both directions, the 1725 Durham to Newcastle being the worst offender, and often these delays were not announced on the app or on the National Rail website as I left the house/the office. My office ran a flexitime system based on when I clocked in and out, so the delays translated directly into lost time for me. Not to mention that the knock-on delays (just missing a bus, etc) meant I was maybe 20-30 minutes late home, so I lost family time too.

I've always been a firm believer that a company's punctuality tells you a lot about their perceptions of their customers. You see this with courier services like Yodel, and you see it with the likes of First Capital Connect. They simply don't care about their customers enough to turn up when they say they will.

How can time be money when going home? Their work is over for the day.
And as for 'don't care about their customers', if all the delays were for reasons under their control, maybe you'd have a point.

 

[bronzeonion]

I generally get irritated by the reaction to the delay, be it 1 min or 1 hour. It annoys me when I board a train that is even 1 min late and there is not even an acknowledgement of the delay, a simple apology and explanation over the PA would be absolutely fine!

 

[fowler9]

How can time be money when going home? Their work is over for the day.
And as for 'don't care about their customers', if all the delays were for reasons under their control, maybe you'd have a point.

Come on mate, its a bit unfair to discount delays on the way home because time isn't money then. Most of us work to pay for the home life, if we loose loads of it through delays then what is the point.

Aside from that I think there needs to be some understanding on both sides. It isn't always the direct fault of the TOC or whoever. Most people will be alright if you explain what caused the delay, this doesn't always happen.

 

[bb21]

I generally get irritated by the reaction to the delay, be it 1 min or 1 hour. It annoys me when I board a train that is even 1 min late and there is not even an acknowledgement of the delay, a simple apology and explanation over the PA would be absolutely fine!

You get annoyed by a 1-minute delay? Seriously?

 

[GospelOak117]

Mostly when I had just missed a train and had to wait ages until the next one anyway, to then have to wait even longer for that next train, even a delay of a few mins can really annoy me when I am at a particularly dark and unwelcoming station that I really don't want to be at AHEM! Walthamstow Central

It is always about the situation, i.e who is around me and how busy it is, what the environment of where I am waiting is like and whether it is just another in a line of delays incurred along a multi-change journey; rather than the fact of the train being delayed, which I understand there is always mostly a good reason for.

 

[notadriver]

Why aren't national express coaches or Megabus obliged to compensate for late running ?

 

[notadriver]

How about this scenario - a train leaves a London terminus on time - it's not due to stop again for over 40 minutes. Due to following other services it's not able to exceed 30 mph and gets overtaken by many trains on the fast line. It eventually turns off onto another line where it then is able to maintain a high speed and arrive on time. Would passengers expect an apology for the slow (and late) running earlier in the journey ?

 

[fowler9]

How about this scenario - a train leaves a London terminus on time - it's not due to stop again for over 40 minutes. Due to following other services it's not able to exceed 30 mph and gets overtaken by many trains on the fast line. It eventually turns off onto another line where it then is able to maintain a high speed and arrive on time. Would passengers expect an apology for the slow (and late) running earlier in the journey ?

I don't know mate, I have been on late running planes and long distance coaches where a member of the crew has made announcements about the delay and on occasions said when they they think they can make the time up. I actually didn't realise National Express and Megabus didn't have to compensate for late arrival. I've only ever once claimed off the railways and that was when a rail replacement bus never turned up at South Parkway. We got free taxis to Warrington and Widnes and I also got 4 free day passes for the entire Northern network. I was very grateful because it wasn't directly Northerns fault.

 

[bronzeonion]

You get annoyed by a 1-minute delay? Seriously?

When there is not even an acknowledgement of it, yes

 

[sheff1]

You get annoyed by a 1-minute delay? Seriously?

I have seen many a commuter on a London undergound platform getting rather annoyed that a train pulled out without them on it. This despite the fact that the next train is 1 minute behind

 

[172212]

When the train is over 10 mins late, and they let the previous one go past and cancel the train I need to the next principal station. This has been done before, waiting at Smethwick Galton Bridge for the xx:23/xx:53 to Worcester, the xx:13/xx:43 to Kidderminster departs, 5 mins later, the Worcester train is cancelled (going fast between Snow Hill and Stourbridge Junction), the only connect which was the Kidderminster train has departed, I have to wait another half an hour for a train to Worcester
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
You tend to get used to/accept some delays, which happen for every service on the line, I.e. the Wolverhampton - Walsall stopper, always at least two minutes late towards Birmingham New Street - I've only actually caught it on time once, I took a photo of the info board

 

[sheff1]

How about this scenario - a train leaves a London terminus on time - it's not due to stop again for over 40 minutes. Due to following other services it's not able to exceed 30 mph and gets overtaken by many trains on the fast line. It eventually turns off onto another line where it then is able to maintain a high speed and arrive on time. Would passengers expect an apology for the slow (and late) running earlier in the journey ?

I don't know about London, but I have often heard announcements on trains following (as booked) an earlier local service through the Hope Valley apologising for the slow running even though we will still arrive on time at Stockport / Sheffield. I do not need the announcement, but it is probably useful for those passengers unfamiliar with train pathing.

Similarly, northbound XC trains are often held at Dore Junction for trains to pass to/from the Hope Valley. Again apologies are often given even though the train will be on time in Sheffield as the stop is built into the schedule.

 

[fowler9]

I have seen many a commuter on a London undergound platform getting rather annoyed that a train pulled out without them on it. This despite the fact that the next train is 1 minute behind

That kind of selfish git sums up why the country is up shoit creek.

 

[infobleep]

I agree with the sentiment. It tends to be the lack of, or sometimes blatantly wrong information provided that annoys me more than the delay.

I totally agree with that. I find the only time National Rail Enquiry departure boards are accurate, is after a train has left. That's understandable but surely they could do something to stop trains constantly having minutes added on to them as they get closer and closer to the station.

This morning the 7.35 Haywards Heath to Victoria was 5 minutes late but left Brighton 8 minutes late. The 7.40 and 7.44 to Victoria were listed as being on time. I worked out that the 7.40, from Littlehampton, would not overtake the 7.35.

When I got to the station the 7.35 was leaving. I think it left 8 minutes late of course. By now the 7.44 was listed as leaving first and being on time with the 7.40 leaving second.

Suddenly they were switched round and the 7.44 was shown as being 6 minutes late. Trains can't suddenly be 6 minutes late. If they got stuck at a junction then then they would keep being delayed by extra minute. But then I guess if that happened I'd trot out the line, "surely they could do something to stop trains constantly having minutes added on to them as they get closer and closer to the station."

In other words it's not easy situation to resolve.

 

[Tetchytyke]

How can time be money when going home? Their work is over for the day.

Well firstly you could have been in work longer, rather than freezing to death in the wind tunnel that is Farringdon station. Secondly, they're missing out on quality family time because of the delays. Ten minutes each day is nearly an hour in each working week, and with young children that's a long time.

Also the sorts of people who live in Haywards Heath and commute to Farringdon are not the sort of people who work a strict nine to five. They'll be semi-permanently welded to their Crackberry.

And as for 'don't care about their customers', if all the delays were for reasons under their control, maybe you'd have a point.

Most of the delays are for reasons within their control. Pathing issues and congestion are completely within their control. Most of the congestion on the TL and GN comes from FCC short-forming trains, or from delayed trains ending up late enough to be collecting the next train's passengers too. And certain trains are always affected more- the GN inner-urban trains are held up for everything else, meaning delays of ten or fifteen minutes at Harringay and Hornsey are not uncommon.

 

[GodAtum]

That kind of selfish git sums up why the country is up shoit creek.

I have to admit turning into a selfish person when commuting, even though im a nice and friendly person in ordinary life. i think most Londoners do. If I could see my friends commute I bet I would be shocked at their behavior.

Im also the person that counts down the seconds rather then minutes.

 

[mirodo]

My train to work this morning was 3 minutes late. No biggie, but I've just (because I've got nothing better to do!) looked at realtraintimes for each weekday for the past 4 weeks. Only once out of 20 occasions has the train departed on time. Delays have ranged from 2 to 20 minutes, averaging at 4.35 mins.

Individually, a delay of a few minutes isn't annoying, but when it happens consistently, it's annoying.

 

[Moonshot]

A common theme running through this thread is the fact that delays are often caused by other services running late, which cause the rail equivalent of a traffic jam. However, unlike in a car or on a bus, passengers cant actually see the jam. Having high quality real time info available to passengers is an absolute must nowadays , be it on the train or the platform

 

[12CSVT]

A question to those of you who get wound up about a 3 or 4 minute delay.

Next time you get in your car to start a journey (to work, to the shops etc), can you predict within 3 or 4 minutes when you will reach your destination ?

 

[GodAtum]

A question to those of you who get wound up about a 3 or 4 minute delay.

Next time you get in your car to start a journey (to work, to the shops etc), can you predict within 3 or 4 minutes when you will reach your destination ?

No but if i used a satnav which predicted my time I would get wound up. Perhaps i rough time would be good, so 0900-0910 then train will arrive?

before TFL introduced electric bus stop signs i was quite laid back but now I count down the mins and if it starts increasing or the bus it late i get upset.

 

[jhoncarter]

It does depend on how tight my timings are for what i am going to do. But, as a rule, I do not mind, so long as I am given enough information about how delayed a train is and, if possible, why. I also find I get more quickly annoyed waiting on a platform for a train to arrive late than being on a train that is getting in late.

 

[DeeGee]

I only travel for leisure, and usually the day before I need to be there.

Therefore I mainly get annoyed if the train's going to be delayed by 1 or 2 minutes too few to claim delay repay.

 

[Tetchytyke]

A question to those of you who get wound up about a 3 or 4 minute delay.

Next time you get in your car to start a journey (to work, to the shops etc), can you predict within 3 or 4 minutes when you will reach your destination ?

I usually can for shorter journeys, but really your point is irrelevant.

The point is that the TOC, when issuing the timetable, have said when my train will arrive. If it doesn't occasionally, it is no biggy. But if it doesn't every single day, then that is an irritation. They should go away and write the timetable properly. The timetable isn't "ooh, it'll turn up about 1715, but you know what the Hanger Lane Gyratory's like this time of day". It doesn't get stuck behind a bin lorry. Persistent late running is not acceptable.

Let's look at the 0820 Kentish Town to Sutton service as an example. Today it was 4 minutes late, yesterday it was 18 late, Wednesday it was 3 late, Tuesday it was on time, Monday it was 2 late and last Friday it was 4 late. If it was occasionally 2-3 minutes late nobody would really care, but it is persistently and consistently late. That's annoying.

 

[sheff1]

A question to those of you who get wound up about a 3 or 4 minute delay.

Next time you get in your car to start a journey (to work, to the shops etc), can you predict within 3 or 4 minutes when you will reach your destination ?

What is the relevance ?

Train operators advertise that their trains, running on dedicated infrastructure, will arrive and depart at specific times. A car journey has no such timings and the route will be open to all manner of other, similarly unitmed, vehicles.

The comparison may have been more valid if you had compared the rail journey to a bus journey which does have a timetable. Most bus companies, though, have a disclaimer around 'traffic conditions'.