Peoples attitudes?

[Hydro]

Conformity is boring. Teenage life is boring. Why the **** would you want to fit in?

Getting laid does not depend on your hobbies or how well you fit in. If you're a ****, people (inc. girls) will think you're a **** anyway.

If the girl's a **** too, then you'll have no issues and then your acquaintances will think you're both ****-ish. And if your acquaintances are ****-ish aswell, then you're all set in your little kingdom of ****-ishness.

"Just play the ****ing note"

 

[Pumbaa]

"Just play the ****ing note"

--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

But as you say, there are enough issues when you're a teenager and "fitting in" is a lot more important now to you than it will be in 15 years. By keeping your interest hidden you are almost certainly guaranteeing yourself lots of rumpy pumpy in years to come.

How untrue, and quite shallow.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I couldn't agree more, you are spot on!

I must visit London Bridge next time I am in London and witness this strange phenomenon for myself!

Don't worry - every day! Also can be observed at Clapham and bizarrely even somewhere like Stafford.

 

[Mojo]

So why are people embarrassed to admit they like trains, yet people would quite openly say they're a football fan?

Agreed. How many rail enthusiasts casual clothing collection only consists of railway company uniforms or shirts with company's logos on? How many of us spend our lunch hours on railway related websites and forums and nothing else? How many rail enthusiasts have the railways and trains as their only topic of conversation at work (aside from work itself)? How many of us get home and spend all evening and weekend watching TV programmes or videos about trains and the railways?

Turn that the other way around, and I can say that there are loads of football fans with football replica kits and other accessories, people in my office who can only talk about sports and work and nothing else, people who play football every weekend without fail, and also go and watch it, and people who only watch the sports TV channels.

 

[Rhondda Rudie]

Folks,

what's the deal with people giving trainspotters/rail enuthiasts such a hard time.l can't get my head around it.There are plane spotters,bird spotters,Eddie Stobbart spotters,bus spotters...............l could go on

l wouldn't dream of slagging someone off just because of there interests but it would appear us rail folks are top the slagging off tree for it.

people in my work now know l have an interest in trains....................and yip a get a slagging for it,it's good natured but l'm sure it's not the same for everyone

anyone else in the same boat?

In my experience railway mess rooms tend to be bearpits.It's true that railway enthusiasts get stick but so does everyone else for every reason under the sun! The banter and laughter of the mess room is one of the things I love about the industry.My advice,where ever you work,would be learn to give as good as you get.

 

[Metroland]

So why are people embarrassed to admit they like trains, yet people would quite openly say they're a football fan?

Some would argue that it's because of the stereotype of a trainspotter, but where do stereotypes come from? There's a large degree of truth in them! That's how they become stereotypes!

It's a perception generated through the media, at one time (50s/60s) nobody would take the mickey out of enthusiasts, because it's something a very large percentage of the youth (especially) did. Thanks to the likes of comedians like Harry Enfield, possibly not helped by the dress sense of a few older spotters at the end of platforms, a certain image has more recently stuck.

There is negative stereotypes about most interests. I personally wouldn't get too smug about football, for many people outside that interest group many fans are viewed are tribal hooligans, with often limited intelligence and equally appalling dress sense - especially middle aged men with a beer belly and football shirts jostling around supermarkets with bad mannered kids. Of course the reality is there is all sorts of people interested in the sport, from all walks of life, similar to the railways. But why should football fans all be tarred with the same brush, ditto enthusiasts? Most enthusiasts for a start don't even spot trains, but it perceived were all at the ends of platforms taking down numbers!

There is a minority of enthusiasts, that are probably a bit odd. But that applies to most interests - certainly football, where there are some very unhealthy obsessions going on. Equally there are high profile and successful people that are rail enthusiasts, and some people I know would never identify with any sort of stereotype, quite the opposite.

Personally I haven't come across anyone that takes the mickey, most well balanced people respect other people don't always have the same interests in life as they do, and quite frankly couldn't care less. As long as you don't force it down their necks, or are harming others, why should they care?

People that usually take the p*** tend to do it as a leg pulling joke, which should be met with a quip back, no further action required. There is not a single person or special interest on this planet that above a bit of mickey taking from time to time, it's part of life, and anyone thinks they are above all that, are dead wrong.

 

[Lawman]

It's a perception generated through the media, at one time (50s/60s) nobody would take the mickey out of enthusiasts, because it's something a very large percentage of the youth (especially) did. Thanks to the likes of comedians like Harry Enfield, possibly not helped by the dress sense of a few older spotters at the end of platforms, a certain image has more recently stuck.

There is negative stereotypes about most interests. I personally wouldn't get too smug about football, for many people outside that interest group many fans are viewed are tribal hooligans, with often limited intelligence and equally appalling dress dress - especially middle aged men with a beer belly and football shirts jostling around supermarkets with bad mannered kids. Of course the reality is there is all sorts of people interested in the sport, from all walks of life, similar to the railways. But why should football fans all be tarred with the same brush, ditto enthusiasts? Most enthusiasts for a start don't even spot trains, but it perceived were all at the ends of platforms taking down numbers,

There is a minority of enthusiasts, that are probably a bit odd. But that applies to most interests - certainly football, where there are some very unhealthy obsessions going on. Equally there are high profile and successful people that are rail enthusiasts, and some people I know would never identify with any sort of stereotype, quite the opposite.

Personally I haven't come across anyone that takes the mickey, most well balanced people respect other people don't always have the same interests in life as they do, and quite frankly couldn't care less. As long as you don't force it down their necks, or are harming others, why should they care?

People that usually take the p*** tend to do it as a leg pulling joke, which should be met with a quip back, no further action required.

well said totaly agree.................

 

[12CSVT]

Turn that the other way around, and I can say that there are loads of football fans with football replica kits and other accessories, people in my office who can only talk about sports and work and nothing else, people who play football every weekend without fail, and also go and watch it, and people who only watch the sports TV channels.

I think you have raised a good point here. It wouldn't surprise me if most of the people who do take the mickey out of railway enthusiasts are the same ones who pay a fortune every week to spend 90 minutes watching 22 millionaires kick a piece of leather round a park, or have so much to drink on a Friday or Saturday night that they throw up in the town centre on their way home. And they have the cheek to call railway enthusiasts 'sad' ?

 

[Metroland]

I actually think people are are whole lot more complex, I know several football fans that are rail enthusiasts. Likewise, most enthusiasts have a lot of interests, especially other forms of transport. Most of us do all the mainstream things too.

It's really a bit silly and shallow arguing X is better than Y in any case, because it depends who you talk to. These things are cultural, not actualities, and like fashion, are subject to fads and change: it's about as logical as arguing blue is better than red. Unless were arguing about popularism, and that's a very dangerous value judgement.

The whole point is the stereotype is as offensive because its a one size fits all, and nothing could be further from the truth. It's rather like saying all football fans are hooligans, all Muslims are terrorists, all bankers are greedy, all hairdressers are gay, the list goes on. I know us humans like to label things, but it's not especially bright, it's simplifying something that is far more complex.

I think people that say we should all be interested in the same things or you are a bad person because you enjoy a harmless passion (thankfully they are few are far between) are a bit ignorant anyway: we are all individuals who should be judged on whether we are decent people, not whether we play dungeons and dragons, or watch tennis at weekends.

 

[At_traction]

Agreed. How many rail enthusiasts casual clothing collection only consists of railway company uniforms or shirts with company's logos on? How many of us spend our lunch hours on railway related websites and forums and nothing else? How many rail enthusiasts have the railways and trains as their only topic of conversation at work (aside from work itself)? How many of us get home and spend all evening and weekend watching TV programmes or videos about trains and the railways.

Well, according to that opinionated assessment, you seem to be as prepared to paint them with the same brush then as "trainspotters" get. Which seems to me that, along those lines, both hobbies are similarly disgusting and sleazy then.

 

[chuckles1066]

This must have been the stupidest message encountered here so far.
A shame, a relatively thoughtful and unbigoted site otherwise. Bound to happen, I guess. :roll:
*Off soap box*

Ahhh, I wondered how long it would take before the bigot label was brandished. Also very strange that a community that has bleated so very loudly to be recognised as equals are the first to hissy-fit and scream "bigot" when someone infringes upon their sensibilities.

Either you want equality or you don't?

It was a genuine question about the blokes wearing shirts with other blokes names on - I'm disappointed you didn't respond to it.

 

[At_traction]

Ahhh, I wondered how long it would take before the bigot label was brandished. Also very strange that a community that has bleated so very loudly to be recognised as equals are the first to hissy-fit and scream "bigot" when someone infringes upon their sensibilities.

Either you want equality or you don't?

It was a genuine question about the blokes wearing shirts with other blokes names on - I'm disappointed you didn't respond to it.

Nice try nevertheless.

 

[RichW1]

If I was honest about liking trains at all I'd still be a virgin I'm sure! If I get to be an older guy and I'm around 65 with no partner...then I'll take up the model railway and maybe pick up where I left off (4 chest of drawers stacked three coaches high and 2 in depth of model railway stuff from Hornby and Lima to Fleishman and a few rarities including APT all from 1980's and early 90's). Railway stuff and books just sat there and continuing to sit there for many years to come!

 

[the sniper]

If I was honest about liking trains at all I'd still be a virgin I'm sure!

How were you going about meeting girls?! 'Hi, I'm Rich, I like trains, how you doin'...?'

 

[Greenback]

A labourer mate of mine once chatted up a girl by asking her if she'd ever operated a floor sander! If soemthing about liking trains is blurted out I think it comes down to nerves about talking to women when you are, perhaps, young and inexperienced in such things!

 

[Striker]

I'm great at chatting girls up. It helps that I don't have to hide anything like trainspotting. They can spot when you're hiding things a mile off. Now I can just relax and talk about me without worrying about dropping myself in it.

 

[RichW1]

How were you going about meeting girls?! 'Hi, I'm Rich, I like trains, how you doin'...?'

Now you see why I ditched the hobby; you said it all there!

A labourer mate of mine once chatted up a girl by asking her if she'd ever operated a floor sander! If soemthing about liking trains is blurted out I think it comes down to nerves about talking to women when you are, perhaps, young and inexperienced in such things!

This made me laugh pretty hard! I'd just love to have been there!!!!

 

[Greenback]

I was there, and believe me, we laughed about it for about ten years!

 

[Metroland]

Meanwhile that well known shrinking violet Rod Stewart spends at least 4 hours a day sorting out his model railway...

http://www.music-news.com/shownews.asp?nItemID=38850

Some people's paranoia is amazing, if someone dumps you because you have a couple of train books on the shelf, you have other problems. If you are going on dates with ladies and mentioning trains you definitely have a problem.

 

[the sniper]

Some people's paranoia is amazing, if someone dumps you because you have a couple of train books on the shelf, you have other problems. If you are going on dates with ladies and mentioning trains you definitely have a problem.

My thoughts exactly...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I met my wife on a train and it was perfectly clear that I was harvesting numbers like Pac Man...

 

[Striker]

if someone dumps you because you have a couple of train books on the shelf, you have other problems. If you are going on dates with ladies and mentioning trains you definitely have a problem.

We're not comparing like for like here. I don't class somebody who has a "couple of train books on the shelf" as a proper obsessive trainspotter. They just sound like someone who has a passing interest in railways. In which case this probably wouldn't preclude having lots of sex with a beautiful woman.

But somebody who is an actual trainspotter. Someone who spends a few hours on a platform and putting the numbers into a book, or photographing them, is taking it to the extreme. There is no rationale for putting numbers of trains into a book. Of course, people who do this won't see this at all. They'll come up with the same excuses, "what's normal? Who are you to say what's normal?" Well, the general consensus determines what's normal, and as trainspotting has a specific stereotype which is generally derogatory, then there's your answer. But, like I say, the people who do trainspot won't see this in themselves.

In fact, trainspotting is just an example really. It could be anything done to the extreme. These are the people who I'm talking about. Somebody who is obssessed with going down the gym and spends three hours per day there is probably not particularly attractive to the opposite sex, unless they have similar interests.

 

[Lawman]

We're not comparing like for like here. I don't class somebody who has a "couple of train books on the shelf" as a proper obsessive trainspotter. They just sound like someone who has a passing interest in railways. In which case this probably wouldn't preclude having lots of sex with a beautiful woman.

But somebody who is an actual trainspotter. Someone who spends a few hours on a platform and putting the numbers into a book, or photographing them, is taking it to the extreme. There is no rationale for putting numbers of trains into a book. Of course, people who do this won't see this at all. They'll come up with the same excuses, "what's normal? Who are you to say what's normal?" Well, the general consensus determines what's normal, and as trainspotting has a specific stereotype which is generally derogatory, then there's your answer. But, like I say, the people who do trainspot won't see this in themselves.

In fact, trainspotting is just an example really. It could be anything done to the extreme. These are the people who I'm talking about. Somebody who is obssessed with going down the gym and spends three hours per day there is probably not particularly attractive to the opposite sex, unless they have similar interests.

Striker,l think you are being a bit harsh on the people who stand at the end of the platform and jot down numbers/photograth trains.Is it extreme like you said? well maybe/maybe not,its all down to personal choice.

l personaly couldn't do it,for many reasons,ie,got the kids,work,having to clean the house,shopping l could go on,however thats not to say that l wouldn't do it.

Without going all Mills &Boon, if a girl happens to meet up with a spotter on some sort of date and she is horrified that this guy likes train,well if it was me it would be"see u later alligater"

l think most partners would rather their other halves spend a couple of hours at the platform than a couple of hours in the pub coming home drunk.

 

[markgrapevine]

As an outsider who has tried to get involved in the world of trains with someone I am working with, I have found it very difficult to communicate and become involved with other spotters/enthusiasts/hobbyists.

I work with a 24 year old autistic lad who's life passion is trains and train stations especially. As I know nothing about trains, we have tried to find people who will allow us to hang around with them so a) I can learn more and B) the lad I work with can have someone to genuinely share his passion with.

We have tried to talk to people on platforms, left messages on rail forums, (such as this one, of which my plea for people to help got DELETED) , being very polite, courteous and respectful asking for help. I have had absolutely no response, or have been treated like i am some kind of hooligan who is out to ruin their day.

My experience has not been a good one, I have found it a very cliquey, hard to break into hobby. I hope that someday someone will prove us wrong as from reading this thread you all come across as lovely down to earth people.

I apologise in advance if this post offends people, as it is definitely not my aim. I just wanted to give you a perspective from an outsiders experience.

 

[Lawman]

As an outsider who has tried to get involved in the world of trains with someone I am working with, I have found it very difficult to communicate and become involved with other spotters/enthusiasts/hobbyists.

I work with a 24 year old autistic lad who's life passion is trains and train stations especially. As I know nothing about trains, we have tried to find people who will allow us to hang around with them so a) I can learn more and B) the lad I work with can have someone to genuinely share his passion with.

We have tried to talk to people on platforms, left messages on rail forums, (such as this one, of which my plea for people to help got DELETED) , being very polite, courteous and respectful asking for help. I have had absolutely no response, or have been treated like i am some kind of hooligan who is out to ruin their day.

My experience has not been a good one, I have found it a very cliquey, hard to break into hobby. I hope that someday someone will prove us wrong as from reading this thread you all come across as lovely down to earth people.

I apologise in advance if this post offends people, as it is definitely not my aim. I just wanted to give you a perspective from an outsiders experience.

Mark,thats very disapointing to hear the way you and your friend have been treated.There are good and bad people in all walks of life and l would hope that you still have to meet the good train dudes.Mark,l'm no expert and l am fairly new to this forum however l am positive someone will be able to assist you and your friend regarding his hobby

 

[Striker]

Striker,l think you are being a bit harsh on the people who stand at the end of the platform and jot down numbers/photograth trains.Is it extreme like you said? well maybe/maybe not,its all down to personal choice.

Why is it being "harsh"? I'm just pointing out that to most people, spotting doesn't make any sense at all. There's nothing wrong with an interest in railways but spotting is the extreme of that. What I'm saying is that anything taken to the extreme is quite rightly viewed upon as a bit "odd". Just like bodybuilders who gain muscles so big that they looked deformed. Nothing wrong with being fit and toned but taking it to the extreme like that is "odd".

l personaly couldn't do it,for many reasons,ie,got the kids,work,having to clean the house,shopping l could go on,however thats not to say that l wouldn't do it.

That just validates my point. If you were truly a trainspotter, these other priorities you have wouldn't get in the way of the trainspotting. You would find the time. The fact that you don't suggests you are not one of the extreme people I am referring to.

l think most partners would rather their other halves spend a couple of hours at the platform than a couple of hours in the pub coming home drunk.

I'm sure they would, but why is that the alternative? There are many, many people who aren't trainspotters who manage to avoid getting drunk down the pub! Why is it when trying to come up with an alternative they always go to the extreme and offer up an alternative scenario which is much worse.

As an outsider who has tried to get involved in the world of trains with someone I am working with, I have found it very difficult to communicate and become involved with other spotters/enthusiasts/hobbyists.

A lot of trainspotters do have autism/Asperger's. This means they CAN find it hard to deal with STRANGERS.

 

[Metroland]

We're not comparing like for like here. I don't class somebody who has a "couple of train books on the shelf" as a proper obsessive trainspotter. They just sound like someone who has a passing interest in railways. In which case this probably wouldn't preclude having lots of sex with a beautiful woman.

Well anything obsessive is a turn off, you are quite correct. But that cause be endlessly down the pub watching football, spending hours doing up cars and ignoring the kids, and many other 'male' pursuits that women, in general, do not have appreciation for. I don't mean that in a derogatory sense, it is a fact some hobbies and interests are more male orientated than others, although I say the more ladies the better!

I would say talking bus, plane, or truck numbers would equally be viewed as slightly odd. But is it any more odd than stamp collection, collecting football shirts, and so on? There is part of the (especially) male species that is genetically disposed towards hunting and gathering, maybe it's related so therefore is more normal than we think?

Then there is a point about obsession. When does a passion turn into an obsession? Love can be unhealthy if obsessive, drinking and better certainly so if done to excess. If were all to do everything in moderation, how many of us are guilty of going over the top in at least one thing we enjoy? Quite a few.

But as I said, these things are subject to fashion and fad, and if you turn back the clock 40 years trainspotting was viewed as very normal, in what was then a very varied railway. I suspect, today's modern traction, which varies little on some lines, doesn't help.

I certainly have no interest in train numbers, never have and never will, nor do I go for 'mileage' or anything like that. While it does give the rest of us a bad name, I will stop short of criticising them, if that's what they want to do, so be it. To my knowledge not all that many enthusiasts do it, people resolve their interests in different ways. Likewise, most car enthusiasts don't take car number plates. And of course, many train enthusiasts are car enthusiasts! Most people are interested in the designs and how things work.

 

[markgrapevine]

Mark,thats very disapointing to hear the way you and your friend have been treated.There are good and bad people in all walks of life and l would hope that you still have to meet the good train dudes.Mark,l'm no expert and l am fairly new to this forum however l am positive someone will be able to assist you and your friend regarding his hobby

Oh, I know there are good guys out there. its just finding them, which with some perseverance i will find them

thanks for your response Lawman.

 

[Metroland]

My experience has not been a good one, I have found it a very cliquey, hard to break into hobby. I hope that someday someone will prove us wrong as from reading this thread you all come across as lovely down to earth people.

I apologise in advance if this post offends people, as it is definitely not my aim. I just wanted to give you a perspective from an outsiders experience.

What do you assume the hobby is about for most people, I'm puzzled? For most it is just reading books, or magazines, maybe playing the odd computer game. A few more people are concerned with railway heritage, or railway modelling, or maybe painting or talking pictures, some people just go on special excursions?

Very few people hang around stations taking train numbers, this is a media myth. In fact most enthusiasts use the term 'spotter' as an insult.

There is certainly no clique, people from all walks of life like 'the train', ditto other forms of transport. It's an extremely wide church made up of 100s of thousands of people, doing all sorts of things, and we certainly don't know each other and everyone is welcome. Although for most of us, that's just the odd friendship with a few like-minded people, not some huge club somewhere. (although of course clubs exist for various things). It usually starts with reading the odd magazine or playing a computer game, maybe joining a preserved railway, so over time, you have something to talk about with people with the same interest, nothing more. It's just like any other interest, something inspires you and you want to find out more.

 

[markgrapevine]

What do you assume the hobby is about for most people? For most it is just reading books, or magazines, maybe playing the odd computer game. A few more people are concerned with railway heritage, or railway modelling, or maybe painting or talking pictures, some people just go on special excursions?

Very few people hang around stations taking train numbers, this is a media myth.

There is certainly no clique, people from all walks of life like 'the train', ditto other forms of transport. It's an extremely wide church made up of 100s of thousands of people, doing all sorts of things, and we certainly don't know each other.

I am aware that people undertake their hobby in many different ways, and it may not be common for people to stand on train platforms all day,
but on Coventry, Birmingham New st and Nuneaton stations you will find groups of enthusiasts most days who are very close knit and are a very closed group of people. That may be for many different reasons but i like to think that if somebody asked me a question i would be courteous in responding, not just look at them like they are scum, as they have done on a few occasions to us. Like you said though, there are many different people out there who are not like that, and hopefully we will find someone.

The lad I work with does like to spend time on platforms and he reads train magazines but what i was trying to say was that it has been very difficult to find somebody who he can share his passion for trains with in person.

 

[Metroland]

Well people at the end of platforms would be spotters, mainly interested in collecting train numbers, and not usually the best place to start even if that's the natural assumption. Not many people collect numbers these days as a percentage of enthusiasts.

The best port of call is one of the many heritage railways around the country, there is nearly 100. http://www.heritagerailways.com/ukmap.html

Model railway clubs is another, also very big model shows like Warley or Alexandra palace, there are many 100s, and of course the internet, with many forums and newsgroups. There are many other clubs and societies interested in all aspects of the railway, sometimes quite specialist.

The other option is railtours, both steam and diesel. Here is a list of steam ones.

http://www.uksteam.info/tours/trs10.htm

Younger people tend to be into the computer game side TBH, for example

http://www.uktrainsim.com/