Platform Edge Sitting

[matt_world2004]

A few years ago a train unexpectantly came into the fast platforms at Hayes & Harlington and a large group of age 20 something to 60 something commuters crossed the track to avoid walking on on the footbridge. Just as a following heathrow connect pulled into the slow platform so by far its not just that can behave stupidly.

 

[Muzer]

Do you think your TOC considers it acceptable to throw someone to the floor who wasn't actually doing anything wrong? It's not against the byelaws to put your head out of the window - the signs don't even say "Danger" but only "Caution".

You, however, might have been, depending on what you said:

"No person shall use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language on the railway."

If you're going to get pedantic and quote byelaws, it helps if you're actually correct.

(1) An Operator may issue reasonable instructions relating to safety on any part of the railway by means of a notice on or near that part of the railway. No person shall, without good cause, disobey such notice.

 

[jamesst]

I did have to make an emergency stop once due to some idiotic elderly walkers crossing at a user worked crossing right in front of my train. The response from the leader of the group? "Well we were here first..."

 

[whhistle]

Here we see the standard basic millennial......

I would have "liked" this post to say I support you posting it and that I found it funny. However as there's a dislike for any sort of function like that, I have to post a reply instead.


The problem is, the nature of a platform is very inviting to sit in that way.

I dispute some of the "you wouldn't hear a train coming" arguments though. As the powers cannot say what another person can or can't hear. However, I do appreciate that there are trains out there that are quiet as a mouse too.

 

[michael74]

Do you think your TOC considers it acceptable to throw someone to the floor who wasn't actually doing anything wrong? It's not against the byelaws to put your head out of the window - the signs don't even say "Danger" but only "Caution".

You, however, might have been, depending on what you said:

"No person shall use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language on the railway."

I have witnessed a person jump in-front of a Pendilino at speed with accompanying spray and bits of body....

I have witnessed someone jump out of the 10th story of a tower block and "tried" to help (it was pointless by the way)...

I have also worked in A&E as a nurse and had to deal with the aftermath of accidents such as described in these posts.

I worked as a Community Nurse and dealt with people who's lives have been changed due to such actions described on this thread

For those of you unaware, do some reading of the effects of adrenaline the impulse to act in a situation that your sub conscious knows is dangerous, your brain does not think things through, you just act and you too are scared. The shouting 142 describes will be the effects of the adrenaline.

142 most likely saved someones life and its a shame the "victim" as you seem to be referring to couldn't have been charged.

 

[Calthrop]

Platform-edge-sitting would seem to be something which very many people, of very many categories -- common denominator, their not being very rail-savvy -- tend to do.

I recall an occasion about ten years ago, involving myself and my brother, who was then aged about fifty. He's a very intelligent guy; but he hates and despises public transport of any kind, and has as little to do with it as possible. This was an occasion of, for him very rare, rail travel: we had taken a river / canal-side walk from Newbury to Aldermaston, and were on Aldermaston station, awaiting the next local rail working back to Newbury. Weary from the walk, he sat down on the platform edge, legs dangling over close to the running line. I remarked to him, "that's not a wise thing to do: non-stop trains come along here very fast". He didn't immediately, particularly respond; but in time, of himself (to my relief) got up and stood on the platform. Not long after, a westbound express train rushed through the station, past the platform edge adjacent to us. Brother said to me, ruefully: "My word, you were right."

It's good that some people are able to learn, and acknowledge reality when they experience it.

 

[AlastairFraser]

Platform-edge-sitting would seem to be something which very many people, of very many categories -- common denominator, their not being very rail-savvy -- tend to do.

I recall an occasion about ten years ago, involving myself and my brother, who was then aged about fifty. He's a very intelligent guy; but he hates and despises public transport of any kind, and has as little to do with it as possible. This was an occasion of, for him very rare, rail travel: we had taken a river / canal-side walk from Newbury to Aldermaston, and were on Aldermaston station, awaiting the next local rail working back to Newbury. Weary from the walk, he sat down on the platform edge, legs dangling over close to the running line. I remarked to him, "that's not a wise thing to do: non-stop trains come along here very fast". He didn't immediately, particularly respond; but in time, of himself (to my relief) got up and stood on the platform. Not long after, a westbound express train rushed through the station, past the platform edge adjacent to us. Brother said to me, ruefully: "My word, you were right."

It's good that some people are able to learn, and acknowledge reality when they experience it.

Your brother was very lucky, I don't know what Aldermaston station is like but I have spent many a cold winter Tuesday night waiting 30 mins or usually longer depending on the delay for a Reading stopper at Theale and when the expresses pass through at speed,it is enough to rattle the whole shelter,which is at least a couple of metres from the platform edge.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

When I was at school in the 1960s / 1970s, we used to visits from the police advising about road safety & other issues. I do rember, as mentioned elsewhere on this forum, at my secondary school, some lads were caught bunking off school at the railway station and bought back by the station master to see the headmaster who dealt with them swiftly by giving them the cane! Different times.