See it Say it Sorted - should I have texted?

[njr001]

I had the misfortune to travel on 1A32 between Bath Spa and Paddington on Saturday, while one can expect some unruly behaviour from football supporters there was constant loud singing complete with some of the fans banging on the carriage roof in time with the singing. I think it was Chippenham some more supporters joined the train complete with a drum which was drummed incessantly. I didn't feel threatened but the noise was deafening to such an extend that other football fans requested that the drumming stopped. Finally the drummer left the train at Reading. Should I have texted 61016 and would the BTP have been interested and does the TM have access to the CCTV whilst on the move to make a decision to ask for help?

 

[styles]

BTP may have been interested yes. They'd have logged it at least.

Whether they respond depends on a number of factors from other incidents being dealt with, officers available, ability to reach them in time, what exactly they interpret the antisocial behaviour as being etc.

Not sure about live CCTV access by TMs. My guess is no on most rolling stock but it really is a guess as I don't work on the trains.

 

[Western Gaffer]

What crime was being committed?

 

[styles]

What crime was being committed?

Arguably against the bylaws:

7. Music, sound, advertising and carrying on a trade
except with written permission from an operator no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person:
sing or
use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound
except with written permission from an operator no person on the railway shall:
display anything for the purpose of advertising or publicity, or distribute anything or
sell or expose or offer anything for sale or
tout for, or solicit money, reward, custom or employment of any kind
a person shall have the written permission referred to in Byelaw 7(1) or 7(2) with him when undertaking the activities referred to in Byelaw 7(1) or 7(2) on the railway and shall hand it over for inspection when asked by an authorised person. A person shall comply with any conditions set out in or attached to the written permission

There are non-railway specific bylaws regarding antisocial behaviour.

Hard to know if these offences were actually committed without being there though.

 

[stadler]

I had the misfortune to travel on 1A32 between Bath Spa and Paddington on Saturday, while one can expect some unruly behaviour from football supporters there was constant loud singing complete with some of the fans banging on the carriage roof in time with the singing. I think it was Chippenham some more supporters joined the train complete with a drum which was drummed incessantly. I didn't feel threatened but the noise was deafening to such an extend that other football fans requested that the drumming stopped. Finally the drummer left the train at Reading. Should I have texted 61016 and would the BTP have been interested and does the TM have access to the CCTV whilst on the move to make a decision to ask for help?

Passengers being annoying and making a lot of noise is not a police matter. I absolutely hate travelling on trains with football fans but it is not really someone the police or staff can do anything about. Just move to another carriage. Texting the police is a waste of both your time and their time.

 

[WesternLancer]

Passengers being annoying and making a lot of noise is not a police matter. I absolutely hate travelling on trains with football fans but it is not really someone the police or staff can do anything about. Just move to another carriage. Texting the police is a waste of both your time and their time.

If more people texted BTP they might reduce the annoying number of times see it…. gets automatically played tho.

More seriously for some people the behaviour is intimidating so I think in a way it probably should get reported. He last time I did a BTP passenger survey it did ask about this sort of issue ie nuisance and anti social behaviour on trains and stations.

 

[londonbridge]

I was on a train going to a match once with a fellow supporter, can’t remember which team but a group of “fans” of another team going to a different match got on, soon as they spotted our Sunderland shirts they started singing and chanting about Adam Johnson, with some VERY unsavoury language. There were a couple of families with children elsewhere in the carriage, I was on the point of saying something along the lines of “there’s women and kids here, regardless of what he may have done they don’t need to hear that”, but my friend said it wasn’t worth potentially escalating the situation. Train manager was nowhere to be found so we sat there in silence until they got off without taking the bait. I was thinking about the incident the other day for some reason and thought it’s the kind of thing 61016 might be helpful for, but I don’t remember being aware of the number at the time. However looking it up I see the service was introduced before he (Johnson) was arrested, so it must have been in operation, I just don’t remember knowing it was there as an option.

 

[styles]

I was on a train going to a match once with a fellow supporter, can’t remember which team but a group of “fans” of another team going to a different match got on, soon as they spotted our Sunderland shirts they started singing and chanting about Adam Johnson, with some VERY unsavoury language. There were a couple of families with children elsewhere in the carriage, I was on the point of saying something along the lines of “there’s women and kids here, regardless of what he may have done they don’t need to hear that”, but my friend said it wasn’t worth potentially escalating the situation. Train manager was nowhere to be found so we sat there in silence until they got off without taking the bait. I was thinking about the incident the other day for some reason and thought it’s the kind of thing 61016 might be helpful for, but I don’t remember being aware of the number at the time. However looking it up I see the service was introduced before he (Johnson) was arrested, so it must have been in operation, I just don’t remember knowing it was there as an option.

Sounds like a textbook case of using 61016 in my view.

It might be that BTP simply board the train and that's enough to calm people down or discourage them from making those specific chants.

 

[Dr Hoo]

This sort of football-related rowdiness seems to be a Breach Of The Peace to me. It’s a bit more than just ‘noisiness’.

 

[xotGD]

Careful now. This will only lead to the BTP being called when somebody shouts "My Lords!"

 

[Travelmonkey]

Having seen the BTP do attend to rowdy football fans and it can add fire to the incident. Definitely if you don't feel safe that's what the number is there for.