AverageJoe
On Moderation
Bit of a tongue in cheek fun post but I’m also curious to hear opinions of signallers and fellow drivers plus any experiences.
So I know quite a few drivers who cringe at the thought of using SG. For me it’s not a problem, I don’t feel it’s an aggressive shout at the signaller to get me moving it’s just a gentle reminder I’m here… but sometimes I have pressed at the exact moment a train appears around a bend and crosses my path, then I feel silly.
Is this infuriating for you signallers?
Also there are times when I’m an express and I’m held at a signal only for a freight to be allowed in front of me or a stopping service. At these times I just can’t get my head around it, I would have been well out of the way of said freight and stopper if I was allowed to pass when I reached the signal but now I’ll be 20 mins late when I reached my terminus. At these times I just come to the conclusion it’s lazy signalling, the paths have been preset and although it makes perfect sense for the signaller to intervene, they can’t be bothered to.
Also at times I’ve considered does the signaller have a particular grudge with my toc and is teaching them a lesson? (I share a large part of my routes with a local stopping toc and sometimes it just seems like signallers are going out of their way to keep you behind them)
Now I completely understand I don’t have the bigger picture that they have so I’m more than happy to be set straight on this matter, it’s just interests me.
And finally, is there any funny, embarrassing interactions or conversations between signallers and drivers that you have experienced that you would like to share?
So I know quite a few drivers who cringe at the thought of using SG. For me it’s not a problem, I don’t feel it’s an aggressive shout at the signaller to get me moving it’s just a gentle reminder I’m here… but sometimes I have pressed at the exact moment a train appears around a bend and crosses my path, then I feel silly.
Is this infuriating for you signallers?
Also there are times when I’m an express and I’m held at a signal only for a freight to be allowed in front of me or a stopping service. At these times I just can’t get my head around it, I would have been well out of the way of said freight and stopper if I was allowed to pass when I reached the signal but now I’ll be 20 mins late when I reached my terminus. At these times I just come to the conclusion it’s lazy signalling, the paths have been preset and although it makes perfect sense for the signaller to intervene, they can’t be bothered to.
Also at times I’ve considered does the signaller have a particular grudge with my toc and is teaching them a lesson? (I share a large part of my routes with a local stopping toc and sometimes it just seems like signallers are going out of their way to keep you behind them)
Now I completely understand I don’t have the bigger picture that they have so I’m more than happy to be set straight on this matter, it’s just interests me.
And finally, is there any funny, embarrassing interactions or conversations between signallers and drivers that you have experienced that you would like to share?
