Slightly Odd Question from a Guard

[Esker-pades]

I was just thinking that are there request stops on that journey? Therefore he/she would need to know if a rover/ranger/pass.

Not on a Leeds to Skipton commuter service.

 

[dk1]

Though that is more a question of where you want to get off, not where you live!

Oh yeah, I misread thinking it was a S&C or Lancaster.

 

[dk1]

Not on a Leeds to Skipton commuter service.

I see that now. Probs just overthinking as to why then. We need to track down that man.

 

[Esker-pades]

I see that now. Probs just overthinking as to why then. We need to track down that man.

This has developed a lot more than I thought it would!

 

[PermitToTravel]

Exactly. There've been a fair few times I've either had or bought an "unusual" ticket which has started, not a conversation, but a nice exchange.

There's a reason a guard might ask where someone is going that people seem to be ignoring here - they're concerned about the passenger, not the ticket.

A less worrying way might be to ask where they're going, rather than where they live...

 

[BluePenguin]

He might well have done.

There seems to be an assumption that I dislike or am hostile to the guard asking those questions. I'm not. I'm just interested, given that he asked for both Hellifield and Lancaster, given that the train was quite crowded (he didn't ask anyone else those questions) and given that I was wearing headphones which tends to say "I don't like talking to people". I'm happy to (and have had) some long conversations with various members of train crew. Although, these usually take place on quieter trains at weird times of day and on rural routes.

Hmm are you a bit of an introvert then? Only talking to train crew on quiet trains on rural routes seems common. On busy trains a few seem keen to shut the noise out with music.

Had you taken your headphones off you might have gotten more out of him. Wearing headphones and minding your own business is all well and good but he might have worried that you would miss your stop.

 

[Esker-pades]

Hmm are you a bit of an introvert then? Only talking to train crew on quiet trains on rural routes seems common. On busy trains a few seem keen to shut the noise out with music.

Had you taken your headphones off you might have gotten more out of him. Wearing headphones and minding your own business is all well and good but he might have worried that you would miss your stop.

I took them off after the first "do you live" question. If on a commuter train the guard was worried that everyone wearing headphones was going to miss their stop, then they'd have a mountain and a half to climb. Loads of people stick headphones on/in.

 

[whhistle]

Fundamentally, it is none of the guard's business where you live (or why you are going somewhere).

Maybe he thought the OP was a security risk?
Maybe he had a message to say "be aware of... [someone matching the OPs description]?

People are far too precious about their own details these days, and with good reason. But at the same time, the Guard won't be interested, unless it's for a specific reason.

They're asking where you're getting off, not what your card pin number is, or your mothers maiden name! But it is an odd way to ask, yes.

 

[DarloRich]

There seems to be a lot of over thinking going in here. It really was nothing to over analyse or worry about

 

[theironroad]

Clearly the poster was a security risk and the guard was concerned that national security might be at risk. Having wires attached to your devices on your head or little white sticks sticking out of you ears is certainly enough to text BTP. Don't forget see it say it or something like that.

Just hope the original poster (who as an aside, seem to be a cat ) doesn't need security clearance any time soon .

Let's be honest, if you saw a cat sitting on a busy train wearing headphones and minding their own business , you'd be suspicious to.

 

[Gdiu3456a]

Hi all, I’m now a driver based at Leeds however I used to be a Guard on this route. There is a local railcard along this route for passengers who live within the areas north of Skipton who can benefit from discounts and offers on if they have a postcode that fits the requirements. I can’t recall the specifics as i’m now a Driver however if anyone wants more information the railcard is called Dales Railcard here is a link to the information. https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/other-products/17-rail-cards/43-dales-railcard

 

[Esker-pades]

Hi all, I’m now a driver based at Leeds however I used to be a Guard on this route. There is a local railcard along this route for passengers who live within the areas north of Skipton who can benefit from discounts and offers on if they have a postcode that fits the requirements. I can’t recall the specifics as i’m now a Driver however if anyone wants more information the railcard is called Dales Railcard here is a link to the information. https://www.northernrailway.co.uk/tickets/other-products/17-rail-cards/43-dales-railcard

Thanks for that. However, I have the generic 16-25 Railcard, which I showed.

 

[Gdiu3456a]

No problem, this would be my guess as to why the guard asked if you lived north of Skipton to see if they could advise you of the above railcard. Otherwise my guess is as good as the rest however seems the most logical to me, as I was or like to think most Guards try help the public!

 

[Esker-pades]

No problem, this would be my guess as to why the guard asked if you lived north of Skipton to see if they could advise you of the above railcard. Otherwise my guess is as good as the rest however seems the most logical to me, as I was or like to think most Guards try help the public!

That is a possibility. (I also take your view of railway staff.)

 

[Deafdoggie]

It is impossible to say, of course, but my guess would be he was checking if you qualified for the dales Railcard, and being human, momentarily forgot you already had a railcard. Or maybe the Dales one offered better perks?

 

[sheff1]

Perhaps they were just making sure you got off at the right stop, or similar?

In the non-paranoid world, guards who take an interest and try to get you in the right direction are a good thing and it's great that so many still do

Would the expected question then not be "are you getting off at XXX ?" or similar.

On occasions, I have been asked "are you trying to get to XXX tonight ?" when travelling on a ticket with a destination station to which the last connection has long departed. Certainly a good thing to do to make sure I knew what I was doing. A simple reply that I was staying overnight en route allowed the guard to move on to the next passenger.

In the OP's case, I think a more likely explanation is

It is impossible to say, of course, but my guess would be he was checking if you qualified for the dales Railcard, and being human, momentarily forgot you already had a railcard. Or maybe the Dales one offered better perks?

as, to qualify for a Dales Railcard, where you are getting off is irrelevant, but where you live is key.

 

[Ken H]

...

as, to qualify for a Dales Railcard, where you are getting off is irrelevant, but where you live is key.

Hellifield is a good station to railhead from if going to leeds/Bradford.
Both Carlisle and Morecambe trains stop there, and the parking is free.
Going from Settle and returning to Giggleswick leaves you with a long walk back to your car.