Spotters/enthusiasts and wearing hi vis

[Baxenden Bank]

I don't think it makes anyone mad. Not me I just wanted to know why they found the need to wear them giving there not staff that's all. It can be a bit off putting for a driver in my case i mentioned the other day this man was standing towards the edge of the platform granted not close to edge but standing facing me as I was approaching. Now when your a driver and pulling into a platform and see someone standing with a bright orange hivi jacket on halfwsy down the platform and halfway away from the normal stopping mark you begin to wonder what's happening not was not until I got closer and close enough to see he wears wearing white trainers and not a uniform that I realised he was a spotter taking pictures of trains coming in. Then when I stopped opened my doors I observed him pick his carrier bag up and board with a female who was either his wife,gf,partner,female friend

Then got me thinking why a spotter would find the need to wear a bright orange jacket to take pictures then stick his arm in the air as if to acknowledge he saw me and was in a place of safety like track workers and patrol men do

Wouldn't say it got me mad though lol
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


Once again apologise for the spelling and grammar thanks to iPhone wonderful auto correct ggrrr

Turn off the auto correct?

 

[richieb1971]

Then when I stopped opened my doors I observed him pick his carrier bag up and board with a female who was either his wife,gf,partner,female friend

Sounds like my friend. Early 20's in age, quite skinny and tall (6 ft).

What station did you see him/her at?

Again, if it was him he probably had his motorbike parked up at some station and uses the hi vis so that motorists can see him.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I get groups on my bus fairly regularly, and I've never seen any if them wearing anything like that either.

Well they certainly do that round here...

 

[londonboi]

Sounds like my friend. Early 20's in age, quite skinny and tall (6 ft).

What station did you see him/her at?

Again, if it was him he probably had his motorbike parked up at some station and uses the hi vis so that motorists can see him.

Nope not your friend as gentleman was in his 60,s I would say

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Isn't it so the staff can see a manager approach from a mile away? Royal Mail unitforms are pretty distinctive once you get close, anyway.

If the DfT were concerned about this, I suspect they'd look into introducing more distinctive P-way uniforms before trying to control members of the public.

RM Managers including FLMs wear Mufti and Yellow Hi-vis in the hubs ... it;s only 'postman' grades that wear uniforms and orange hivis - i really can;t see why thehub staff need uniform it;s not like they have to do counter duties like the PFW depot / sorting office staff do ... mivvis can't get within 100 + yards of the hubs due to security.

 

[Tim R-T-C]

One thing I heard (which has been mentioned here already) is that they do it to get drivers to use their horns. I'd never do this because, quite frankly, it is sad. Saddos and squares are the words that spring to mind.

I'd prefer they did that than wave their arms in the air like some sort of <<insert horribly politically correct term here>>

That really annoys me.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

RM Managers including FLMs wear Mufti and Yellow Hi-vis in the hubs ... it;s only 'postman' grades that wear uniforms and orange hivis - i really can;t see why thehub staff need uniform it;s not like they have to do counter duties like the PFW depot / sorting office staff do ... mivvis can't get within 100 + yards of the hubs due to security.

What is a "mivvis"?

Can't say I have heard of that before

 

[Haydn1971]

I was returning from site a few months ago, I'd been on the M6 which is a orange hi-viz site, then visited a local highway scheme in Crewe, so had my orange bottoms on. I bought a coffee on the platform and paid for it, then as I walked away, I was called back for some extra change, I looked puzzled, the server just said, I didn't see your hi-viz.... From which I concluded that e coffee shop in question, gave discounts for railway staff - could this be also, part of the reason for spotters to wear hi-viz ?

 

[170401]

I've witnessed passengers (not necessarily enthusiasts) trying to blag free travel whilst wearing Hi vis gear. They tried to claim they were "track workers" but couldn't produce any ID when questioned!

 

[GatwickDepress]

What is a "mivvis"?

Can't say I have heard of that before

Mivvi are ice-creams with a fruit-flavoured shell and ice-cream in the middle, first available in an orange flavour. I'm guessing mivvis are your average postie, thanks to the orange hi-viz they wear?

 

[jonty14]

Yet another post having a go at enthusiasts. When will it stop!! It is getting boring now. Let people get on with their hobby without being slagged off all the time. What is worse is when you don't have a hobby. That is sad

 

[GB]

Yet another post having a go at enthusiasts. When will it stop!! It is getting boring now. Let people get on with their hobby without being slagged off all the time. What is worse is when you don't have a hobby. That is sad

huh?

I cant see any other topic lately "having a go" at enthusiasts. Even this topic is only directed at those that wear HV in the confines of the railway.

 

[bramling]

Just wondered why train spotters/enthusiasts feel the need to wear orange hi vi jackets it is really off putting. Only today I was pulling into a platform saw this guy with a orange hi vi jacket on the platform taking pictures then raised his hand as if to say he was acknowledging Me. I understand there passionate towards the railway etc etc but tbh there is no need for them to wear hi vi jackets etc etc. They do not go in the track there on a platform which is a public place. It got me thinking earlier thats all not a rant or anything I am always more than happy at termini to stand a chat away to spotters and enthusiasts as more often than not you always learn something knew and at end day it costs nothing to be polite to a fellow human being. But just the hi vi jacket and vest I feel there is no need for it

Like I say not a rant or anything just wondered why they wear them

I suppose the answer is "because they can" - orange clothing is quite easy to come by nowadays, and there's nothing to say people can't wear such clothing whilst on railway property. Indeed I'm sure most railwaymen on here will have waved to someone on a platform dressed in orange to find out they're nothing to do with the railway, many such people will be contractor types on their way to work, cyclists, etc. More of an issue is if someone wears a hi-vi which is railway branded, although of course these are pretty easy to come by on the likes of Ebay, and from a railway point of view it's not the uniform but the staff pass/licence that counts as ID.

Personally I can't understand why anyone would want to wear a hi-vi on a station if not part of the railway. At best you will get regular interference from people asking questions, and at worst you *really don't* want to be wearing a hi-vi and on a station if the job has gone up the wall, enough said!

 

[AnonymousUser1]

Mivvi are ice-creams with a fruit-flavoured shell and ice-cream in the middle, first available in an orange flavour. I'm guessing mivvis are your average postie, thanks to the orange hi-viz they wear?

mivvi as in 'civvie' ...

 

[AlterEgo]

Yet another post having a go at enthusiasts. When will it stop!! It is getting boring now. Let people get on with their hobby without being slagged off all the time. What is worse is when you don't have a hobby. That is sad

No, this is just a post having a go at the sad-acts who wear orange vests to get tonezzzz. They're fair game.

 

[londonboi]

In no way on the opening posts did I have a go at any spotters I was asking a question as to why they feel the need to wear it Like I also said I am always more than happy to chat away to spotters at terminus as I have done on loads of occasions as majority of the time you can learn something new and it is always nice to talk to someone passionate about your workplace and brightens up the day ahead

 

[NorthernSpirit]

I know exactly who you mean.

I've ran into him a few times, he's either been given or (more likely) nicked a FirstGroup hi vis and then proceeded to take over the running of Huddersfield bus station as if its his own play thing, quite sad really.

He once moaned about me walking to Brighouse bus station to get the, at the time, 0825 547 to Huddersfield (I'd also popped to the shop to purchase myself a refreshing drink as well) and on another occation he moaned about the stop on Brighouse Bridge (Huddersfield Road / Cliffe Road) saying that it should be removed - who the hell made him infrastructure manager.


Give them a hi vi, megaphone, clipboard and safety boots and then they think they can do what the hell they wish - the power of the hi vi has certainly gone to this morons head.

I also need to add that the same moron in the hi vi gear has also decided to take over the railway station too, only last week he had a go at my mate and his wife for some reason. Maybe the hi vi has gained personality of its own and has taken over the running of the human wearer.

Probably worth noting that hi vi guy 'hangs' with some lass who looks somewhat like Dorathy off Postman Pat.

 

[axlecounter]

If I am to see a person in some unexpected place where usually there is nobody, I'd rather like to see him wearing a hi vis jacket (a.k.a. railway or spotter) than have the doubt about who is there and wtf is he doing in that place.

 

[375610]

I quite often go to stations using my motorbike, I always wear a hi-viz (yellow) jacket and helmet. However to avoid confusing drivers, I always leave them with the bike and don't take them onto the platform.

 

[alxndr]

I always feel a bit of a lemon (or perhaps that's the wrong citrus fruit...) if I end up on a platform in my own time in oranges. Usually only happens on the odd occasion that I'm travelling to the next depot and don't want to lug my own jacket around as well though, plus it doubles up as something visible for cycling there in. Not sure why anyone would want to wear it for fun, usually we're having a grumble about it and the poor quality of the stuff.

Looking young enough to be a kid stops anyone thinking I can be useful though!

 

[bramling]

I always feel a bit of a lemon (or perhaps that's the wrong citrus fruit...) if I end up on a platform in my own time in oranges. Usually only happens on the odd occasion that I'm travelling to the next depot and don't want to lug my own jacket around as well though, plus it doubles up as something visible for cycling there in. Not sure why anyone would want to wear it for fun, usually we're having a grumble about it and the poor quality of the stuff.

Looking young enough to be a kid stops anyone thinking I can be useful though!

A friend of mine got pulled up by a manager for turning up at an incident wearing their own coat (not an issue at the incident location because being a well-respected long-serving railwayman everyone knew who he was, and once he arrived there were more important things to get on with than messing about changing clothes). So next time he went in his company-issue orange shunter's jacket, and surprisingly enough it took him sufficiently longer to get there that questions were asked. Back to wearing the inconspicuous own coat it was.

If you're on the way to a failure or incident, the last thing needed is to be wearing anything that looks like a hi-vi!

Obviously there are places where not wearing a hi-vi is not an option (e.g. on the track, in depots, etc), but generally I'd say that it's best to avoid wearing them beyond the places they are mandatory. Enthusiastic new railway staff tend to enjoy the novelty for a while, but for most this novelty soon wears off for even the keenest!

 

[Winterbournecm]

As a member of Ops staff in full orange, I get acknowledged by all the waste collection staff too.. But then again, I get accosted for information even in civvies. I think being a railwayman is just too obvious irrspective of orange.

 

[matt_world2004]

I see Underground staff in orange hi vis travelling on the national rail network all the time. so it is certainly not illegal to wear the orange hi vi while commuting.

I work for a London bus operator; However 80-90% of the time, I do not need to wear a hi-vi for work but travel to work in uniform. The uniform has a roundel on it and forever getting complaints and sometimes abuse when the GWR goes spout up which considering im paying full price to travel on their trains it can be pretty gaulling. I could understand it if it was the underground whereby the logos are similar.

 

[Lockwood]

If you're on the way to a failure or incident, the last thing needed is to be wearing anything that looks like a hi-vi!

Obviously there are places where not wearing a hi-vi is not an option (e.g. on the track, in depots, etc), but generally I'd say that it's best to avoid wearing them beyond the places they are mandatory.

Even wearing the wrong colour hivis, people will still ask you for stuff.
No, I don't know when the line will reopen. No, I don't know how you'll be able to continue your journey-ask the guy in SWT uniform over there. No, you can't go onto the station, it's closed.

 

[bramling]

Even wearing the wrong colour hivis, people will still ask you for stuff.
No, I don't know when the line will reopen. No, I don't know how you'll be able to continue your journey-ask the guy in SWT uniform over there. No, you can't go onto the station, it's closed.

I must admit I can be *very* short-tempered with some people in this situation. If I'm wearing an orange coat it's normally because I've not had a particularly good day and haven't had the opportunity to leave it in the office, and it's not doubly not-good if my train home is up the wall and I don't work for the TOC in question. I'm quite happy to assist people who are polite, but if people start being arsey regarding something that has absolutely nothing to do with me then I'll quite happily tell them to do one.

 

[SpacePhoenix]

Some passengers wearing a high-viz might work in a warehouse environment where afaik if a forklift is used then everyone has to have a high-vis on

 

[DarloRich]

Some passengers wearing a high-viz might work in a warehouse environment where afaik if a forklift is used then everyone has to have a high-vis on

take it off before you get to the station! it isn't rocket science!

 

[zaax]

Mid winter I wear it all the time (nice warm hi-viz coat), even then some of the local drivers still can't see men.

 

[NX]

I try my best to wear as little uniform as I can !
You wouldn't catch me wearing my HVV unless I have to.