The most stupid question you have been asked

[trainophile]

Just wanted to say to sarahj. Brilliant post, made my day. I bet such incidents don't make yours though! :roll:

As this is a popular thread, could I also take the opportunity of saying a huge seasonal thank you to ALL rail workers. It's got to be one of the hardest jobs in the world, yet you put up with all sorts and unfailingly get us there. I truly do admire each and every one of you. Merry Christmas, and enjoy your two whole days off! .

 

[dvboy]

The latest we have to deal with, passengers with headphones. Sometimes things do go wrong and we make annoucements. Pass with headphones then comes up and complains 'I never heard any announcements'

Recent Euston-Wolverhampton train I was on was diverted via Nuneaton and Stafford due to an incident between Coventry and Birmingham Intl. Train Manager announced that if anyone around you was sleeping or wearing headphones to attract their attention.

On the same train, person opposite me was making notes as TM advised to change at Rugby for Coventry and buses to Birmingham Intl, Nuneaton for Birmingham New St, stay on for Wolves and Sandwell & Dudley. I noticed he wrote stuff down, and made a phone call to someone to tell them he'd be late, and as we pulled into Stafford he asked "How do I get to Birmingham International?"

 

[185]

This is mainly aimed at rail staff.

What other stupid questions have people been asked?

Man in expensive suit
"errrrr, Railway?"

Me
*walks away*

...had to leave before I seriously lost the will to live.

 

[trentside]

I generally try to be sympathetic to people who are genuinely worried or confused, even if their questions seem daft - I've lost count in the last few months of those who've told me they're "rubbish with trains". I hope that by providing them with assistance they'll learn and feel more confident next time. Despite this, some questions really do make me laugh. My favourite is "Can I buy a ticket here?" when I'm sat in the ticket office. My colleagues inside and out of the booking office have their own favourites, and I've heard different versions of those in sarahj's post quite a few times!

 

[AndyLandy]

I think there's definitely some truth that some people are outside of their "comfort zone" when travelling by train. Even I was a little bit nervous when I made my first unaccompanied rail journey. I'm semi-regular at it now and have a fairly good idea of what I'm doing, but I can easily see how someone who's not comfortable would ask what appears to be a silly question.

Oh, and it doesn't help when there are genuine inaccuracies. I remember changing at Reading a couple of years back. I wanted the train to Southampton, the board said platform 7 (or whatever). I arrived at said platform and a Voyager was boarding. The displays on the Voyager said it was going to Newcastle. So, which was it? (Answer: The boards were right, the on-train PIS was wrong, but I had to ask someone)

 

[LE Greys]

I generally try to be sympathetic to people who are genuinely worried or confused, even if their questions seem daft - I've lost count in the last few months of those who've told me they're "rubbish with trains". I hope that by providing them with assistance they'll learn and feel more confident next time. Despite this, some questions really do make me laugh. My favourite is "Can I buy a ticket here?" when I'm sat in the ticket office. My colleagues inside and out of the booking office have their own favourites, and I've heard different versions of those in sarahj's post quite a few times!

I'm glad somebody does. You must meet plenty of 'fish out of water' on the railway network, not to mention those who sometimes get a bit confused because of their advancing years or some other similar reason, or just tourists who don't know the area that well. As I've said somewhere up the thread, I am transformed into a bumbling idiot whenever I walk into a shop, and replacing the ticket machines has a similar effect. A few years ago, I was in London and boarded a bus, asking for a single to Victoria. How was a country boy like me to know that they had decided people couldn't buy on-board any more? Thanks for trying to be understanding.

 

[BestWestern]

Ive had a passenger come up to me saying "the doors did not open at Thorpe-Le-Soken, you need to pay for a taxi back there for me now", I say ok will just check the doors are working ok and nothing has tripped out. Another passenger walks past and says to me "the doors did open, he was just asleep and didnt wake up till we were leaving the platform". Ok that will be you paying for a taxi to Thorpe then SIR. When things like that happen you doubt whether ppl are telling the truth even if it turns out they are.

This is one of my pet irritations; people who quite plainly miss their stop and then attempt to blame the train. I say blame the 'train', what they may or may not realise is that they are actually accusing you, the Guard, when they falsely claim that the doors were not released. I've had a couple of idiots miss their stop on the last train in, then of course go complaining to the station staff wanting a taxi, resulting in the duty manager hassling me about whether I released the doors. I did, but because they had by then already forked out for a cab home for these muppets he then had to go and get the CCTV downloaded to make sure, etc. A waste of his time, and aggro I didn't need at the end of a shift. When people come up with this one, I will always check the doors in question and if there is no fault - there very rarely is - I will let them know that I think they're talking bollox; in the nicest possible way of course

 

[Eastcoast43208]

If she was after an East Coast train, not that stupid a question

But the funny thing was she was after a Northern train

 

[Qwerty133]

This is one of my pet irritations; people who quite plainly miss their stop and then attempt to blame the train. I say blame the 'train', what they may or may not realise is that they are actually accusing you, the Guard, when they falsely claim that the doors were not released. I've had a couple of idiots miss their stop on the last train in, then of course go complaining to the station staff wanting a taxi, resulting in the duty manager hassling me about whether I released the doors. I did, but because they had by then already forked out for a cab home for these muppets he then had to go and get the CCTV downloaded to make sure, etc. A waste of his time, and aggro I didn't need at the end of a shift. When people come up with this one, I will always check the doors in question and if there is no fault - there very rarely is - I will let them know that I think they're talking bollox; in the nicest possible way of course

Because of cause the doors always open properly and if passengers couldn't get out because the door wouldnt open there's a light just above the door that you can check to see. Of course passengers who were waiting at the door before the train stopped would on purposely delay their journeys. But apparently we are just liers when the above happens.

 

[BestWestern]

Because of course the doors always open properly and if passengers couldn't get out because the door wouldn't open there's a light just above the door that you can check to see. Of course passengers who were waiting at the door before the train stopped would on purposely delay their journeys. But apparently we are just liars when the above happens.

It does happen yes, occasionally, but the vast majority of times it is somebody not paying attention and leaving it too late, often pressing the button just as you are closing up and of course finding that the door will not open. As I said, if this is reported to me I will ALWAYS check the door in question at the next opportunity, however doubtful the story. If the door functions correctly and has previously functioned correctly at every other station call, it is highly unlikely that there is anything wrong with it. Doors on old school Sprinter units etc are not complicated, they either work or they don't, and if it doesn't work you will hear about it pretty quickly. I have never known a door to work perfectly well, every single time all day on every trip, except at one random station in the middle of a journey somewhere, more often than not when somebody who is inebriated/wearing headphones/paying intense attention to their mobile phone/etc was wanting to get off.

 

[Qwerty133]

It does happen yes, occasionally, but the vast majority of times it is somebody not paying attention and leaving it too late, often pressing the button just as you are closing up and of course finding that the door will not open. As I said, if this is reported to me I will ALWAYS check the door in question at the next opportunity, however doubtful the story. If the door functions correctly and has previously functioned correctly at every other station call, it is highly unlikely that there is anything wrong with it. Doors on old school Sprinter units etc are not complicated, they either work or they don't, and if it doesn't work you will hear about it pretty quickly. I have never known a door to work perfectly well, every single time all day on every trip, except at one random station in the middle of a journey somewhere, more often than not when somebody who is inebriated/wearing headphones/paying intense attention to their mobile phone/etc was wanting to get off.

Well it did happen and their was 3 separate groups at the door waiting to get off the train was a XC 170 in July last year at nuneaton station. Is there a light above the door that is 100% accurate in the case of doors not opening? The guard called us liars. And to top it off when we asked for complaint forms at coeshill parkway the member of staff just gave us delay repay forms which had nowhere to write anything on

 

[stut]

I've said this on another thread, but... For those complaining about people not noticing what's in front of them, please remember that many of us have very poor or partial eyesight, and that's not always visible to the outside world.

For example, I suffer from migraines where, prior to the sickness and aches, I get visual disturbances, including loss of forward vision. It makes reading near impossible, but I can find my way around. As the migraines are light-triggered, and exacerbated by low blood sugar and dehydration, they commonly happen on my way home. So it's not unheard of for me to find myself in a railway station, desperate to get home before the sickness kicks in, unable to read signs.

I also have very poor eyesight, corrected by contact lenses. And, with the best planning in the world, you can find yourself losing or having to take out lenses (e.g. Dust in the eyes) with no backup of glasses or whatever).

In both situation, I have to rely on others. And so I ask for help. And you know what, most of the time, people are lovely, helpful and can be counted on. But when I get the rolled eyes, the sarcastic response or even the direct verbal attack, it hurts. And depending on the mood I'm in, I'll either rise above it or find a way to make the other person feel about one inch tall (it's hard to rise above it when you're starting to feel a combination of sickness and blinding headache, as much as I'd prefer to...)

But please appreciate that there are many perfectly good reasons why people may appear to be missing what seems obvious to you.

 

[BestWestern]

Well it did happen and their was 3 separate groups at the door waiting to get off the train was a XC 170 in July last year at nuneaton station. Is there a light above the door that is 100% accurate in the case of doors not opening? The guard called us liars. And to top it off when we asked for complaint forms at coeshill parkway the member of staff just gave us delay repay forms which had nowhere to write anything on

The door Open/Close buttons should illuminate when the doors are released, although the LED-fitted 'halo' ring around the buttons can sometimes fail and not light up when it should. On the exterior of the coach you also have the orange hazard light, which will light when the doors are released and go out once they have closed and established interlock. Newer rolling stock is fitted with all manner of 'train management' guff which often causes more problems than it solves, and I'm sure it isn't impossible for one set of doors to fail to energise or similar, but it is unlikely. It's even more unlikely to happen only once and then work fine again afterwards, which is the point I'm making above. If it's a genuine fault then fair enough, but usually it isn't (I'm not suggesting the incident you mention wasn't genuine). Whatever occurred, the Guard shouldn't have been offensive about it, and I would certainly hope than he would have tested the door before drawing any conclusions.

 

[Dave1987]

If a door control circuit breaker has tripped and the doors dont open then I would fully expect the passenger to pull a pass comm to stop the train but like the other person has posted, VERY rarely is a door fault intermitent so it doesnt release the doors at 1 station only. But like I have siad the amount of people who miss their stop because they are asleep or otherwise preoccupied and then try and blame the train is incredible. If I am travelling by train and feel sleepy I set an alarm on my mobile phone for 5 mins before the arrival time at my station. You cannot blame rail staff for being unsympathetic if they have heard the same old sob story 50 odd times before. If a passenger complains about a door fault I will test the doors and make sure there isnt a fault first, if there isnt a fault then inform them politely that they will have to make their own arrangements to get the station they missed.

 

[IanD]

Was at Derby on the 1634 to St Pancras which goes via Corby and a bloke asked me if this was the London train. I replied that it was but it was taking a circuitous route and if he wanted London he'd be better off getting the 1701 to get to London an hour earlier. So he got off. Then got back on again as he actually wanted to go to East Midlands Parkway to change for Leicester (although it would still have been just as quick to take the 1701 direct to Leicester).

Was once finally at the front of a long ticket queue at a booking office when a woman tried to push in with the question "Do you mind if I go first, I have a train to catch?". Not sure why she thought the rest of us were queueing.

 

[NSE]

I work in a supermarket too, and sometimes I get stupid questions, but if they're asked nicely then i'll always help. If a disability is obvious i'll always reach to get high stuff or low stuff or read labels etc. I always work on the lines you can't see stuff like partial sight necessarily so I just aim to be as helpful as possible.
What gets me is when people come in on their high horse assuming I'm there personal servant and can treat me like scum, or those who won't believe me and ask for my manager who either replies with what I've said or tells them to talk to me cause I've been on shop floor all day.

With regards to trains, it's not a question, but I have just seen on Facebook someone say "oh I've nearly died! Stupid train hit a bag of cement!" She then proceeded to ask how it couldn't go round it :/

 

[Starmill]

Pass comes up, the doors did not open at the last station. Me, so sorry, I never noticed, all the other doors worked. Pass moans. Come to next station in 2 mins. Train stops. Pass stands at door. Door open buttons light up. pass still stands. Me, you need to press the button.

You just killed me! HAAAH!

And note, if your on the last train to london and you leave your handbag on your seat to go and have sex in the toilet, dont come complianing to me when it gets nicked. (I sent them to the platform office at three bridges)

Wow! If you knew that's what was going on, I wouldn't be too fussed about their handbags!

 

[Trog]

Try working at Asda!...

Its not just the customers I generally get a four or five pound a week refund on my home shopping because my local ASDA's staff do not understand the meaning of the phrase no substitutes, or send out of date food.

 

[Goatboy]

Was once finally at the front of a long ticket queue at a booking office when a woman tried to push in with the question "Do you mind if I go first, I have a train to catch?". Not sure why she thought the rest of us were queueing.

Perhaps her train left in a few minutes and she, quite reasonably, assumed maybe yours was later?

 

[thelongestroad]

Perhaps her train left in a few minutes and she, quite reasonably, assumed maybe yours was later?

Ticket Office staff get this day in day out. And the verbal abuse we get for making people join the queue is disgraceful.

So- sorry, that one doesn't rub off on me.

 

[Goatboy]

I'm not saying it's acceptable, I'm just questioning it being quite as stupid a question as he thought it was, thats all.

 

[thelongestroad]

I'm not saying it's acceptable, I'm just questioning it being quite as stupid a question as he thought it was, thats all.

Pardon me! Read out of context.

 

[richw]

Its not just the customers I generally get a four or five pound a week refund on my home shopping because my local ASDA's staff do not understand the meaning of the phrase no substitutes, or send out of date food.

My order I had delivered this week, from Asda on Friday evening, was missing 4 bottles of soft drinks (their 4 for £2 offer), 2 multipack packs of crisps, and 2 tins of chopped tomatoes (they delivered me one tin of plum tomatoes though).
I had a pack of yogurts for my packed lunches, and a pack of fromage frais for the kids, which were packed with the milk, and were squashed and no longer in the cartons. They say they are refunding these items, and I got a £10 evoucher out of them (not shown up yet) as I asked them to rearrange the delivery of these items, which they refused, so I told them woman I will be invoicing them at 45p a mile (recommended travel expenses by HMRC) and its a 16 mile round trip, totalling £7.20, so she offered me a £10 evoucher and a free home delivery next time.

 

[O L Leigh]

If a door control circuit breaker has tripped and the doors dont open then I would fully expect the passenger to pull a pass comm to stop the train.

For information...

Any door breaker tripping would cause a loss of interlock. The traincrew would know there is a problem instantly.

O L Leigh

 

[Dave1987]

For information...

Any door breaker tripping would cause a loss of interlock. The traincrew would know there is a problem instantly.

O L Leigh

I know this I do sign 321 thanks. But if Doors 1 cb tripped on the rear coach of a 12 car the doors would not release in that coach and driver would not be able to see as usually DOO equipment isn't good enough to whether obstruction lights are lit on all coaches. I would expect the passenger to pull a pass comm if the doors didn't open after a reasonable amount of time. Ov course when they went to close the doors they would not get interlock.

 

[O L Leigh]

The information was provided for general consumption to try and prevent too much idle speculation.

Door breakers only rarely trip. In fact, I've never had one go at all. But if one was to pop during a station stop it wouldn't be necessary to pull a PASSCOM, whether it was understandable or not. The train wouldn't be leaving and the traincrew would have to come back to investigate.

I have also been accused of not stopping and/or releasing the doors. If there was more than one person I would agree that there might have been a problem, but it's usually just the one. However, if there had been a problem that meant that doors didn't open I would be aware of it. The chances of them jamming closed is small. The only time I've seen it happen was when there was 4 inches of snow on the ground and the air temperature was below -10C. Airborne snow from the passage of trains had caused doors to freeze in the closed position. But then we were having a lot of other problems caused by the low temperatures that were causing units to fail.

O L Leigh

 

[tsr]

The information was provided for general consumption to try and prevent too much idle speculation.

Door breakers only rarely trip. In fact, I've never had one go at all. But if one was to pop during a station stop it wouldn't be necessary to pull a PASSCOM, whether it was understandable or not. The train wouldn't be leaving and the traincrew would have to come back to investigate.

I have also been accused of not stopping and/or releasing the doors. If there was more than one person I would agree that there might have been a problem, but it's usually just the one. However, if there had been a problem that meant that doors didn't open I would be aware of it. The chances of them jamming closed is small. The only time I've seen it happen was when there was 4 inches of snow on the ground and the air temperature was below -10C. Airborne snow from the passage of trains had caused doors to freeze in the closed position. But then we were having a lot of other problems caused by the low temperatures that were causing units to fail.

O L Leigh

I understand that the doors on 377s have jammed in the most inconvenient possible position before: half-open.

The only case of this I was directly inconvenienced by was caused by a passenger trying to force the doors open.

 

[pendolino]

For information...

Any door breaker tripping would cause a loss of interlock. The traincrew would know there is a problem instantly.

O L Leigh

Not necessarily. On a 456, there are two door control MCBs in each coach (in the body end cupboard) - one, DCB1, which controls saloon door buttons, the other, DCB2, which controls the driver's door release/close buttons in the cab for that coach. If DCB2 trips, interlock is lost. But if DCB1 trips, the door buttons are inactive on the affected coach when the doors are released, but with no loss of interlock when the doors are closed. As a result, passengers can be overcarried because they can't get off the train. The only way the driver can tell is if he notices the BIL is unlit when the doors are released, or, perhaps more likely, when a passenger pulls the passcomm.

No idea whether other stock is wired the same - 455s aren't, if DCB1 trips (body end cupboard, controlling saloon door buttons) then interlock is lost.

 

[Dave1987]

Sorry im not trying to be antaganising. I have had doors 1 trip on me when releasing the doors on a 12 car 321. Was the very rear coach (as Sod's law says it would be) if anyone tells me a 12 car is a short train I would quite happily punch them in the face

 

[trainophile]

If your normal TOC is Merseyrail and you travel occasionally on a different operator's train, I can understand why you might expect the doors to open automatically. However the doorside buttons are clear enough, as is the audible signal, so it shouldn't be beyond someone to work it out.