The most stupid thing I have seen...

[Peter Mugridge]

I thought I had seen everything until this morning.

Picture the scene; it is the tail end of the rush hour at a busy London terminal; not crush loaded but still very much standing room only. The train pulls in and everyone starts getting off and walking down the platform towards the barriers.

When suddenly.....














.....a bloke in a wheelchair launches himself and his chair physically off the train - there is a fair step down to the platform, about a foot - and into the middle of the crowd thronging around, several of whom had to either jump out of the way of him or pull up sharply to avoid him.

Yes, that's right - instead of waiting for a member of staff with a ramp, he just lunges forwards off the train.


Needless to say, he has been reported and the good news is that the platform and doors in question are fully covered by CCTV. The bad news is that although this type of idiocy is new to me, the duty manager told me they've had reports of this happening fairly regularly*.

Unbelievable.

Whatever next? I shudder to think...


*This time, however, they have the exact time, date, platform number and train involved and should be able to get a good CCTV recording of the incident. Hopefully the offender will quickly be identified.

 

[Sacro]

Hopefully the offender will quickly be identified.

What "offence" have they committed?

Someone I know travels a lot by public transport and is pretty good at hopping on/off trains rather than waiting for a ramp.

 

[miami]

Was he ok?!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

What "offence" have they committed?

Endangering the safety of the railway - or at least that of the passengers he jumped out into the middle of with no warning. He nearly skittled half a dozen people. This isn't like having someone step off the train as the crowd walks past; this is a high mass, high momentum projectile on wheels landing in the middle of them.

 

[ainsworth74]

There are certainly several Byelaws that might be applicable:

6. Unacceptable behaviour

(8) No person shall molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway

10. Trains

(4) No person shall enter or leave a train except by proper use of a train door.

11. General safety

(2) No person shall place, throw, drop or trail anything on the railway which is
capable of injuring, damaging or endangering any person or any property.

Of those 6(8) could be a strong contender as if people were having to dive out of the way then it would be safe to assume their 'comfort' had been molested! But equally I think 10(4) could also have a strong case made for it.

 

[KeithP]

He nearly skittled half a dozen people.

Are you saying he hit about five people, five people being "nearly half a dozen", or did he actually miss everyone?

 

[GatwickDepress]

It's still endangering the safety of others. I've seen a wheelchair user attempt to do something similar on platform 17 at Clapham Junction. To say the platform assistants were ashen-faced would be somewhat of an understatement...

 

[61653 HTAFC]

If this person is traced, I'd like to think that this behaviour would be dealt with by means of a quiet word rather than anything more draconian. After all, able-bodied people behaving like this is commonplace...

 

[Aldaniti]

I'd like to think that I would try to give those in a wheelchair the benefit of the doubt. Whilst not condoning his actions, it must be very frustrating to be confined to a wheelchair. Add the frustrations of rail travel into the mix and it can't be much fun.

 

[jopsuk]

maybe he's fed up of waiting and waiting for platform staff to eventually turn up with the ramp?

 

[extendedpaul]

To play Devil's Advocate here.

Wheelchair user organises assistance with journey involving cross London transfer, All goes well at local station. Advised that there will be someone to assist him at the London end. He positions wheelchair exactly where advised to do so.

Train pulls in. No sign of any assistance. Moreover there are passengers on the platform waiting to board the train. He decides to leave the train without assistance risking injury to self ...

Wrong decision maybe but very understandable.

 

[Antman]

maybe he's fed up of waiting and waiting for platform staff to eventually turn up with the ramp?

Whatever the rights and wrongs of it all I really cannot imagine BTP being remotely interested

 

[Radedamer]

I'd back up the last two posts above. I do know one person who is wheelchair bound and another who sometimes has to use one (due to a combination of joint problems and balance disorders – when inner ear is ok, she can walk, when it plays up, she can't; also depends on general health, of course) and although I certainly can't imagine either of them doing this, I know they've both had occasions when they've had to wait ridiculously long times for someone to bring the promised ramp. They are more likely to vent their anger in sarcastic tweets or, in extremis, legal action, but not everyone is sufficiently literate or so inclined. Putting my/your/oneself in that position, doesn't it seem a little harsh to have to wait? (No, I can't think of a technically feasible alternative right now, but to be always dependent on others to simply get on or off a train... )

 

[nuneatonmark]

Instead of just launching themselves off with no warning because the ramp had not turned up and I am pretty sure had the person made a general request to those around, there would have been no shortage of volunteers to help them off. Despite what is often said about people not helping each, I see every day acts of kindness on public transport such as this would be.

 

[Wolfie]

Had said individual hit any of the platfform passengers and hurt them he would, quite rightly, have been wide open to litigation.

 

[47802]

I think if I was in a wheelchair I might well do the same although obviously try and avoid crashing into others

 

[EssexGonzo]

If this person is traced, I'd like to think that this behaviour would be dealt with by means of a quiet word rather than anything more draconian. After all, able-bodied people behaving like this is commonplace...

Absolutely spot on. Able-bodied people jumping off the train without checking it's clear is regarded as the only way to disembark in the rush hour. If I didn't compensate for other jumping out in front of me, my feet would get stepped on several times per morning. Ditto for walking across the concourse.....virtually no-one gives a toss about their impact on others.

Why single out the guy in the wheelchair for whom life is already disproportionately difficult?

 

[Feathers44]

Absolutely spot on. Able-bodied people jumping off the train without checking it's clear is regarded as the only way to disembark in the rush hour. If I didn't compensate for other jumping out in front of me, my feet would get stepped on several times per morning. Ditto for walking across the concourse.....virtually no-one gives a toss about their impact on others.

Why single out the guy in the wheelchair for whom life is already disproportionately difficult?

Probably because a wheelchair could break a leg, not just step on a toe.

 

[387star]

I thought I had seen everything until this morning.

Picture the scene; it is the tail end of the rush hour at a busy London terminal; not crush loaded but still very much standing room only. The train pulls in and everyone starts getting off and walking down the platform towards the barriers.

When suddenly.....














.....a bloke in a wheelchair launches himself and his chair physically off the train - there is a fair step down to the platform, about a foot - and into the middle of the crowd thronging around, several of whom had to either jump out of the way of him or pull up sharply to avoid him.

Yes, that's right - instead of waiting for a member of staff with a ramp, he just lunges forwards off the train.


Needless to say, he has been reported and the good news is that the platform and doors in question are fully covered by CCTV. The bad news is that although this type of idiocy is new to me, the duty manager told me they've had reports of this happening fairly regularly*.

Unbelievable.

Whatever next? I shudder to think...


*This time, however, they have the exact time, date, platform number and train involved and should be able to get a good CCTV recording of the incident. Hopefully the offender will quickly be identified.

#post of the year

 

[Pinza-C55]

Sounds like he may be a future candidate for a Darwin Award.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTTmWiCoqHc

 

[sheff1]

Putting my/your/oneself in that position, doesn't it seem a little harsh to have to wait?

I would at least wait until the crowds had passed and the platform was quieter.

 

[trainophile]

If there was a "foot" drop to the platform it's amazing he didn't end up breaking his neck.

 

[AndrewE]

If there was a "foot" drop to the platform it's amazing he didn't end up breaking his neck.

Relax, no-one got hurt, and if it was a regular commuter service I'll bet most of the users knew what to expect! Watch this...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=AUUVfPy0UgI
& enjoy.
Too many stuffed shirts around in my opinion. The railway is basically a very safe way to travel and after that obsessive levels of precautions just get in everyone's way...
A

 

[3141]

Had said individual hit any of the platfform passengers and hurt them he would, quite rightly, have been wide open to litigation.

Absolutely right! But it's interesting that some posters don't agree or are prepared to make allowances because the person has to use a wheelchair.

Next time I have a heavy case which I can't easily lift down from the train I'll just shove it out of the door as passengers are passing.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

If this person is traced, I'd like to think that this behaviour would be dealt with by means of a quiet word rather than anything more draconian. After all, able-bodied people behaving like this is commonplace...

Yes, that would be correct on both counts. The main difference with the able bodied doing this is they aren't so big or heavy and have more flexibility to avoid knocking into other people; once you've launched yourself in a wheelchair you're committed to the movement.

Probably because a wheelchair could break a leg, not just step on a toe.

Indeed it could.

Are you saying he hit about five people, five people being "nearly half a dozen", or did he actually miss everyone?

He missed them, although had people not jumped out of the way or pulled up sharply while walking along the platform, he would undoubtedly have hit one or two of them.

Instead of just launching themselves off with no warning because the ramp had not turned up and I am pretty sure had the person made a general request to those around, there would have been no shortage of volunteers to help them off. Despite what is often said about people not helping each, I see every day acts of kindness on public transport such as this would be.

It is possible that he is a regular commuter and has got into the habit of doing this without booking a ramp; now if he is doing this on a regular basis then no matter how careful he is, one day his luck will run out and he will misjudge his timing and hit someone.

 

[Johnuk123]

One of my sons is in a wheelchair and if he did this sort of thing he would be a complete idiot and deserve everything he got.

I can't understand posters agreeing with it.

 

[greatkingrat]

If that is the stupidest thing you have seen on the railway you obviously haven't travelled much!

 

[47802]

One of my sons is in a wheelchair and if he did this sort of thing he would be a complete idiot and deserve everything he got.

I can't understand posters agreeing with it.

While I am not saying its the best thing he could have done I'm one of these who get a bit fed up of our OTT safety culture we have in the UK these days.

Its like when I came back from New York last year I quite happily carried my cases up the escalator at the station nearest to JFK Airport, but as soon as I got back to Manchester Airport Station I was greeted barriers trying to stop me doing that, not that I tuck any notice anyway.

 

[Chris M]

Instead of just launching themselves off with no warning because the ramp had not turned up and I am pretty sure had the person made a general request to those around, there would have been no shortage of volunteers to help them off.

Even just asking people to stand clear, and giving them the time to do so, before launching would have been better than what apparently happened here.

 

[racyrich]

What did people in wheelchairs do before ramps and booked assistance became available? Hope for help from the people around them, and if none forthcoming, take the chance and go for it?