"What it is driver..."

[TheEdge]

How has this phrase found its way into every little corner of the industry?

Signallers always seem to open any message about an issue with "what it is driver", I've heard it on various GSM-R recordings and even on the reconstructions on the RED videos.

Obviously it's not an official phrase but just wondered if anyone has any idea why it's seemingly universal across signallers.

 

[londonboi]

Do you mean “what is it driver” ??
I have never heard the term you describe

 

[whoosh]

Perhaps it's been subconsciously ingrained from the infamous audio clip of a Signaller informing a Driver of a man on a bridge, in tights, *****bating at the trains going past. A conversation that started with, "What it is Driver."
Just about everyone on the railway heard it.
Unless it is a phrase that predates that of course.

 

[Mintona]

You’re right actually, almost every conversation with the signaller begins with that phrase. I’d never really thought about it before. No idea where it first originated.

 

[Tom Quinne]

I usually start with “**** sake driv your running 244 minutes early wait the signal”

 

[ComUtoR]

Personally I've never heard that one yet.

 

[PeterC]

Being from outside the railway I have no idea about that particular expression but it is good practice to use an introductory phrase when giving important information the listener may not always catch the opening words of the sentence.

 

[Johncleesefan]

Yeh I hear it all the time

Ie “what it is driver, you’re being held there to allow every other man and his dog to go ahead of you, then il give you the road”

Just a general example

 

[ainsworth74]

Just about everyone on the railway heard it.

And more than a few outside! It's definitely been posted to this Forum before now.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It seems a very adversarial phrase even if it is not intended to be so. Should perhaps a more formal and less aggressively-toned opening be mandated? I doubt you'd get that at an airport control tower!

 

[craigybagel]

Perhaps it's been subconsciously ingrained from the infamous audio clip of a Signaller informing a Driver of a man on a bridge, in tights, *****bating at the trains going past. A conversation that started with, "What it is Driver."
Just about everyone on the railway heard it.
Unless it is a phrase that predates that of course.

When I saw the title of the thread my first thought was indeed of that infamous recording!

Incidentally, "what it is....." is a rather notorious phrase for conductors working in Wales, usually preceding a long tale of tragedy and woe that will attempt to justify the story tellers presence on board a train without the means to pay for their journey.

 

[Llanigraham]

You’re right actually, almost every conversation with the signaller begins with that phrase. I’d never really thought about it before. No idea where it first originated.

Really?
I don't think I ever used those words in all my conversations with drivers.

 

[Highlandspring]

Incidentally, "what it is....." is a rather notorious phrase for conductors working in Wales, usually preceding a long tale of tragedy and woe that will attempt to justify the story tellers presence on board a train without the means to pay for their journey.

It’s funny because I only ever tend to hear the phrase “you see, what it is is that....” from signallers or shift managers who are trying to explain away some sort of obviously incorrect regulating or forgetting about a train that I’ve just watched happen live on the CCF, to try and convince me that the ARS really did run that class six out of the loop 120 minutes early ahead of the Royal Train or whatever. I always just give them a weary “oh right yes I understand” unless it’s something really egregious that’s taken place when I’ll probe a bit more. “You see...” never seems to be used when there a genuine explanation for something; I thought it was just me who had noticed this phrase.

 

[dctraindriver]

All the time in my neck of the woods...

Always makes me smile when the bobby starts a message with that.

 

[jamesst]

It seems a very adversarial phrase even if it is not intended to be so. Should perhaps a more formal and less aggressively-toned opening be mandated? I doubt you'd get that at an airport control tower!

Personally I don't think it's aggressive at all,ive been called mate a fair few times!! To clear up any confusion he'd only say that after you've exchanged all the relevant safety information ie headcode, signal, location...

 

[Bletchleyite]

Personally I don't think it's aggressive at all,ive been called mate a fair few times!! To clear up any confusion he'd only say that after you've exchanged all the relevant safety information ie headcode, signal, location...

Ah, I see. To the outsider it read more like having an undertone of "what do you want now?"

 

[dctraindriver]

Personally I don't think it's aggressive at all,ive been called mate a fair few times!! To clear up any confusion he'd only say that after you've exchanged all the relevant safety information ie headcode, signal, location...

Yep. I should clarify that too where I am. They do a bloody good job.

 

[Kneedown]

Never heard that one. Following the "handshake" it's normally "state your message Driver" in these parts.

 

[TheEdge]

Interesting to see while not totally universal lots of others have come out hearing that same phrase. Confirms its not a regional thing then anyway!

 

[bengley]

Never heard that one. Following the "handshake" it's normally "state your message Driver" in these parts.

The OP is stating the signaller says 'What IT IS driver', not 'What is it driver?'

As in 'What it is driver - I'm unable to clear the signal ahead due to a track circuit failure...'

Just to add my two cents - yes signallers say this regularly. I don't see it as rude or aggressive in any way - it's simply a way of starting a conversation about what a situation involves.

 

[43094]

I'm not a Driver, but do need to speak to one specific signal box on a regular basis - I have heard this phrase used regularly.

 

[driver_m]

Haha I've heard this phrase plenty of times. Everyone at Virgin Trains will immediately think of one of our resources people who is infamous for using that phrase when he wants you to do something that you sooner wouldn't, like go to Birmingham New Street and work some train that's stuck! I've also heard it plenty of times from signallers and it's not an agressive tone at all. Why that would be thought as aggressive is a complete mystery. Usually, "what it is drive, my track circuits have failed/ some idiot is playing chicken/the overheads have gone bang/there's someone on a bridge masturbating (! That soundclip is brilliant)

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

I doubt you'd get that at an airport control tower!

If nothing else because you get pilots running the show on a plane, not drivers. Even though some people think the people who control planes "drive" them

 

[theironroad]

While not every signaller may use it, a heck of a lot do in my experience.

Don't see any issue with it personally.

 

[theironroad]

Never heard that one. Following the "handshake" it's normally "state your message Driver" in these parts.

Which is closer to the prescribed script....

 

[MalaiseForever]

I'm curious to here this clip regarding the chap on the bridge masturbating, anybody have a link to the recording?

 

[nom de guerre]

“Watch out for the t*sser on the bridge”

Never used “What it is...” myself.

 

[Tomnick]

Which is closer to the prescribed script....

There’s a prescribed script?

I’ve heard “state your message” on the other end of the line (but I never used it as a signalman unless it was an emergency call). Quite often it’s more like “what can I do for you driver?” or “yes duck?”! Personally I find it much easier to come to a clear understanding with a *slightly* less formal approach rather than an approach where one or both parties are concentrating more on “the script” than the information contained within!

 

[bengley]

Which is closer to the prescribed script....

Except a signaller is never going to call a driver up on the GSM-R, state 'Hello driver, this is the signaller at xx signal box, state your message driver, I am unable to clear the signal ahead due to a track circuit failure'

because it doesn't make sense and it's not what the OP is talking about.

 

[JN114]

Used it as a controller in two separate conversations with two different drivers today; without even thinking about it...

You learn the job by doing it alongside a mentor; similarly with signalling. If they’re the mannerisms your mentor uses then that’s what you’ll pick up...