When will excessive announcements cease?

[brad465]

Apologies if I've missed this in this large thread, but one particular announcement that does my head in that might not first come to mind when talking excessive is the "When on the stairs, please hold the handrail and take care" announcement that automatically triggers when someone uses the stairs at a particular station. It's not too bad if you only hear it when you yourself use affected stairs, but while waiting for a train you end up hearing it repeatedly for every other passenger using it during your wait time. Of course you can always try and go as far away as possible on the platform, although if the stairs are in the middle then there's not much space where they can't be heard, and this often means being a long way from where you need to be on the platform for your train. Taunton and Exeter St Davids are notable stations with this, and probably other large GWR stations as well that I can't immediately recall.

 

[gabrielhj07]

There's a particularly irritating voice on the travelators at Gatwick South terminal that repeats 'caution, you are approaching the end of the travelator' loudly and without interval.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Mar 2023 ==

I've also noticed the camera/screen combo at St Pancras Thameslink that likes to shout at people with luggage.

 

[py_megapixel]

There's a particularly irritating voice on the travelators at Gatwick South terminal that repeats 'caution, you are approaching the end of the travelator' loudly and without interval.

At least the travelator works, unlike certain airports I could mention (...Manchester...)

 

[Falcon1200]

"When on the stairs, please hold the handrail and take care" announcement that automatically triggers when someone uses the stairs at a particular station.

Oxford station's footbridge is bad for that. Personally, having seen studies of the kind of dirty stuff found on such things as door handles and handrails, including fecal matter, I try to avoid touching them as much as possible.

 

[gabrielhj07]

At least the travelator works, unlike certain airports I could mention (...Manchester...)

At least you you'll hit the '10,000 step a day' target transferring from T3 to T2!

 

[Bikeman78]

There's a particularly irritating voice on the travelators at Gatwick South terminal that repeats 'caution, you are approaching the end of the travelator' loudly and without interval.

Similar announcement at St Pancras in the Eurostar terminal. Somehow the same passengers managed to cope without it at the Brussels end of the journey.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Mar 2023 ==

Apologies if I've missed this in this large thread, but one particular announcement that does my head in that might not first come to mind when talking excessive is the "When on the stairs, please hold the handrail and take care" announcement that automatically triggers when someone uses the stairs at a particular station.

Swindon has it. At one point there was only a sensor at the top so people heading up were told to take care when they got to the top!

 

[43172]

Apologies if I've missed this in this large thread, but one particular announcement that does my head in that might not first come to mind when talking excessive is the "When on the stairs, please hold the handrail and take care" announcement that automatically triggers when someone uses the stairs at a particular station. It's not too bad if you only hear it when you yourself use affected stairs, but while waiting for a train you end up hearing it repeatedly for every other passenger using it during your wait time. Of course you can always try and go as far away as possible on the platform, although if the stairs are in the middle then there's not much space where they can't be heard, and this often means being a long way from where you need to be on the platform for your train. Taunton and Exeter St Davids are notable stations with this, and probably other large GWR stations as well that I can't immediately recall.

Plymouth has a similar announcement with a high pitched (and annoying) tone stating "please do not use your mobile phone on the stairs and please hold onto the handrail, thank you".

I don't think it's been mentioned alot in the thread, but i find announcements that talk about platform zones excessive. I will admit it has its use when a 10 car 80x turns up as there is two lots of first class, but what use is it stating zones for first class when a 5 or 9 car unit turns up, stating its at the front/rear would be a simpler option and could remove the announcement of standard class in zones X to Y. On a trip to Peterborough in 2021 i had the further annoyance of the announcement going through which coach is in which zone, and question really, why do it, most people would have switched off before the end of the announcement.

 

[trainophile]

Plymouth has a similar announcement with a high pitched (and annoying) tone stating "please do not use your mobile phone on the stairs and please hold onto the handrail, thank you".

I don't think it's been mentioned alot in the thread, but i find announcements that talk about platform zones excessive. I will admit it has its use when a 10 car 80x turns up as there is two lots of first class, but what use is it stating zones for first class when a 5 or 9 car unit turns up, stating its at the front/rear would be a simpler option and could remove the announcement of standard class in zones X to Y. On a trip to Peterborough in 2021 i had the further annoyance of the announcement going through which coach is in which zone, and question really, why do it, most people would have switched off before the end of the announcement.

Off topic, but I think the only station I've had this happen... Penrith... is very helpful as they often have members of station staff asking everyone if they have a seat reservation and telling them where to stand. Now that's what I call proper customer service.

 

[Howardh]

Judging by the latest questionaire from northern which I completed a few days ago, stand by for announcements explaining which parts of the trains are full and which have room! Actually that would be very useful if standing on the platform, a darned sight more useful than the majority of announcements!!

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Judging by the latest questionaire from northern which I completed a few days ago, stand by for announcements explaining which parts of the trains are full and which have room! Actually that would be very useful if standing on the platform, a darned sight more useful than the majority of announcements!!

I certainly hope not. Years of commuting on Northern have taught me exactly where to find the free seats on peak time services. The last thing I want is a blabbermouth announcer giving the secrets away to the "normals"!

 

[TUC]

Apologies if I've missed this in this large thread, but one particular announcement that does my head in that might not first come to mind when talking excessive is the "When on the stairs, please hold the handrail and take care" announcement that automatically triggers when someone uses the stairs at a particular station. It's not too bad if you only hear it when you yourself use affected stairs, but while waiting for a train you end up hearing it repeatedly for every other passenger using it during your wait time. Of course you can always try and go as far away as possible on the platform, although if the stairs are in the middle then there's not much space where they can't be heard, and this often means being a long way from where you need to be on the platform for your train. Taunton and Exeter St Davids are notable stations with this, and probably other large GWR stations as well that I can't immediately recall.

It is particularly bizarre when such announcements, or even physical signs, are used for 10 feel wide straircases. The very reason they are so wide is to enable large volumes of passengers to use them at the same time, most of whom will be nowhere near the handrail.

 

[yoyothehobo]

The station platform zones is the one which annoys me most at York i must admit.

 

[AM9]

It is particularly bizarre when such announcements, or even physical signs, are used for 10 feel wide straircases. The very reason they are so wide is to enable large volumes of passengers to use them at the same time, most of whom will be nowhere near the handrail.

The fact that a wide staircase without intermediate handrails (to enable users to hold onto) is regarded as a major safety hazard seems to escape sopme people. Not how recently installed wide stairs usually have handrails dividing them into no more than about 2m wide sections.

 

[The exile]

The fact that a wide staircase without intermediate handrails (to enable users to hold onto) is regarded as a major safety hazard seems to escape sopme people. Not how recently installed wide stairs usually have handrails dividing them into no more than about 2m wide sections.

Ok - except for the fact that those who consider they need the handrail will use it and those who don’t, won’t. Said as someone who’s noticing that he’s entering the transition phase between the 2 groups!

 

[Bikeman78]

It is particularly bizarre when such announcements, or even physical signs, are used for 10 feel wide straircases. The very reason they are so wide is to enable large volumes of passengers to use them at the same time, most of whom will be nowhere near the handrail.

I read this just a few minutes before using the stairs at Reading. The triple staircase off platform 7 has three wide sections each able to have three people abreast. Admittedly there is no hold the handrail message here.

 

[AM9]

Ok - except for the fact that those who consider they need the handrail will use it and those who don’t, won’t. Said as someone who’s noticing that he’s entering the transition phase between the 2 groups!

Exactly, - I am in my '70s and have accepted that my balance isn't as good as it was. I find walking down the centre of a wide staircase slightly unnerving, especially if I am carrying something. I also remeber the Ibrox disaster in 1971 when 66 people were crushed to death on a staircase.

 

[island]

I find walking down the centre of a wide staircase slightly unnerving, especially if I am carrying something.

According to one of the announcements, you should use the lifts if you're carrying large items

 

[AlterEgo]

Exactly, - I am in my '70s and have accepted that my balance isn't as good as it was. I find walking down the centre of a wide staircase slightly unnerving, especially if I am carrying something. I also remeber the Ibrox disaster in 1971 when 66 people were crushed to death on a staircase.

I’m half your age and don’t like doing this for the same reason!

 

[Line speed]

Rightly or wrongly, in a blame culture industry like the railway, personally i'm going to make every announcement my company requires me to do. While i do share the annoyance, in my lived experience most people simply do not listen. I wont be caught out with the "well nobody told me" excuse. On several occasions where my train has stopped at stations where the whole trains isn't accommodated I've been moaned at by someone wearing headphones that "the doors didn't open" to which i respond "I can make the announcement, but i cant make you listen to it."

 

[Runningaround]

Rightly or wrongly, in a blame culture industry like the railway, personally i'm going to make every announcement my company requires me to do. While i do share the annoyance, in my lived experience most people simply do not listen. I wont be caught out with the "well nobody told me" excuse. On several occasions where my train has stopped at stations where the whole trains isn't accommodated I've been moaned at by someone wearing headphones that "the doors didn't open" to which i respond "I can make the announcement, but i cant make you listen to it."

The railway has itself to blame on that one and if you keep up with endless announcements then don't be surprised passengers are shutting it out.
You could also check that the guards announcements are actually audible, if you see a lot still sitting down after you announced ''Train is terminating please board the service at platform four'' it's because your P.A system is useless.

 

[Krokodil]

You could also check that the guards announcements are actually audible, if you see a lot still sitting down after you announced ''Train is terminating please board the service at platform four'' it's because your P.A system is useless.

I once made an announcement about ticketing restrictions, and - knowing that there had been reliability issues with that particular class of unit - stuck my head out of the cab door to check with a passenger that the PA was working. As soon as we departed, the first passenger I checked (who was sat opposite the passenger I asked for a sound check) had an invalid ticket. I got further down the carriage and when another passenger pulled out her ticket and looked at it, she made the connection between the announcement (which she had heard) and the restrictions on her ticket: "oh that's what that was about..."

You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

 

[londonmidland]

Some on board manual announcements contain way too much information, where they announce a full summery of the train safety information, its calling points, take care when alighting etc, at every single stop. I think some people just like the sound of their own voice.

When it gets this much, it makes me wish the train was equipped with automated announcements.

 

[nanstallon]

What a ridiculous, risk averse and litigation obsessed culture we have. Treat people as children and they will behave as children. i am sick of these inane patronising announcements about taking care of my belongings, etc. They'll be telling people it is unsafe to leap out of train windows - oh, of course you aren't trusted to open windows these days!

 

[BigB]

What a ridiculous, risk averse and litigation obsessed culture we have. Treat people as children and they will behave as children. i am sick of these inane patronising announcements about taking care of my belongings, etc. They'll be telling people it is unsafe to leap out of train windows - oh, of course you aren't trusted to open windows these days!

To be fair, I think leaping out of train windows probably is dangerous....

 

[AM9]

To be fair, I think leaping out of train windows probably is dangerous....

... as is doing anything other than opening them for moderate ventilation.

 

[Deepgreen]

What a ridiculous, risk averse and litigation obsessed culture we have. Treat people as children and they will behave as children. i am sick of these inane patronising announcements about taking care of my belongings, etc. They'll be telling people it is unsafe to leap out of train windows - oh, of course you aren't trusted to open windows these days!

The whole culture is aimed at protecting the stupid at the expense of the intelligent, and will only continue to expand on that basis.

 

[AM9]

The whole culture is aimed at protecting the stupid at the expense of the intelligent, and will only continue to expand on that basis.

Agreeed, and those that complain about protecting the stupid need that protection.

 

[Clip]

The whole culture is aimed at protecting the stupid at the expense of the intelligent, and will only continue to expand on that basis.

This as well as a few other posts are rather offensive. I have service users who appreciate the safety warnings as they are nervous about public transport - are they not allowed to have audible warnings about what to do on a train just because some others are sick and tired of them? So much for them trying to gain independence when they are being called stupid in

 

[zwk500]

The whole culture is aimed at protecting the stupid at the expense of the intelligent, and will only continue to expand on that basis.

No, the culture is about protecting the company from the litigant.

 

[nanstallon]

To be fair, I think leaping out of train windows probably is dangerous....

Agreed, and people shouldn't need to be told that!