Why and how do people expect train station staff to be able to do this?

Yesterday, I was at my local train station having just got off a train from somewhere I had been to for the afternoon. As I was walking through the waiting room/customer service area, (this particular train station is only a very small one), and the train I had just got off of was about to leave the station, there was a guy in the front of the queue at the customer service desk buying his tickets. It was obvious that he hadn't allowed himself enough time to buy his tickets and be there to get on the train in time. He asked the person who was serving him "Can't you put out an announcement on the speaker system asking the driver to hold the train until I make it to the platform on the other side?!" When he was told no, he started getting abusive and banged on the glass window between him and the person serving him. :rofl:

Why do they expect that an announcement can be put out and even if it could, what makes him so important that they should hold the train for him? :rolleyes:

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Reply 1

fefssdf

LMAO thanks for sharing the story ; I'm guessing he thought that he deserved to be on that train and that the other passengers wouldn't mind waiting

Reply 2

fefssdf

I'm actually sitting here laughing out loud to myself ; just imaging this situation... If I were you I would've found this so funnyy omg

Reply 3

username2705335

Does he think he's famous? omg

Reply 4

username1177050

Yeah that guy overreacted tbh....however I have seen other incidents when driving past a guy literally was 2 seconds away from the stop and the bus was just leaving, he banged on the window in a non aggressive manner and the driver gave him a sideways glance and thought **** it....you have to question if this was 1950s Britain then the nice bus driver would have been happy to stop for a second (when he wasn't even driving fast) and let the person on, probably crack a funny joke. These immigrants often don't care and it's another reason why people have certain views about them and why they are not exactly endeared amongst a large part of the population

Reply 5

spotify95

I had a similar issue happen to me - only that I rushed out on to the platform just as the train was leaving. The train left a minute early as well! :mad:

If I was on my own, I'd have pelted a brick (or battery, as I usually recycle batteries) through the train to vent my anger - but in the end, I had to wait an hour for the next train.

If I'm running late, so that the train is in the station, but I haven't got my ticket yet, I'd buy the ticket on the train. :yep:

Reply 6

TheonlyMrsHolmes

I find it so cute when people run like their life they are being chased by a man-eating hungry lion only for the door to close as they reach the line (makes me chuckle a little, mostly because I know that will be me if I have to use the train on a daily basis). :u:

Reply 7

Kholmes1

Original post by spotify95

I had a similar issue happen to me - only that I rushed out on to the platform just as the train was leaving. The train left a minute early as well! :mad:

Thats fair enough especially as it left early. Usually when I get trains I plan it so I get there one or two mins before it leaves. (Already have tickets) and when it leaves early oh my.

Reply 8

spotify95

Original post by Kholmes1

Thats fair enough especially as it left early. Usually when I get trains I plan it so I get there one or two mins before it leaves. (Already have tickets) and when it leaves early oh my.

I know, it should have left at 9:17 and it left at 9:16... Had it waited until 9:17, i.e. what it should have done, I'd have been able to get on the train, and buy a ticket on the train etc.

In fact, on that day, if it wasn't for the fact that my destination station has a ticket barrier (Leicester), I wouldn't have paid for any ticket!

Reply 9

RavioliDance

Original post by spotify95

I had a similar issue happen to me - only that I rushed out on to the platform just as the train was leaving. The train left a minute early as well! :mad:

Idve punched through a window as it was leaving. Unless at a station without ticket purchasing facilities its actually a legal requirement to buy before boarding.

See my reply above to spotify95 regarding tickets.

Original post by fefssdf

LMAO thanks for sharing the story ; I'm guessing he thought that he deserved to be on that train and that the other passengers wouldn't mind waiting

I actually used to think the train station staff could do that too, but never actually asked. :colondollar:

Reply 10

spotify95

Original post by RavioliDance

Idve punched through a window as it was leaving. Unless at a station without ticket purchasing facilities its actually a legal requirement to buy before boarding.

Unfortunately, the station I got on at has CCTV on it, so I'd more than likely have been prosecuted by East Midlands Trains! :frown:

Though that would have been a good idea (though a nice dead C or D cell battery would burst through the window nicely and I wouldn't have been picked up). Anyway, it's all finished, I can't do anything about it now!

As for purchasing tickets before getting on the train, I've spoken to a couple of train managers who were more than happy to let people purchase tickets on board the train. One even offered a customer a First Class upgrade for just £1! I'd have taken that...

I actually used to think the train station staff could do that too, but never actually asked. :colondollar:

If I was working on the platform, then so long as it didn't cause a large delay, I'd hold the train for a minute or two. Especially if a customer has just bought tickets and was going to board a train.

Reply 11

John55

Original post by TheonlyMrsHolmes

I thought that only happened in movies :s-smilie:

Reply 12

RavioliDance

Original post by spotify95

Unfortunately, the station I got on at has CCTV on it, so I'd more than likely have been prosecuted by East Midlands Trains! :frown:

I meant as in I used to think that the ticket office staff could somehow hold the train. :redface:

Reply 13

joey11223

If you think that's bad there's the people who when realizing the train is about to leave the station they want to get off at due to them paying no attention/having headphones in, decide to exclaim they need to get off and go and pull the emergency stop chord...ffs.

Reply 14

SummerStrawberry

[video="vimeo;66058972"]https://vimeo.com/66058972[/video]

Reply 15

RavioliDance

Original post by joey11223

Reply 16

spotify95

Original post by joey11223

I've never had, nor experienced, this but I have just thought of another potential issue. My station only has one train per hour in each direction that stops, so if you get on the wrong train, pull the emergency stop so it stops on your station...