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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 7:49:37 GMT
On-board p.a. -
"With apologies for the inconvenience, I've just been advised that due to congestion in the Aldgate area, this train will now terminate in a side platform at Moorgate. Please change here at Farringdon or at Barbican to more easily continue your eastbound journey as there is a Circle line train directly behind this one".
Of course, should you be wearing earphones, headphones or just not listening, I will see you at Moorgate where you will no doubt accuse me of not making this announcement.
After all, I'm just a lazy grunt of a driver who gets paid way too much and when dealing with Joe Public, am always in the wrong because I'm the one wearing the uniform. So guess why many of my colleagues just don't care any more?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 11:50:55 GMT
On District Line trains terminating at Tower Hill, even when "change at Monument" is announced, I still find when I get to Tower Hill (where I was intending to alight anyway) loads not getting off the train. People not listening is a major problem.
The worst, though, is on the rare occasions when, on platform 9 at Bank, they ask people to stand clear if they don't want the train now arriving - and many disregard it... some even continue to stand close and open the doors!
Of course, those who would rather listen to something else have only themselves to blame. Those who'd rather simply not listen and then claim nothing was said are even worse.
One problem I have found on some trains, mainly tube stock: fans that can drown announcements out. However, most of the time that does not apply.
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Post by Tomcakes on Aug 18, 2009 12:08:08 GMT
Top marks to said driver! ;D
However I'll say it again, you can understand why passengers don't listen to every single announcement, given that most of them are pretty pointless. If announcements were reserved for special or out of the ordinary things, such as this, there might not be such a problem.
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Post by 1938 on Aug 18, 2009 12:38:47 GMT
"With apologies for the inconvenience, I've just been advised that due to congestion in the Aldgate area, this train will now terminate in a side platform at Moorgate. Please change here at Farringdon or at Barbican to more easily continue your eastbound journey as there is a Circle line train directly behind this one".
(Useful Information)
"Of course, should you be wearing earphones, headphones or just not listening, I will see you at Moorgate where you will no doubt accuse me of not making this announcement."
(Pointless, as they can't hear you)
"After all, I'm just a lazy grunt of a driver who gets paid way too much and when dealing with Joe Public, am always in the wrong because I'm the one wearing the uniform. So guess why many of my colleagues just don't care any more?"
(Again pointless, because Joe Public doesn't care either)
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 12:49:53 GMT
Top marks to said driver! ;D However I'll say it again, you can understand why passengers don't listen to every single announcement, given that most of them are pretty pointless. If announcements were reserved for special or out of the ordinary things, such as this, there might not be such a problem. Absolutely! And as there are no pre-recorded messages on the A Stocks, the LUL argument that people take note if they suddenly hear the 'live' voice of the driver clearly doesn't apply. Sure enough, when I arrived at Moorgate's bay road Platform 3, ("all change all change" etc) confrontations ensued. Prior to shutting down, I actually got out of the train and looking back along the platform counted at least five of the eight carriages had people hanging out of the doors, presumably wondering why we'd stopped. A confused-looking woman, obviously not realising I was the driver, asked me if I was aware no announcements had been made - so I put her right on that little misrepresentation. As she and her group of friends trudged miserably away tugging large suitcases behind them, I turned around to find I had come face to face with a well-known personality of stage and screen who leaned forward and said just two terse words. "Liverpool Street?" Having sent him on his way to the eastbound platform, I returned to the cab wondering if the train's p.a. system was actually working, although I know I'd heard my own voice booming around the close confines of Barbican station. Looking back along the train, I announced that as advised at the two previous stations, this train terminates here at Moorgate ........... dozens of people suddenly got off! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?  ?? |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 14:04:46 GMT
I turned around to find I had come face to face with a well-known personality of stage and screen who leaned forward and said just two terse words. "Liverpool Street?" I wonder who that could be - though of course it would probably be unwise to say. |
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Post by happybunny on Aug 18, 2009 14:32:49 GMT
I don't bother when those announcements when reversing at Tower or Mansion Hse any more.. what's the point?? If I get anyone asking questions / making comments as I change ends I just say in a funny accent "sorry im just a cleaner"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 14:36:51 GMT
I don't bother when those announcements when reversing at Tower or Mansion Hse any more.. what's the point?? If I get anyone asking questions / making comments as I change ends I just say in a funny accent "sorry im just a cleaner" LMAO!!  |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 15:48:39 GMT
I don't bother when those announcements when reversing at Tower or Mansion Hse any more.. what's the point?? If I get anyone asking questions / making comments as I change ends I just say in a funny accent "sorry im just a cleaner" Whilst I undersatnd your frustration, that isn't giving the best form of customer service on behalf of LU is it? Surely you have a duty to provide passengers, with the relevant infromation, afterall there will be some who listen. |
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Post by Tomcakes on Aug 18, 2009 17:55:17 GMT
I would consider a member of staff pretending to be a cleaner in order to avoid answering questions very unprofessional.
Apart from anything else, wouldn't the cleaners be given at least a basic knowledge of things so that they can answer questions?
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mrfs42
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Post by mrfs42 on Aug 18, 2009 18:02:17 GMT
Wee-eell:
1. This is a broom, keep it dry and don't hit anyone with it.
2. This is a mop, it is to be used wet, don't get it near anything electrical.
3. Those are the tracks, they are electrified.
<shrug>
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 18:07:39 GMT
I would consider a member of staff pretending to be a cleaner in order to avoid answering questions very unprofessional. Apart from anything else, wouldn't the cleaners be given at least a basic knowledge of things so that they can answer questions? No, it's not in their job description. As for being unprofessional, I think it works both ways. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 18, 2009 19:09:01 GMT
Surely the point here is that if people don't listen to the PA because they have music etc playing in their ears then that is their own problem. Not everyone should be tarred with the same brush!
I would have thought the T/op should be doing their best to help custommers whether they are approached when changing ends etc.
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Post by 1938 on Aug 18, 2009 19:42:00 GMT
I would consider a member of staff pretending to be a cleaner in order to avoid answering questions very unprofessional. Apart from anything else, wouldn't the cleaners be given at least a basic knowledge of things so that they can answer questions? Of course a member of staff pretending to be a cleaner in order to avoid answering questions is very unprofessional, however I think HB is posting with a little bit of light humour. As for the cleaners, it is not their job to give out train information to the public. |
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Post by orienteer on Aug 18, 2009 19:43:33 GMT
I often have great difficulty in hearing the announcements on A stock. Some drivers bawl you out, others speak so softly as to be inaudible, station speakers drown out train announcements, and of course if you're in a trailer car and the compressor starts up, you won't hear a thing!
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Post by 21146 on Aug 18, 2009 20:49:50 GMT
This all shows that the present day barrage of LU announcements, most of them unecessary, simply causes people to "switch off".
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Post by Tomcakes on Aug 18, 2009 21:23:52 GMT
This all shows that the present day barrage of LU announcements, most of them unecessary, simply causes people to "switch off". ... but when will LU realise this? It isn't the cleaner's job to give out that information, but (IMO) it must be accepted that anybody in such a role is going to be asked questions, and as such they should be instructed on how to deal with such a situation. |
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Post by 1938 on Aug 18, 2009 22:36:34 GMT
This all shows that the present day barrage of LU announcements, most of them unecessary, simply causes people to "switch off". ... but when will LU realise this? It isn't the cleaner's job to give out that information, but (IMO) it must be accepted that anybody in such a role is going to be asked questions, and as such they should be instructed on how to deal with such a situation. Of course, they will point out for you where to go to find out the answer. |
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metman
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Post by metman on Aug 18, 2009 23:49:03 GMT
As general guardian of the Met Line, I would have to say that on the whole the PAs on the A stock are quite clear. Although this is not always the case.
To be fair if people do have iPods and such on and can't hear the PAs, well you've made you're choice! People are often told not to cross roads with headphones on.......you get the idea....
Those that do listen and don't heed the PA, well that is tough luck! Like a dog, if they get enough clips round the ear they will learn for next time! If a driver follows the rules, makes a PA and still gets grief, then you just have to take it on the chin! Anyone who works with people (most of us probably do!) will just get on with it! There are plenty of muppets out there.
I never sit in trailers, much as I love those Reavel or Westinghouse beasts, the PCM and LT114s are top dollar!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2009 0:12:59 GMT
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE? ?? Simple, The travelling public (normals) are sheep and shouldn't be allowed near Public Transport. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2009 6:23:01 GMT
By coincidence, BBC Breakfast are looking into on-train announcements at 08:20 this (Wednesday) morning. Bill Turnbull has already said he prefers to hear .... none. It sounds like South West Trains are going to get a kicking.
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Post by pakenhamtrain on Aug 19, 2009 9:40:52 GMT
Why not have a simple tone before the driver makes the announcement?
In my observations on our system it does make people take their headphones out to hear what the driver has to say.
Even the automatic "Take your rubbish with you" "During Improvement works" with the tone before hand do work.
I'm a regular and know where announcements trigger and the tone still makes me pay attention.
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Post by railtechnician on Aug 19, 2009 16:09:31 GMT
I'm glad I don't use public transport any more. As a worker I used to get fed up answering enquiries in detail only to see the mistrustful passenger(s) go and ask someone else. That used to happen most nights when I worked out of Whitechapel signal depot in the 1970s so much so that in the end I stopped bothering and simply told them to find a member of station staff. As a passenger I got fed up of the 'MTG', 'take your bags with you', 'no smoking' and other routine announcements. Drivers announcements regarding delays due to failures were of course always welcome but often the directions given during major service disruption by train and platform staff were useless though I don't blame them as all they were doing was delivering the latest available info. Having spent almost three decades working on the system and much longer using it I can see the issues from many sides but on balance in my experience and certainly in my last few years in the capital there were too many routine announcements.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2009 16:41:34 GMT
Same thing with the engineering works meaning we had South Harrow to Uxbridge shut down on the Picc. At Sudbury Hill, I reminded people that all trains were terminating at South Harrow. The DVA made the standard announcement about the next station being South Harrow and that the train would terminate there. We got held at a red outside S/Harrow so after making the "we're being held" type message I repeated the message about engineering works and the replacement bus service, and stated quite clearly, "There are NO trains to Uxbridge, there are no trains to Uxbridge, passengers requiring stations to Uxbridge please take the replacement bus from outside South Harrow." We were eventually held for about five minutes (no sodding idea why, no answer from signaller, L/C only picked up after I'd got the green, both platforms were empty!) and when we got the green I made another quick, "We're now coming into South Harrow, there are no trains past South Harrow today, for stations to Uxbridge, take the replacement bus" announcement.
Needless to say my journey down to the other end of the train was spent directing a lot of people towards the replacement bus service because they were hanging around for the next train...! (Which, as we'd come into the eastbound platform, couldn't even have gone from there anyway, although I know they couldn't have known that!)
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Post by stimarco on Aug 19, 2009 17:11:18 GMT
The Walkman was invented in the 1970s, so people wearing headphones is hardly a new phenomenon. And what about the deaf and hearing impaired? Is it their fault too?
Mainline trains have had both PAs *and* electronic message displays for over 20 years. What's LU's excuse?
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Post by 1938 on Aug 19, 2009 20:35:02 GMT
The Walkman was invented in the 1970s, so people wearing headphones is hardly a new phenomenon. And what about the deaf and hearing impaired? Is it their fault too? I'm glad someone has mentioned the deaf and hearing impaired, it is certainly not their fault, and I feel not enough has been done to help them. As regards the personal stereo's, which nine out of ten young people now, seem they can't do without, on their heads be it, so to speak. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2009 8:32:01 GMT
I'm glad someone has mentioned the deaf and hearing impaired, it is certainly not their fault, and I feel not enough has been done to help them. Yes, that is an obvious exception to the rule. It's when people can hear the announcements clearly and clearly haven't bothered that it is a problem. I remember telling someone once, who complained that she did not have time to walk to London Bridge nor take an alternative route from Bank that she should have planned her journey with more care, it being a weekend. It was one of two successive weekends with a south only closure of the Northern Line Bank branch. |
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Post by version3point1 on Aug 22, 2009 16:06:15 GMT
I often have great difficulty in hearing the announcements on A stock. Some drivers bawl you out, others speak so softly as to be inaudible, station speakers drown out train announcements, and of course if you're in a trailer car and the compressor starts up, you won't hear a thing! Agreed. "This train calls all stations to-" WOWOOOOWOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH "Stand clear of the doors please." Always bang on cue, sometimes! There's also another train (I forget what unit it is) where the PA system seems to have some sort of loose connection/wiring that causes a incessant constant high-pitched whining noise, which often drowns out a mumbling driver or just cuts him out completely. I hate to say it, but I really like the drivers that really shout down the receiver. Very handy after a night out!  It's the same problem on the Jubilee Line though with the terminators at North Greenwich. Been in the cab with a few colleagues and they set the DVA to play a 'Alight at the next station and wait for the next Stratford train' twice, then afterwards making their own message as we're pulling into Canary Wharf. Then as the train is on the platform he'll make one more message and put out another DVA message. You get to North Greenwich and you can guarantee they'll be a dozen people shouting at you because they wanted Stratford, then when you go and help them and tell them to go upstairs to change platforms, they have the cheek to tell you 'it's effing ridiculous!'. Then there are the ones that just stare right at you when you're talking to them, and then at the end they walk away without saying anything and approach another member of staff like you were lying to them! So for those people saying that we're not doing enough for customer service or being unprofessional... |
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