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Post by chris on May 8, 2005 11:04:22 GMT
I don't know whether you have read this book, but i was reading it and came across this intresting part, when Bill was travelling on a train reading a book, and an enthusiast came and sat next to him: " 'You like trains then?' I said and immediatly wished i hadn't. The next thing I knew was the book was on my lap I was listening to the worlds most boring man. I didn't actually so much listen to what he said. ........... He wasn't just a train-spotter, but a train-talker, a far more dangerous condition. " Anyway, this goes on for some time as the man goes through different types of trains, where thet're from etc, a bit like us here. And then the bit finishes with, "I had recently read in a newspaper article in which it was reported that a speaker at the British Psychological Society had described train-spotting as a form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome." I quite liked this extract, just thought I might share it with you.  |
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2005 18:52:00 GMT
"I had recently read in a newspaper article in which it was reported that a speaker at the British Psychological Society had described train-spotting as a form of autism called Asperger's Syndrome." [Rant]This person who spoke at the British Psychological Society is talking out of his a*se. Perhaps he should meet my Sister-in-law, who has a young son with Asperger's, I'm sure she would be more than happy to put him right.  [/Rant] |
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Post by Chris W on May 8, 2005 18:53:14 GMT
Chris I have the book... well I bought it and its now on a shelf.... in alphabetical order I have to admit.... mostly unread..... "VERY SAD" I hear you all chat in unison....  I just read your comments out to my g'friend and she not only smiled but also agreed.....  Mind you I have got some funny looks at Clapham Junction before taking a few photos (I gave up noting down the numbers years ago... I prefer and enjoy the photography side of railways these days)....  I think "spotters" are a breed apart from the rest of the human race (I am more than happy to counted amongst them ;D) having said that I do see some people on the end of stations at time and cringe.... the old analogy of the thermos flask, flasher mack and curling sandwiches... not to mention the greasy hair is not far of the mark at times........  It's a shame that "spotters" have such a bad press and are so down the pecking order of society to the point that I even think politicians and lawyers rank above us at times.... I think we should be re-classified "fairly harmless", a bit like the term Ford Prefect uses about the human race in the original "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy"...... ;D ;D [Rant]This person who spoke at the British Psychological Society is talking out of his a*se. Perhaps he should meet my Sister-in-law, who has a young son with Asperger's, I'm sure she would be more than happy to put him right. [/Rant] Following on from my comments... well said...!! Its all too easy to insult 'Train Spotters' (I feel our shoulders are broad and we can take it), however as in this case the comment has implied disrespect towards those who have the unfortunate circumstance of having this condition and making an off-the-cuff humourous comment can be insulting |
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Post by piccadillypilot on May 8, 2005 19:31:14 GMT
[Rant]This person who spoke at the British Psychological Society is talking out of his a*se. [/Rant] I don't wish to belittle your nephews condition nor the difficulties it causes, but here's an extract from a magazine, Psychological Medicine, www.mugsy.org/wing2.htm Quote. Skills and interest
Those with the syndrome in most typical form have certain skills as well as impairments. They have excellent rote memories and become intensely interested in one or two subjects, such as astronomy, geology, the history of the steam train, the genealogy of royalty, bus time-tables, prehistoric monsters, or the characters in a television serial, to the exclusion of all else. They absorb every available fact concerning their chosen field and talk about it at length, whether or not the listener is interested, but have little grasp of the meaning of the facts they learn. They may also excel at board games needing a good rote memory, such as chess (No.2), and some have musical ability. Seventy-six per cent of the present author's series had special interests of this kind. However, some have specific learning problems, affecting arithmetical skills, reading, or, as mentioned above, writing.End quote. |
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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2005 20:08:02 GMT
So why is it alright to have an encyclopeadic knowledge of football, but not to have the same about trains, planes or whatever.  BTW, I used to take coachloads of football supporters around the country. Some of these displayed the same flasher mac-wearing, soap-dodging characteristics as their cousins at the end of the platform at Euston. It wasn't until the last twenty years that the media decided that trainspotting wasn't 'normal'. To them, trainspotters are just another 'target', along with celebs or sportsmen and women. |
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Tom
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Post by Tom on May 8, 2005 21:55:33 GMT
BTW, I used to take coachloads of football supporters around the country. Some of these displayed the same flasher mac-wearing, soap-dodging characteristics as their cousins at the end of the platform at Euston. Sadly, the media will act like a school bully and pick on anyone who appears different. While the football fans you mention may have had an aversion to soap and water, as their interest was in the mainstream it was acceptable. Sadly, the rail enthusiasts in this country do not always help their cause. I remember taking a trip of Great Eastern's class 306 unit a few years ago, where two individuals took great pride in dressing as if they had just stepped out of the 1950s and another who decided it would be great fun for him and his family (I pitied the kids) to get off at one of the intermediate stations and sit there for an hour until the same train came back. There are a number of enthusiasts I know of who have learning difficulties of some sort and others who are just obsessive. However as Aspergers is the current trendy condition (a bit like ADHD was a few years ago) anyone who has specialist knowledge of a non-mainstream subject is liable to be so labelled, rightly or wrongly. It doesn't help of course when parents of children on the Autistic Spectrum give interviews to the Evening Sub-Standard mentioning that their child likes trains, has a collection of driver's eye views and 'can't understand why anyone who isn't autistic would be interested in them' as one mother did a few years back. My personal dislike of rail enthusiasts BTW are the 'traction bashers' who use odd phrases such as 'hellfire', 'dreadful' etc to describe various traction (this isn't a personal dig at anyone in particular BTW, I just don't understand why when there are better adjectives available), find it appropriate to stick their heads, necks, torsos and arms out of train windows and do what look like Nazi salutes at everyone. Not only does it b*gger up any photos one should wish to take, it also is a poor choice of gesture, considering the way that people were transported to the concentration camps during WW2. (The Heritage Railway Association guidlines on dressing up as Nazi soldiers at Heritage 'Railway at War' weekends have a similar reasoning for their existence) |
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