A piece of track became flooded this morning in the Potters Bar area. The compassionate lady in customer services said that the piece of track has become a bit of a pool and that they had discovered it around 6am this morning and then decided to implement an emergency timetable meaning no trains at any specific times. Grrrrrreat!
I rock up at Haringey station around 8.25 to be met by calm mayhem. People everywhere, no information and a massive queue in front of the one ticket window. I of course ignore the queue and asks the man when the next train is due. The answer is of course "I don’t know". He points to an A4 paper stuck on the ticket window which in font 10 explains that there has indeed been a flood in the Potters Bar area which means you will not be having a nice start to the morning. I then somewhat politely asks if he would mind perhaps calling someone to find out what the hell is going on as there is a difference between a train coming in the next five minutes and in half an hour especially at 8.30 in the morning when standing in the rain on a platform. So he did. He called and they told him there is a train coming in a few minutes.
I go back down to the platform and voila a train does come, but it is half a train and it is already so packed people have crammed into the “Private” areas of the train.
By this time I have been joined by a few other angry passengers who had been standing waiting for almost an hours seeing train after train go by with no chance of getting on them and we as in a somewhat less polite way when the next train will come. Then this little pissy person pipes up. “It’s not his fault”...
Oh there is nothing like those four magic words to really set me off in the morning. Actually it is his fault. He represent the company I pay (a fair amount as well) to take me to and from work. And he has failed to inform me that there will be no trains today and that I will have to find another way to get to work, i.e the company he works for will not be able to perform the services I pay for. Not only is it his fault, his attitude is the very reason I will not get to work on time this morning.
I inform my fellow passenger and the blond pissy person wearing a multicolour scarf that it is indeed his fault and if he and his other colleagues would take responsibility for their actions and inabilities and would be accountable for their failure to get me to work then maybe we would actually have some trains running on time. I got an applaud! Didn’t get me to work any quicker though.
But hey I am entitled to a £4 travel voucher to use on any national rail service but not the underground or towards a travel card. That's right you don't get your money back all you can claim back is a pissy coupon.
Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Tuesday, 27 January 2009
A Tesco bag at Monument…again
I was not particularly surprised to find Monument station closed last night at quarter past six in the evening with people pouring out like hungry rats looking for food, I mean what other time could be more convenient.
I was of course intrigued and in the interest of research I felt compelled to brave the emergency message being shouted out over the PA system and ask the poor soul guarding the gate of danger what the hell was going on. I no longer have great hope of extracting any useful information from any TFL member of staff, I ask more out of principle and to see what creative excuse they have come up with this time.
As you might have guessed from the title of this post the answer was “some suspect package or something”. As much as I appreciate TFL’s consideration for our safety I found the situation itslef a bit suspect to say the least. If there was a real danger to our lives and a package of some sort had been found, which content I have a feeling I might get censored for writing in the same sentence as the tube, would they not at least inform all members of staff so they as well could make sure they stay safe, in the end information saves lives! Secondly the evacuation was so extremely disorganised one would hope TFL knew better if they were actually trying to save my life. Now it could be possible, and not the least surprising, if this is how TFL deals with a real threat to our safety but I am for a moment going to give them the benefit of the doubt (I just had a piece of chocolate so I blame the rush of endorphins running through my body).
I' guessing they found something somewhere and instead of evaluating the situation and making a proper risk analysis they decided that even if it’s just a tesco bag with the remains of the plastic once containing someone’s lunch it is worth letting thousands of passengers try to cram into another station and cause massive disruption to the circle and district line in the middle of rush hour. AND we’re going to do it in the most incompetent way possible.
Surely if you wanted to bl*w a station into pieces you would chose the significantly larger Bank station a 100 meters down the road especially since due to escalator refurbishment work there is no interchange between Bank and Monument station.
I was of course intrigued and in the interest of research I felt compelled to brave the emergency message being shouted out over the PA system and ask the poor soul guarding the gate of danger what the hell was going on. I no longer have great hope of extracting any useful information from any TFL member of staff, I ask more out of principle and to see what creative excuse they have come up with this time.
As you might have guessed from the title of this post the answer was “some suspect package or something”. As much as I appreciate TFL’s consideration for our safety I found the situation itslef a bit suspect to say the least. If there was a real danger to our lives and a package of some sort had been found, which content I have a feeling I might get censored for writing in the same sentence as the tube, would they not at least inform all members of staff so they as well could make sure they stay safe, in the end information saves lives! Secondly the evacuation was so extremely disorganised one would hope TFL knew better if they were actually trying to save my life. Now it could be possible, and not the least surprising, if this is how TFL deals with a real threat to our safety but I am for a moment going to give them the benefit of the doubt (I just had a piece of chocolate so I blame the rush of endorphins running through my body).
I' guessing they found something somewhere and instead of evaluating the situation and making a proper risk analysis they decided that even if it’s just a tesco bag with the remains of the plastic once containing someone’s lunch it is worth letting thousands of passengers try to cram into another station and cause massive disruption to the circle and district line in the middle of rush hour. AND we’re going to do it in the most incompetent way possible.
Surely if you wanted to bl*w a station into pieces you would chose the significantly larger Bank station a 100 meters down the road especially since due to escalator refurbishment work there is no interchange between Bank and Monument station.
Tuesday, 13 January 2009
How many TFL staff does it take to change a light bulb…
None, it’s not their job clearly.
So Highbury and Islington station has been closed for two days due to a “lighting problem”. I find this exceptionally fascinating. Describing it as a “problem” would indicate that it is an unexpected fault leading to the lighting issues as opposed to a foreseen issue being dealt with say re-wiring. So I’m left guessing what the problem might be (I can confirm there is indeed a “problem” somewhere as the platform is pitch black), these are my speculations:
1. They put up all the light bulbs at the same time and now they have all gone out and it clearly takes quite a few TFL staff to get some new ones up.
2. There is a bigger general problem with the lighting such as the wiring and they need to re wire the whole place.
3. They are trying to cover something up and turning the lights out provides the cover they need. Now this obviously begs the question what could they possibly be covering up.
Now I’m convinced it is actually option one or possibly two. As stupid as it might seem I think they actually are struggling to change the light bulbs. Here’s why – if they were trying to cover something up surely they would come up with some better option that would get the people’s sympathy rather than using an excuse so dumb it will just piss people off even more. An excuse such as station closure due to rat infestation isn’t going to piss that many people off, most people will be quite glad they don’t stop at a rat infested station. It is more likely it’s something completely stupid and a problem easily foreseeable by someone with half a brain cell.
I wonder if they run the announcements through the PR and Legal teams before using them..
So Highbury and Islington station has been closed for two days due to a “lighting problem”. I find this exceptionally fascinating. Describing it as a “problem” would indicate that it is an unexpected fault leading to the lighting issues as opposed to a foreseen issue being dealt with say re-wiring. So I’m left guessing what the problem might be (I can confirm there is indeed a “problem” somewhere as the platform is pitch black), these are my speculations:
1. They put up all the light bulbs at the same time and now they have all gone out and it clearly takes quite a few TFL staff to get some new ones up.
2. There is a bigger general problem with the lighting such as the wiring and they need to re wire the whole place.
3. They are trying to cover something up and turning the lights out provides the cover they need. Now this obviously begs the question what could they possibly be covering up.
Now I’m convinced it is actually option one or possibly two. As stupid as it might seem I think they actually are struggling to change the light bulbs. Here’s why – if they were trying to cover something up surely they would come up with some better option that would get the people’s sympathy rather than using an excuse so dumb it will just piss people off even more. An excuse such as station closure due to rat infestation isn’t going to piss that many people off, most people will be quite glad they don’t stop at a rat infested station. It is more likely it’s something completely stupid and a problem easily foreseeable by someone with half a brain cell.
I wonder if they run the announcements through the PR and Legal teams before using them..
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
09 with TFL
Some new Great Incentives!
Bus lanes
What a great incentive to let motorcycles use bus lanes. Fantastic. How about bicycles? Maybe a scheme for some cycle lanes would be a better idea you fat idiot.
Prices
Will they actually stop increasing the fares when it’s cheaper to take your car? £100for a monthly travel card zone 1-2 is shocking.
Here’s what it costs in the rest of the world (where they also have AC AND you can use your mobile phone to let people know you will be late because a snow flake fell in Alaska so the whole Northern Line is shut down)
Stockholm £60
Paris £50
Barcelona £65
Rome £60
New York £55
Feel ripped off? You should!
Bus lanes
What a great incentive to let motorcycles use bus lanes. Fantastic. How about bicycles? Maybe a scheme for some cycle lanes would be a better idea you fat idiot.
Prices
Will they actually stop increasing the fares when it’s cheaper to take your car? £100for a monthly travel card zone 1-2 is shocking.
Here’s what it costs in the rest of the world (where they also have AC AND you can use your mobile phone to let people know you will be late because a snow flake fell in Alaska so the whole Northern Line is shut down)
Stockholm £60
Paris £50
Barcelona £65
Rome £60
New York £55
Feel ripped off? You should!
Abuse? Who? Me?
Abuse? Who? Me?
Have you seen the new posters on the tube advocating that the TFL staff do not tolerate abuse? There are so many things that upset me with these ads I barely know where to start…
1. The actual AD
It’s a picture of a blazer with a silver TFL pin on it saying “not made for thick skin” or some shit like that. When have you ever seen a member of TFL wearing a blazer with a silver pin? If I were an employed by TFL I would be quite upset that they are not representing the people actually getting the abuse on the station but some overpaid prick who don’t even use the tube to get to work. Completely out of touch and irrelevant, great way to get a message across.
2. The message
TFL does not tolerate abuse. Neither do we my dear friend! When you transport people in conditions you are not even allowed to transport pigs in anger and frustration will follow. You combine this with utterly incompetent representatives from the company exposing you to this hell hole of a transport system IT’S ABUSE!
3. Conclusion
Perhaps TFL staff wouldn’t get abuse if they weren’t so shit! Perhaps everyone would be a bit happier if the system wasn’t so shit. Perhaps no one would through a tantrum if you were given some kind of information! STOP ABUSING US AND WE WILL STOP ABUSING YOU!!
Perhaps a better idea would be to have a picture of an ordinary incompetent illiterate TFL worker with a message saying “Don’t take it out on me - blame Tim and Boris!” with some contact details on where to make complaints.
Have you seen the new posters on the tube advocating that the TFL staff do not tolerate abuse? There are so many things that upset me with these ads I barely know where to start…
1. The actual AD
It’s a picture of a blazer with a silver TFL pin on it saying “not made for thick skin” or some shit like that. When have you ever seen a member of TFL wearing a blazer with a silver pin? If I were an employed by TFL I would be quite upset that they are not representing the people actually getting the abuse on the station but some overpaid prick who don’t even use the tube to get to work. Completely out of touch and irrelevant, great way to get a message across.
2. The message
TFL does not tolerate abuse. Neither do we my dear friend! When you transport people in conditions you are not even allowed to transport pigs in anger and frustration will follow. You combine this with utterly incompetent representatives from the company exposing you to this hell hole of a transport system IT’S ABUSE!
3. Conclusion
Perhaps TFL staff wouldn’t get abuse if they weren’t so shit! Perhaps everyone would be a bit happier if the system wasn’t so shit. Perhaps no one would through a tantrum if you were given some kind of information! STOP ABUSING US AND WE WILL STOP ABUSING YOU!!
Perhaps a better idea would be to have a picture of an ordinary incompetent illiterate TFL worker with a message saying “Don’t take it out on me - blame Tim and Boris!” with some contact details on where to make complaints.
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
Fuck Capital Connect
There must be some great mystery in the art of running a train service. There must be something we mortals do not understand when it comes to managing a train company. Because surely it cannot be that fucking difficult to get people from a to b. From where I stand freezing my ass off on the platform waiting for yet another fully packed train that has been delayed because someone sneezed so the previous service had to be cancelled, it doesn't seem that hard to get trains to run on time and with close enough gaps so that everyone who pays can use the service.
From some reason I find it hard to believe that it is that hard to get trains from a to b with people sitting in them. Example, the 8.15 train from my station today was cancelled (some one farted), sure there is a 8.18 train but that will then be full. Now there are two other trains (run by the same company) that pass the station but do not stop, some kind of express service for the Welwyn Garden City people, this seems to me like a golden opportunity to get people from a to b. Why not since there is already a disruption on the whole service, get these two trains to stop pick up the people waiting and get on with life. Problem solved the cancelled train will not affect anyone as another one is right behind.
Oh I forgot - no one gives a shit... It's no ones fault and no one can do anything about it. It's just the way it is. Yes it is awful that we are all transported in ways you are not allowed to transport cattle in this country but hey what do you expect?
Fucking lazy ass complacent people. It gets clearer and clearer everyday where the fucking gibbos get it from (see whygibraltar.blogspot.com).
Fucking third world country.
From some reason I find it hard to believe that it is that hard to get trains from a to b with people sitting in them. Example, the 8.15 train from my station today was cancelled (some one farted), sure there is a 8.18 train but that will then be full. Now there are two other trains (run by the same company) that pass the station but do not stop, some kind of express service for the Welwyn Garden City people, this seems to me like a golden opportunity to get people from a to b. Why not since there is already a disruption on the whole service, get these two trains to stop pick up the people waiting and get on with life. Problem solved the cancelled train will not affect anyone as another one is right behind.
Oh I forgot - no one gives a shit... It's no ones fault and no one can do anything about it. It's just the way it is. Yes it is awful that we are all transported in ways you are not allowed to transport cattle in this country but hey what do you expect?
Fucking lazy ass complacent people. It gets clearer and clearer everyday where the fucking gibbos get it from (see whygibraltar.blogspot.com).
Fucking third world country.
Thursday, 2 October 2008
Guilty gratitude
I’m fortunate enough to be able to take the overground to work everyday and do not have to squeeze myself onto the tube at 8.45. I have the pleasure of taking the pink and purple coloured trains belonging to First Capital Connect to work everyday. I am blessed I truly am.
First Capital Connect is a wonderful service charging you through the roof for travelling on their old run-down trains, with a habit of non functional breaks. But First Capital Connect has got wonderful and dedicated staff. Apparently.
For some reason they are unable to sell advertising space on their trains and have to fill the trains with their own posters. With pictures of their super dedicated hard working always smiling staff. These posters are vile. Not just because of the ugliness I discussed in a previous post but because of what they are saying. They say things like
“I get up at 4.30 so you can get to work”,
“I wish my house was cleaned this often”
“I smile at 5000 people everyday”
What are they aiming at? I am supposed to feel some kind of gratefulness towards First Capital Connects staff for doing their job which I’m paying for? Huh? F*ck off. It’s a shit service and you know it, now shut up and do your job.
First Capital Connect is a wonderful service charging you through the roof for travelling on their old run-down trains, with a habit of non functional breaks. But First Capital Connect has got wonderful and dedicated staff. Apparently.
For some reason they are unable to sell advertising space on their trains and have to fill the trains with their own posters. With pictures of their super dedicated hard working always smiling staff. These posters are vile. Not just because of the ugliness I discussed in a previous post but because of what they are saying. They say things like
“I get up at 4.30 so you can get to work”,
“I wish my house was cleaned this often”
“I smile at 5000 people everyday”
What are they aiming at? I am supposed to feel some kind of gratefulness towards First Capital Connects staff for doing their job which I’m paying for? Huh? F*ck off. It’s a shit service and you know it, now shut up and do your job.
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