London Midland attitude

[upsidedown]

Friday night, on the train through Birmingham, two bikes against the fold-up 3 seats on one side.
There were 3 office suited types sat in the fold-up seats opposite.
Platform staff gets on and shouts "Whoever these bikes are get them shifted, i've got a wheelchair coming on !". Deposits lady in a wheelchair onto the train and clears off.
Suits opposit stare at me blankly, i say "where would you suggest i move to ?"
Cue head suit to fellow fold-up seat passengers "well we'd better move then if he won't!". Followed by the rest of the journey in uncomfortable silence and accusatory stares.

If i'd had my wits about me i would have got up and leant the bikes against the suits' legs to free up the wheelchair space.

I fully understand that the spaces on both sides are primarily for wheelchair users, but surely the platform staff should have asked them to move first ?

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Seems reasonable, given that there are seats for the people, but not for the bikes.

 

[Tharg2007]

bloody cyclists, they are a menace, if not a nuisance on the road they are a nuisance on the train, the government should do something about them.

 

[John the Monkey]

You can't expect stuff on trains to make sense.

You can pitch up with any number of enormous wheely cases and be allowed to travel, whereas if you show up with a bicycle, and two other people are already on the train with theirs, you'll be turned away. Similarly, the sign that says "Only Use These Seats When Not Required For Cycle Storage" only applies to OTHER people, not the people currently sat there.

 

[Norm]

And they don't even pay extra for their tickets!

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Or have insurance. And I bet their lights weren't on.

Maybe the two suits themselves were disabled? Paralysed from the neck up, maybe?

 

[jimboalee]

When a wheelchair boards the train, the cyclist ( me ) grabs his bike and stands it up on the rear wheel in the doorway that is opposite the platforms of the upcoming stations. He ( me ) stands with the bike, holding it vertical.

Note; Mucky tyres towards the other passengers.

 

[upsidedown]

When a wheelchair boards the train, the cyclist ( me ) grabs his bike and stands it up on the rear wheel in the doorway that is opposite the platforms of the upcoming stations. He ( me ) stands with the bike, holding it vertical.

Note; Mucky tyres towards the other passengers.

The problem is that for all of the route you board on the left, except Snow Hill where you board from the right. So if you're on the right you block access, if you're on the left you block exit at the next station, can't win.

 

[skrx]

You can pitch up with any number of enormous wheely cases and be allowed to travel

In theory, you're only allowed (I think) two pieces of luggage, and there is a restriction on the size. I've never seen this enforced, but then I've never seen restrictions on bike enforced on the trains round here. (I've seen the guard walk past six bikes stacked in the area for two and ignore it -- although it was clearly a single family).

 

[BrumJim]

It's the same with New St on the Cross City line.

Until you get to Barnt Green.

 

[jimboalee]

The problem is that for all of the route you board on the left, except Snow Hill where you board from the right. So if you're on the right you block access, if you're on the left you block exit at the next station, can't win.

I'm giving up my floorspace for a wheelchair. I'm reducing my occupied floorspace by standing the bike up vertically.

If there are any passengers who are still unhappy, they have a BIG problem and I will kindy knock it out of their heads.

Up to now, there hasn't been an issue.

 

[Flying Dodo]

On a Thameslink train with the 3 fold up seats either side for bikes, I've made people move out of them before, by pointing at the sign which says something similar to "Please give up these seats for wheelchair users or cyclists".