Most useless message....

[Arch]

Coming back up from my Mum's this morning, changed trains at Sheffield, got on a Cross Country service to York. Now Cross Country (and Virgin before them) have this really annoying seat reservation system. Instead of a quickly visible and readable paper ticket in the top of the seat, they have a scrolling LCD above the seat, which either says "This seat is not reserved" or "This seat is reserved between York and Winchester" or sometimes "This seat is available until Doncaster" (obviously, the stations vary). The result is that when people get on, they have to a) notice that that's where the information is, and stand and watch it scroll through the message - depending on 'where' you come in to the message, this can take a few seconds. People with reseved seats can usually just locate them and sit down (assuming someone else isn't in it) but those looking for a free seat who don't have a reservation often have to stand for some time looking at the screens and finding out if seats are free. And while they do this, no one can get past etc etc. At busy times, it's chaotic. It really is a triumph of technology over practicality...

Anyway. I get on this train and find that their reservation system is not working anyway (I was on an open ticket, so needed to find a free seat, not a specific reserved one). Normally when this happens, either the little screens are all blank, or they all say "This seat is not reserved". However, today they had gone up a gear. All the screens said (my italics) "This seat might be reserved, please check your ticket for details".

What F*@!*!! good is that! If I have a reservation, I know where I should be. If I don't, how is my ticket going to tell me if the seat is free or not!

I was so amazed, I took a photo...

View attachment 3066

What next, "The next train at platform 2 might be the 10.15 to Edinburgh...."?

 

[hulver]

This might be a witty comment.

 

[Mr Pig]

What next, "The next train at platform 2 might be the 10.15 to Edinburgh...."?

Ha ha ha :0)

 

[Amanda P]

"The 19.32 service for Doncaster, Peterborough, Milton Keynes and London Kings Cross has just departed from Platform 2".

 

[Radius]

What next, "The next train at platform 2 might be the 10.15 to Edinburgh...."?

Ha, that made me laugh

 

[Christopher]

there was a housing development near Herself's, while it was being built they hung a sign on a gate that said something like:

"Attention: People taking materials from this site outside of working hours may be STEALING. If you see anything suspicious please ring [a mobile number]" & so the sign was asking ordinary passers-by to be grasses...

 

[Arch]

"The 19.32 service for Doncaster, Peterborough, Milton Keynes and London Kings Cross has just departed from Platform 2".

That would indeed be more useless...

There used to be that joke, "The train now arriving at platforms 2, 3 and 4 is coming in sideways", but then Potter's Bar kind of made it less funny...

 

[Night Train]

However, today they had gone up a gear. All the screens said (my italics) "This seat might be reserved, please check your ticket for details".

What F*@!*!! good is that! If I have a reservation, I know where I should be. If I don't, how is my ticket going to tell me if the seat is free or not!

Well if someone comes up and says 'That is my reserved seat!' you could always examine your ticket and say 'Nope, can't be. It doesn't say so on my ticket.'

 

[montage]

This thread might be useless without pictures

 

[gbb]

Another piece of useless information..
Becks Blue alcohol free lager...it says on the back 'Please enjoy Becks Blue responsibly'

 

[Riverman]

Should change it to "there might not be a seat" or maybe if you're travelling with First Great Western" "sit on the floor damnit".

 

[gavintc]

there was a housing development near Herself's, while it was being built they hung a sign on a gate that said something like:

"Attention: People taking materials from this site outside of working hours may be STEALING. If you see anything suspicious please ring [a mobile number]" & so the sign was asking ordinary passers-by to be grasses...

Grasses or honest community minded people, choose your handle.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

As the warning is everywhere now, how about "This seat may contain nuts."

 

[mr_cellophane]

Last time I reserved a seat on a train, I kicked someone out of "my" seat. Then just after everyone had checked their seats and thrown people out there was an announcement that the seat reservations weren't valid on that train.

 

[snorri]

Just relax Arch, and let the train take the strain.