Scotrail.. Kicked of the train for no reason.

[rnscotch]

Yesterday after work i decided it's been a long week and my legs where a bit tender so i decided to get the train halfway and cycle the rest of the journey just over 8 mile.

This will probably be a bit long so my apologies..

So i get on my train which was one of the older stock trains where the compartment for bikes can carry 6 bikes the way you rack the bike is by standing the bike upright you then hook the wheel thats off the ground onto a hook. Now usually there is never any other bikes on the train so when it is empty like last night you can get away with parking the bike across 3 slots so it is parallel to the carriage and not in anyones way i prefer parking like this as in the past i have broken spokes parking it the correct way.

For the last 2 years when i have used the train i have parked my bike this way and nothing has been said by the Conductors on the odd occasion when other cyclists have came on i have got up and moved my bike to make more space for them it was not an issue for me to do so.

Ok so now i have explained the scenario i will get to the meat of the story , i have parked my bike as usual and i was waiting on the train to set off when i heard this voice is this your bike i turned round and there was the conductor standing i replied yes.

She says you going to have to move your bike and hang it up the correct way, so i politely ask why as the train is empty and the bike is in no ones way. I then say i have never been asked to do this before it's never been a problem for me to park my bike in this manner to which she retorts what you have been allowed to ride on the train with your bike there i don't think so, I replied yes again she retorted well not on my train.

So i decided ok we have a jobs worth here wanting to throw her weight about so i picked my bike up and hung it up properly obviously i was not happy with her tone and her demeanor so i asked for her name and she barked back "I don't need to take your shoot get off my train" i was flabbergasted.

So after a few more minutes with her refusing to give me her name, refusing to contact a manager and her threatening to get the police i got my stuff off the train and stopped someone in a hi vis vest and asked where could i find the duty manager and he kindly directed me to the office.

I explained the situation to the duty manager and he explained i need to put my complaint in writing, he then asked me to follow him and we went back over to the train where she lied giving the reason for her asking me to leave the train because i was being aggressive and arrogant and refused to let me back on the train - I stayed calm and polite through our whole conversation.

The duty manager came back over and said there was not much he could do as she was in charge of the train and she has the right to remove me if she feels intimidated. I just laughed in his face and walked away as there was no point.

So i had to wait on the next train, i want to complain but i don't know if it is worth it i believe it would be a waste of a stamp.

 

[yenrod]

What a class bitch.

A total 'no need'.

Their's got to be someway to find justice in this matter !

 

[spandex]

It can not heart you any more then you all ready have been. So I would complain you may get a free ticket to ride on the next train she is on

 

[thomas]

So i had to wait on the next train, i want to complain but i don't know if it is worth it i believe it would be a waste of a stamp.

I've complained, do it over the net...you should get some railway vouchers.

I had a friend who was refused his bike on the train, so he refused to get off. This was in rush hour - he just said that he was just sold the ticket with the assumption that his bike could go on.

After about 15 minutes of arguing the police arrived...he then got of the train. Still, probably quite a few unhappy commuters that day .

Knowing him he was probably being a bit silly.

 

[gavintc]

Rule 1 - Play by the rules when you encounter jobsworths. It makes the high moral ground easier to occupy.

Why did you not just hang it up?

 

[downfader]

I have complained about something I saw on a train and got the result I wanted so I think its worth it.

You need to outline the events of the day, the reasons why you parked as you did (plus if you have any photo evidence of damage their stands have made so much the better), explain how you were polite.

Sounds to me as if she took exception to you, perhaps having a bad day and decided to take it out on a customer.

 

[skrx]

To contrast this, the most recent time I had a conversation with a guard ("train manager"?)

Him: "Can you put your bike in the bike space, please?"
Me: "I'm only going to [three stops, about 12 minutes in London]". It was about midnight, so very quiet.
Him: "Oh, no need to bother then"

Definitely complain. Presumably you know what train it was, so they'll know who the employee was. I'm surprised she wasn't wearing a badge you could read though.

 

[bonj2]

so you weren't chucked off a train for NO reason, you were chucked off a train for a reason that you don't deem justifiable...
You seem to feel you have the right to contravene rules that it doesn't suit you to obey simply because YOU can't see any reason why it makes a difference.

I think there's no problem with putting your bike like that, and she was probably being a bit petty and having a bad day and picked on you 'cos she was feeling a little grumpy - but at the end of the day she was theoretically right, so you're in the wrong to think you can just challenge her. Some people get a buzz out of having power of people and telling them what to do, and if they're feeling a little disaffected then they have a go at telling someone what to do just to see if they can make them do it - you were the victim, but you should have seen that that's what she was doing and realized it was only going to wind her up more to refuse.

I hope the train stopped for you to get off though, she didn't just chuck you off while it was going did she?

 

[bonj2]

You might as well complain, just try and angle for a bit of a discount on future tickets

 

[beanzontoast]

Bad publicity brings its own reward - maybe you should write to your local paper / CTC magazine etc about your experience. Hopefully a lot of people will read about what happened.

 

[downfader]

so you weren't chucked off a train for NO reason, you were chucked off a train for a reason that you don't deem justifiable...
You seem to feel you have the right to contravene rules that it doesn't suit you to obey simply because YOU can't see any reason why it makes a difference.

I think there's no problem with putting your bike like that, and she was probably being a bit petty and having a bad day and picked on you 'cos she was feeling a little grumpy - but at the end of the day she was theoretically right, so you're in the wrong to think you can just challenge her. Some people get a buzz out of having power of people and telling them what to do, and if they're feeling a little disaffected then they have a go at telling someone what to do just to see if they can make them do it - you were the victim, but you should have seen that that's what she was doing and realized it was only going to wind her up more to refuse.

I hope the train stopped for you to get off though, she didn't just chuck you off while it was going did she?

Bonj, what the hell are you on about..?

His reason was perfectly justifiable by the sounds of it. Just because someone like her comes across as high-and-mighty doesnt mean you have to take it. As long as your polite and to the point.

Thats it, definately complain - and tell them Bonj told you to.

 

[ufkacbln]

I went down to Bath a little while go withthe Brompton. At one of the stations several bikes got on and one guy was not going to bother, but was invited on by another cyclist - when asked about the Guard and number of bikes he was told "We play "Bike roulette" and if the Guard comes along we simply are very polite to each other and let someone else off first and then help them. They soon realise it is going to cost them time and give up!"

Not sure about the "ethics" and staff / cyclist relationships - but it seems to work!

 

[kyuss]

You seem to feel you have the right to contravene rules that it doesn't suit you to obey simply because YOU can't see any reason why it makes a difference.

Haha. You're having a laugh. That's a bit rich coming from you of all people.

 

[PashleyPrincess]

This happened to me three years ago when I started commuting. The train manager did exactly the same thing claiming that it was a health a safety matter as if the driver needed to leave his cabin my bike might be in the way. (To be honest I think a greater health and safety issue would be the driver leaving his cabin at all when the rest of us are on the train expecting that he's driving it - but there you are.) Anyway he insisted that i must hang the bike up and I told him that I couldn't as it weighed too much and I am too small. So I asked him to hang it up for me. Which he declined to do. I told him I would report him and he let me stay on the train. Jobsworths - what is that they get off on?

Report her. They have to take your complaint seriously and if you don't she's bound to think she can continue going around swearing at customers.

 

[gavintc]

I am with bonj on this. I know it sound ridiculous, but a risk assessment will have been completed which will state that bikes should be secured when in transit. Securing points are provided and she as the train manager (and therefore responsible for train safety) is completely in her power to ask you to hang up your bike. Because you cannot see a good reason is not a good reason.