Quiet Carriage / Coach: restrictions and issues - ongoing discussion, merged topic

[whole diary]

[Zoe]

I don't see why laptops should not be allowed if the sound is muted.

[Btline]

Tapping.

[willc]

I would support FGW^▸ (First Great Western) and any other TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) using this stuff on the windows. While it's clear from the posts here that there are considerate people, who put phones on silent, there are always the ones who seem to think that it's okay to leave the phone to beep loudly when a text arrives, so long as they don't actually speak into the phone.

Classic example the other morning between Hanborough and Oxford, where a man in a suit - not wishing to stereotype but it usually is - and a colleague joined at Hanborough. As they came in and sat down they had a conversation making clear they knew full well it was a quiet coach. After the third bout of text beeping inside a 10-minute journey, as we approached Oxford, I pointed out that the notice at the end of the coach said phones should be off - period.

Needless to say, he was very belligerent and came out with the usual stuff about I'm not talking into it so that's alright. I said no it isn't, it shouldn't be beeping, so put it on silent. As I had to get off the train, I left it at that point, but had I been travelling on for another hour to London, I would have got the TM^‡(resolve) to speak to him had the beeping continued. I have had beeping enough of the beeping.

Industry Insider is quite right about the pictograms. They might even help some supposed English speakers! Maybe the person who designed those rather good stickers about closing the windows on HST^▸ (High Speed Train) doors could be asked to come up with a revised pink strip, or a completely new window sticker, to ram the message home. As I've mentioned before elsewhere, the Chiltern quiet coach notices have pictograms of crossed-out phones, crossed-out personal stereos and a person going Shhh.

And there's no reason why FGW can't get special antimacassars printed, like the pre-refresh type with the crossed-out phone on. There's still a good stock of these at Old Oak Common, as the Adelante coach As are always turned out with them.

[Btline]

Well done for telling them!

I pointed out that the notice at the end of the coach said phones should be off - period.

What is "period" for?

And as for that notice about shutting the window, it would have been better to put one telling people that the handle is outside (with a pic). Yes, there is the current notice, but it doesn't seem to work (for some reason ).

[Super Guard]

Do they not have a pictogram with a mobile crossed out that says "Quiet Coach" in Coach G's ?

[TerminalJunkie]

What is "period" for?

It's the phase of the menstrual cycle in which the uterine lining is shed.

[willc]

Period among other things can mean a stop or an end/full stop.

The blue pictogram of the crossed out phone is being replaced by the Quiet Coach pink strips. It was extremely hard to spot in Coach A, due to the high seat backs, and never seemed to make much impression on anyone.

I'd rather the sticker asks people to shut the window. An Arctic blast through one at 100mph-plus into a coach where the sliding vestibule door has failed isn't much fun at this time of year.

[Btline]

What is "period" for?

It's the phase of the menstrual cycle in which the uterine lining is shed.

You obviously mistook my grammar TJ, if I had meant what you suggested, I would have said what is a "period" for?

So Willc, did you mean: "....phones should be off. Full Stop." ?

Oh dear, I am getting my syntax in a twist this evening....

[johoare]

What is "period" for?

It's the phase of the menstrual cycle in which the uterine lining is shed.

Oh dear, this has made me laugh? Is doing that inappropriate?

[Chris from Nailsea]

Stop sniggering, and stand at the back of the class, you three! 

[johoare]

Stop sniggering, and stand at the back of the class, you three! 

Hee Hee.. Oops Sorry! 

[inspector_blakey]

In fact quiet coaches are enforceable using Byelaw 7, reproduced below:

7. Music, sound, advertising and carrying on a trade
(1) Except with written permission from an Operator no person on the railway shall, to the annoyance of any person:
(i) sing; or
(ii) use any instrument, article or equipment for the production or reproduction of sound.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/rail/legislation/regs/railwaysbyelaws if you want to read the rest of it.

This applies to all carriages on all trains. I'm only aware of one prosecution ever being carried out under Byelaw 7 though, by GNER^▸ (Great North Eastern Railways) a few years ago, and they managed to get some quite negative publicity.

[willc]

Has anyone else come across the new cards stuck in the seatback slots in quiet carriages, designed to stick up above the safety information, saying Welcome to the Quiet Carriage?

I took one out to read this evening, in the naive hope that they might at last be providing something clear and straight to the point, right under the noses of even the most selfish sorts, but found that yet again, FGW^▸ (First Great Western) are busy undermining the ploicy they pioneered.

Apparently, it is now acceptable to use music players and portable DVD players using earphones "but please keep the volume down to a non-intrusive level".

If someone in FGW management can explain how the person with the earphones stuck in their ears is supposed to know whether their device is making an intrusive level of noise around them, I would be delighted to hear from them. Who comes up with this sort of nonsense? Yet again, the buck is passed to the passenger who has sat in the quiet coach to get some quiet.

This apparent change of policy is also completely contradicted by the notices on the toilet bulkhead, which still say personal stereos are banned and the FGW web page about quiet coaches, which as well as them boasting about being "the first to introduce quiet carriages" says quite clearly "Do not listen to personal stereos or other electronic equipment such as portable DVD players" and the train manager on Monday evening went through the usual announcement about mobile phones and personal stereos being banned.

The people who insist on using these things have have four other standard coaches and at least one other first class coach available on every HST^▸ (High Speed Train) available to them. Isn't that enough?


 

[Chris from Nailsea]

Thanks, willc! 

I agree with every word of your post - if there's a carriage described as a 'quiet carriage', that's because that's exactly what it should be! 

Actually, I don't use those carriages, only because I tend to keep my mobile switched on, just in case of urgent calls.  That's not a problem, I just respect those in quiet carriages who want a mobile free (and MP3 player and DVD/whatever free) environment, and I take my chances in coach B, or C, or D ... 

[Mookiemoo]

Thanks, willc! 

I agree with every word of your post - if there's a carriage described as a 'quiet carriage', that's because that's exactly what it should be! 

Actually, I don't use those carriages, only because I tend to keep my mobile switched on, just in case of urgent calls.  That's not a problem, I just respect those in quiet carriages who want a mobile free (and MP3 player and DVD/whatever free) environment, and I take my chances in coach B, or C, or D ... 

EXACTLY

But you know what bugs me

Two weeks ago I got a lunch time train from Newport to PAd

In quiet carriage as was working on an end of course assignment

Two parents got on with a child - who whilst not screaming was being a 2-3 year old - i..e. they have no volume control - sat in coach G. 

I lasted until Bristol PArkway - went to TM^‡(resolve) and said I'm not being funny but the 20th rendition of this old farmer is irritating

They got a away with it because children weren't banned only phones and computers and headphones

Frankly I'd rather a quiet talking mobile phone user or  someone with noise cancelling headphones than - this old farmer had a cow, ei ei o

Its either quiet, full stop - or not