31.10.14
Do we really punish ‘braking’ the rules?
Heading back from the Routes into Rail event this week was somewhat eventful, shall we say.
The journey, on the 19.00 Virgin Trains service from London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly, in itself was relatively smooth.
That was until we arrived at Stockport – 10 minutes away from the final destination.
Everyone had alighted or boarded the train, or so we thought. Just as the train was pulling away from the station one chap runs through the aisle, out through the doors into the vestibule and slams on the emergency brake.
We’d just built up a slight bit of speed, and stop!
The conductor, a nice chap, came down to investigate. He informed the culprit that he wouldn’t be getting off at Stockport – therefore missing his connection (which he apparently needed to catch so desperately that he had pulled the emergency cord) – and would be joining the rest of us at Manchester Piccadilly.
He also outlined that due to the man’s actions the train was in a “precarious” and “dangerous” position.
Many were happy with the dressing-down and proverbial ‘slap on the wrist’, but were astonished that the conductor let him off without a fine.
Is just telling the chap off going to stop him from doing it again? Unlikely. If you’re going to have a rule in place, enforce it.
Although the journey was delayed by only a few minutes due to the man’s actions, the passenger atmosphere had changed enormously. We don’t believe that passengers should be fined for the sake of it, but when the action has been described as “dangerous” surely that’s a different matter?
Tell us what you think – have your say below or email [email protected]