I'm so angry! Train Manager with attitude!

emmajon

I was travelling home from London - Liverpool last month. It was a Sunday afternoon so the service was pretty busy. Two students were sat opposite me and as the journey began we got chatting until the Train Manager announced that he would be checking tickets shortly and anyone who had purchased tickets using rail cards should get them ready for inspection. The young girl started frantically searching her bag until realising that while she had her ticket she didn't have the rail card having left it at home. The train manager arrived and she politely explained the situation. His attitude toward her was rude and arrogant. Instead of calmly explaining that the ticket wasnt valid without the rail card he began shouting at her - and then threatened to throw her off the train. At this point her boyf intervened and tried to diffuse the situation but the train manager started on him then, aggressively telling him to mind his business otherwise he'd also be thrown off the train too! Anyway this situation was quickly gaining potential to become worse - until a male passenger got up and tried to calm things down, advising the passenger to give her name and address to the manager for now then complain about his attitude later. She looked to me and asked if I thought this to be best - I agreed with the male passenger and the journey continued. The students got off at Crewe and I continued to Liverpool - when we arrived the train manager got off and waited on the platform not before watching the male passenger who'd intervened disembark and leave the platform. As I got off, the train manager started to shout at me that next time "I'm on one of his trains" to mind my business and not interfere. I was amazed as I had barely said a word to the man, but not wanting to get into an argument I ignored him. He then fell into step with me and began shouting again - he was really aggressive and I was beginning to get a bit nervous as he was shouting so loudly other passengers were looking at me. I then told him I would be complaning about his behaviour to which he demanded my name and address so he could complain about me! What struck me most was the fact that he hadn't even attempted to approach the actual passenger who had intervened - but chose to target the young single female passenger instead! Needless to say I have logged an official complaint with virgin. Feel better now i have ranted to you poor people! :mad:

everythingblogcast

Sorry for want you have been through dont forget that all rail and bus services get money from the TAX payer and as such should not be stalking you. I would complain to the police and use the words "he started to stalk me and shouted abuse".

emmajon

now you mention it - i did log it with the team leader on the station and he actually said he considered it "threatening behaviour" and I would be within my rights to call the police. I didn't but it's worth bearing in mind if I don't get any joy from my official complaint.

Your post was fine, don't worry about your dyslexia I wouldn't have known, and thanks for your supportive reply!

3plus1

Forgetting your railcard is something that could happen to any one of us! I've had many panicky moments thinking "where is it" only to find it in the bottom of my bag / back of my purse just in time.

If the girl had forgotten her rail card, the correct procedure would have been to get her to pay the full price fare for her journey rather than throw her off the train!! Did the ticket inspector give her this option of paying up?

Even allowing for a little bit of exaggeration, this guy sounds awful. I hope you all complain about him and action is taken. He should not be working front line with the public!

maninthestreet

The train manager has clearly broken the Public Order Act 1986 - report it to the Police - there may well be CCTV evidence from the station of his behaviour.

From The Public Order Act:

"(1) A person is guilty of an offence if he—
(a)uses threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, or
(b)displays any writing, sign or other visible representation which is threatening, abusive or insulting,
within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress thereby. "

Dave_Brooker

everythingblogcast wrote: »

I would complain to the police and use the words "he started to stalk me and shouted abuse".

And when it become apparant to the police that train bloke is not stalking OP, what should she say when the police start using words like "wasting police time"?

Dave_Brooker

maninthestreet wrote: »

The train manager has clearly broken the Public Order Act 1986 - report it to the Police

You don't think the police have bigger fish to fry?

uktim29

Dave_Brooker wrote: »

And when it become apparant to the police that train bloke is not stalking OP, what should she say when the police start using words like "wasting police time"?

I can't believe that post either. It seems the advice is make things up! Not a good move when dealing with the police.

Dave_Brooker

everythingblogcast wrote: »

Following someone is stalking.

No it's not.

Dave_Brooker

mpython wrote: »

Please idnore the posts by Mr Booker, he's been outed

You promised not to tell....

I feel used....

looby75

OP there is CCTV at Liverpool Lime st station, a couple of years ago I witnessed someone having their handbag stolen as they got off the train (no jokes about theaving scousers it could and does happen all over the country) and when we went to report it the station manager mentioned the platform cctv footage to the police. Hopefully the cameras will have caught the train manager confronting you on the platform, that is if you can get them to check it, often they refuse point blank if the police aren't involved.

I have been on enough trains now with these kind of aggressive train managers/ticket inspectors to not even be surprised by what happened to you and the fellow passengers. It seems that as soon as the train leaves the station they think that all normal rules of customer service fly out of the window. One even told my dd she was a lying little cow when she showed him her childs ticket and he insisted she was over 16 (she was 13 at the time)

The train was really full, and we couldn't get a seat together and as we were only travelling a short distance I sat at one end of the carriage and she sat half way down, so I gave her her ticket for when the inspector came round. I realised there was a problem when I heard dd's raised voice saying "i'm only 13". I went down to where she was sitting and heard the ticket inspector call her a lying little cow. I asked him if there was a problem and he turned round and said "whats it got to do with you" I told him she was my dd and he demanded to know why we weren't sat together...durrr the train was obviously packed. Anyway after a few words he said he was going to put both dd and I off at the next station to which I replied, "good because thats where we are going" :rotfl: He ranted on a bit longer, I got his name from his name badge and cheerfully informed him about the nice big complaints letter First transpennine were going to get.

I complained, got an apology and thought that was the end of that. Until a week later £20 worth of travel vouchers landed on my door mat 'as a gesture of good will'. Hopefully the ticket inspector got a bit of customer service training to.