Rather sit on a toilet than stand?

Yes, it does sound rather bleak - apparently that's what GA commuters have to face.

tight squeeze

Unfortunately there are speed restrictions at #stratford at the moment, so things are a little cramped. On the plus side I am on the 0740 rather than the 0759 - so it makes me feel like I am really making an effort coming in early (albeit later than usual).

What cracks me up though is the man who would actually rather sit in the disgusting toilet (not the seating area around the toilet carriage, I'm talking he must be full on sitting on the toilet seat) than stand up!! He was a rather large man, so maybe standing up was too much for him, but to be honest, I don't know how he has managed to fit in the toilet, it's tiny in there! I just can't wait to see when he comes out, I just want to look at his face, and give him a "wow, well done" look. I wonder if he's in there thinking about all the people that have done their business in there, never mind the other things that doesn't bear thinking about! (yes, your fellow travelers are filthy animals).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6077112/Twittering-on-the-toilet-Britains-bathroom-habits.html

Okay so he has just emerged just before Liverpool Street, he actually flushed the chain before he came out, so perhaps it was just the world's longest toilet session? Funnily enough, he has gone through the doors to the next carriage, so I imagine he knows that I am judging him.

Twitter RAGE!!

I am sure a lot of you are now aware of the new Twitter account and website GA Complaints where commuters are encouraged to share their views on Greater Anglia, in order to hopefully try and create a 'movement' towards change and improvement on the lines. I haven't had a chance to 'tweet in' yet, but I am certain I will have the occasion over the wet, leafy, frosty, winter months.

On the website there is a poll where you can rate your service - currently it's pretty bleak with 72% of the 645 voters saying they receive a 'poor service'.  I know it's a complaint service, but wow the Twitter page is a depressing read - people are on the war path!! 

Does anyone have anything good to say about Greater Anglia?  these days? Apart from that leaflet that I received in the post this week telling me with joy about the 'off peak deals' and 'weekend deals' that reminded me how much I effing pay per year and what a mark up they must have!!!

I try not to be too negative against GA, I genuinely, up until the last ten days, have been pretty pleased with the service I have received in the last six months on the whole.  However, I am not sure my sentiment will remain the same when I find out the price increase of my season ticket in the New Year.  

I have noticed that people are really upset with the condition of the trains - generally I don't find the trains in that bad a way in terms of cleanliness - try some of the regional trains in France - and then come back to me.  Additionally, half of the time, it's your fellow travelers that have left 'your train' in a shambles and it's often fellow travelers that even hold you up! 

Another one of my bug bears during this time of year is what I like to call 'The Goldilocks Effect' :

Take Mr. X - he gets on the train in a hat, coat, scarf and opens a window, then Ms. Y (she's in a T-Shirt)moans she is cold, they have an argument,their fellow commuters can empathise with both sides but no-one obviously diffuses the situation...the window does probably get shut in the end and Mr. X takes off his winter wear (tutting), and Ms. Y red-faced through frustration, but the rest of us are now sitting awkwardly, texting, bbming, facebooking, tweeting "awkward moment on train this morning, #lovecommuting, #moronontrain, #imstill hot."  I am sorry to say, you can't please everybody.  

Now, I am a fine one to complain, and don't get me wrong, I like to give GA a good bashing when the trains are delayed, lines are bad and it's not ideal - but please remind me what service is 100% perfect?  I no doubt expect some backlash from this, but I would like to say it's not only GA that ruins my £4.5k service!!

You can't help but chuckle...

So it has been a while since I have posted.  I went away for a week, sick for two weeks, so my non-commuting life was rather calm and somewhat...boring.  

We haven't been delayed too much recently and I can thankfully say that no one has upset me to the point that I need to do a blog-rage, so maybe I am making some progress, or in fact, commuters are becoming more train-friendly.

I happened to come across an article today, which did make me laugh.  I haven't actually seen them myself, as I don't tend to use the toilets in the trains, but I've heard that these prank stickers are not only in the toilets, so I will have to check them out.  We have our own version (albeit slightly distasteful!) of COMMUTER BANKSY !

Check this out!

Taken from article in the Braintree and Witham Times.

Apparently Greater Anglia are not amused by the defacing of the carriages, but you know, sometimes it's nice to have a little light hearted fun on the train.  What are your thoughts?  Have you seen any on the train on your daily commute?

Please send me pictures by Twitter if you have done! @chelmsfordienne  

Rail Fare Rise

I was just checking out BBC news as I grabbed a coffee at work to see there is already talk about the rise in rail fares next year - apparently double that of inflation, here is the article if you want to check it out.  There is no mention of the actual figures yet.  

doing some calculations...

Now, this extra money will be used as an investment to improve the network.  I used to get so incensed when a new increase was introduced, whereas right now as I read it, I am 1) not surprised by this announcement and 2) mildly hopeful that it will improve the service I receive.  Am I being naive?  Or should I just return to my cynical self?

What are your thoughts on the matter, do you think our already expensive tickets should be kept at the price that they are? Wonder what Greater Anglia think...thoughts kindly welcomed!

Olympic Commuter Fever

Well,what a two weeks; the last working days of the Olympics,many medals for Team GB and also legendary standards on the commuting side.  My trains haven’t been delayed, they have been no busier than usual -  a slight exchange for families with commuters – but I’ve probably preferred that to be honest.

Although sometimes the thought of non-commuters getting our trains(this feeling, I can only compare to how gypsies must feel about ‘gorgers’) is horrible, and leaves me with a little tingle down my spine (and not in a good way) as they are unaware of train etiquette, speed nor volume control.  It has actually been refreshing, as they have brought Olympic spirit.  I have seen people with face paintings, flags and all kinds of Team GB clothing – and I am going to say it but I have enjoyed it – watching people excited about Olympics rather than watching the misery guts that I sometimes get the train with, has greatly improved my commuting experience.  I hope that the Paralympics also brings me the same buzz.

Another tip that has been really helpful for me and chilled me out a bit is Twitter, Greater Anglia have retweeted any small delays, status updates around Stratford, all fellow tweeters have been much appreciated.  So if you don’t have a Twitter account, then I advise that you create one and follow @greateranglia, you can also follow me too whilst you are at it @chelmsfordienne  !

Olympics - day 3

Now if anyone who is going to test the tubes/rail with a critical eye - it's me, but do you know what, I am going to do a positively happy blog post..

I know we are only Day 3 into London Olympiad, but can I just say (and yes, I am eating my hat) that I am rather shocked by the lack of people today.

My evening tube journey (at peak time) towards the Olympic Park was a delight - less people than usual on the central line, and a little less on the train too.

Now I am not sure if this is due to Londoners getting the hell out of London, city slickers leaving early, or there really aren't as many people as they expected.

I read this evening that there are definitely an extra 2 million people who have entered the UK for this...so where are they - oh what do I care - I'm just glad that they're not on my trains.
Here's to a successful Olympics - and to all those of you who are off on holiday - don't come back! ;-)

If you want heads up as to where it will be bad - I have found this site interesting even if not that useful yet!

#happycommuter

Feet on seats!!!

After a long hard day at work, I turn to see this, I had to take a picture of this as I was that incensed!

Aaaaggghhh what is wrong with these people.  Why on earth would you put your dirty shoes on seats meant for sitting?  I have to sit on them, in fact, you completely selfish ignorant commuter - it will be more than likely that you have to sit on them again.    I seriously hope that one day you end up sitting in some foul matter one day, and maybe you'll realise how gross it is to sit on crap from someone else's shoe.

This guy has to be at least 35 years old - you'd have thought he'd have some respect.

Can someone please enlighten me as to why you would this?  I mean, maybe it's me, perhaps I am being pedantic...but would you want to sit on what's on his shoe?  I'm not even getting onto the rant that he is monopolising seats!!

Now I am not one to moan...

But come on!!!

I have just received this email from Greater Anglia, now I am all for greater communication, but can someone explain to me this please...

We intend to run a full service this afternoon/evening.

We currently have some heat related speed restrictions in place at certain locations throughout the Greater Anglia network. We are not anticipating disruption to services, however minor delays are possible.

We apologise if your journey is disrupted.

There is currently a good service operating out of London on all routes at present.

http://www.railway-technology.com/features/featuretension-and-strain-on-overheated-trains/featuretension-and-strain-on-overheated-trains-1.html

What is a heat related restriction?? And why, in all of my years of commuting have I never heard of this?

Anyone care to explain?  All I want to do is go home, sit in the sun with a glass of wine, and I am already dreading my journey back, knowing full well I will be delayed because apparently it's too hot for the train to go at normal speed...it's not that hot! 

A commuter trip to Bath - First Great Western

On Thursday evening I experienced a new commute, Paddington to Bath with First Great Western, as I had a wedding to go to. I had high hopes for this journey, unfortunately it met my usual commuter disappointment!

Already, I get to Paddington ahead of time, to pick up my prebooked ticket. The queue was MASSIVE  (note to Paddington station, get some more effing self-service stations).  Now, I know it was Easter weekend, and maybe I should have arrived earlier - but why the frig should I when I'm paying for a service??!! I was half an hour early, this is largely early enough to print out some pre-booked tickets - or so I thought.

So as I'm standing in the queue, I have to play it tactically - I start talking to the girl next to me, I play the wedding card, I panick, I start heavy breathing. She tells me I can go in front. I move gratefully ahead, still panicking, with 6 minutes to go.  Then I get to next to the front with 3 mins to go, the boy is dithering, about to puts his card in and cancels - I tell him  (yes tell, I definitely didn't ask) that I need to get my ticket! Card in, tickets out (within 20 seconds, watch and learn!) I yell good luck to the girl that let me go in front, thank the boy whom was forced to let me go and ran like the wind. Relieved that I made it, I get to the train, I have a ticket, reserved seat, but I can't even get on the traiiiiin!!! Toooo many people, I try other carriages, but nothing.

My only choice, is first class, I run all the way back, and it's clogged with people at the entrance. I encourage others to go in - as up until this point they are standing outside of First Class - wasting perfectly good space and seats! God forbid that we use seats that aren't being used, just because we have paid for an economy seat!! (see pic!)

We start to filter through, I stick out my belly and pretend to be pregnant. I sit in an empty seat, rub my belly with a little distress, and now I pray that the ticket inspector doesn't come...the gentleman who was working on the train that night was there, but he was very kind to me, and didn't seem to bother him that I didn't have a first class ticket, as that train was so so so busy that there was absolutely no point even having a reserved ticket.  

So I sat and read my free Times newspaper, stuck my belly out until I got bored, and then just accepted that I was going to sit in first class for the rest of the journey.  On the whole, as a first class experience, it wasn’t too bad.  My train was 10 minutes late, but never have I ever seen such a nightmare for getting on a train.  I genuinely thought I was going to miss my train, and I am pretty certain a lot of people did that night.

I just want to know First Great Western, why even bother reserving tickets if I can't even manage to stand! ??

And, should we just get rid of First Class all together?

Makes you grateful for Greater Anglia!

p.s. I know, I am sorry for pretending to be pregnant, if any real pregnant women or old people were around, I would have definitely given up my seat ;-)

p.p.s. If you were that boy buying his ticket to Reading that I forced to stop, I also apologise for holding you up, but I can't deal with ditherers 2 minutes before a train leaves and I'd definitely do it again.