My Train Journey This Morning

[Bunk]

A powerful stench of urine on the steps of Utrecht station is causing considerable olfactory discombobulation among those travellers not yet accustomed to the aromatic delights of rail travel; actors standing outside the nextdoor theater on a cigarette break are complaining about the smell.

thought to be the cause of

[Mich the Tester]

Arriva Trains Wales will host a strike by ASLEF on Friday, just to make the week complete.

I wonder how several thousand Welsh rugby fans will feel about that, seeing as it's Wales vs Fiji on Friday evening. Perhaps they could use their collective hwyl to 'persuade' the train drivers to desist?

[Mich the Tester]

It has been mentioned.

I have visions of lynched train drivers.

Though maybe all the train drivers want to go to the match?

I bet Bob Crow's got his fat grubby Soviet finger in this pie. I can't imagine a Welshman planning transport strikes on rugby days; apparently they're planning to strike around the All Blacks game too. I can imagine a fat marxist 'working class' Englishman planning that; he probably sees rugby as a nasty elitist toff's business that has to be stopped at all cost. That's not how it is in Wales.

[Mich the Tester]

Strike is allegedly off.

The death threats must have altered their perceptions.

I heard that Arriva South Wales had hired some expert consultants for their negotiating team;

[Mich the Tester]

Single decker intercity with plenty of space in first class coupé. OAPs blocked up door when getting in and yapping about which seats to take, while other OAPs pushed in the cue, causing considerable inconvenience to a blind gentleman finding his way with the aid of a stick. I quietly said something about this, feeling that they should show more consideration. Was then left alone by OAPs (what a nasty man!) as I got in a coupé with one other person, somebody of about my own age (late 30s), who was working on his laptop. Was then stunned by an interlude of politeness rarely seen on Dutch railways, as the fellow passenger asked politely if I mind if he makes a brief phone call in the 'silence coupé'. I didn't mind and quietly read my morning newspaper.

Is it just Holland where OAPs seem to have no manners whatsoever compared to younger people? They continually push in queues, talk loudly about how much money they've saved and then proceed to yap about the 'youth of today'.

Delayed entry to Utrecht by 5 minutes due to 'traffic jam' in railway station. No smells.

[darmstadt]

Is it just Holland where OAPs seem to have no manners whatsoever compared to younger people? They continually push in queues, talk loudly about how much money they've saved and then proceed to yap about the 'youth of today'.

Nope Germany too. I don't catch trains to work so don't get these problems, just old buggers driving in the middle lane in their Mercs Actually if you're driving through Germany and you see on older person driving a car, normally a Merc or BMW and you see maybe a hat or something resembling one on the parcel shelf, that is actually a loo roll cover in case they get caught short, honest.

[Jog On]

Ever since I discovered robo defence my train journeys have never been the same. I'm still playing it until I have to get off the the escalator

[Sysman]

I bet Bob Crow's got his fat grubby Soviet finger in this pie. I can't imagine a Welshman planning transport strikes on rugby days; apparently they're planning to strike around the All Blacks game too. I can imagine a fat marxist 'working class' Englishman planning that; he probably sees rugby as a nasty elitist toff's business that has to be stopped at all cost. That's not how it is in Wales.

Ditto in parts of Yorkshire.

Yesterday's train was 20 seconds late. On time today.

[Sysman]

Is it just Holland where OAPs seem to have no manners whatsoever compared to younger people? They continually push in queues, talk loudly about how much money they've saved and then proceed to yap about the 'youth of today'.

That reminds me of a Dutch contractor from my permie days. He wouldn't shut up about the savings he made in virtually every walk of life. We hated him.

No great problem with OAPs here in Switzerland. Maybe I've been lucky. There are cheaper travel rates after 9 am so you can generally dodge large parties of them. When encountered they tend to be polite, at least on the semi-rural bus route I use.

[Mich the Tester]

That reminds me of a Dutch contractor from my permie days. He wouldn't shut up about the savings he made in virtually every walk of life. We hated him.

I bet he has a large collection of these;