F*cking nightmare of a bastard commute

[Bahnhof Strasse]

3.25 hours to get home last night, since this thread has been resurrected. No joy at London Bridge so travelled today Victoria — no joy there either. Went to Vauxhall and basically assaulted my way onto a train that was vaguely going my way then spent £30 on a taxi to get me to my car. Horrific stuff.

Sounds terrible. SWR is only doing two an hour from here and the last one from London leaves at 2245 now due to the strikes, but the trains that do run are pretty much all on time. Doesn’t help you much as I don’t think they are running any at all to Dorking...

 

[kabbes]

That’s right, they aren’t. Dorking always seems to be the first to get dropped, despite having full trains being disgorged twice an hour normally. As soon as there is a strike, we get nothing. Or if they lack staff or have signaling problems — just drop the Dorking train.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Yeah, I had the pleasure of going from Shepperton for six months once, just no trains for days at a time

 

[skyscraper101]

SWR not getting any love from me this week.

I commute from Barnes to Waterloo. During the strike, the first direct train is not until 6.58am (and often delayed and overcrowded, natch), so I've been walking to East Putney to get an earlier tube up to Waterloo as permitted to do so on the National Rail website (second page).

I've been doing this most days hassle free - either walking through open gates, or getting a TFL staff to open manually when I show them my season ticket, but the other day I get to East Putney to find all the gates closed and no staff on hand to let me through. I had to use the push button loudspeaker remote help thing to get TFL to call the Putney office, to get someone to come out. 5 mins later he shows, and claimed to know nothing about needing to let people through.

So I complain via @SWR_Help on twitter only to be told that disruption from industrial action doesn't count as "disruption" because it's "planned disruption". WTF. Is it really too much to ask to just let people use the tube during all disruption - or at least make it clear what is the "right" type of disruption and what is the "wrong" type. These motherfuckers.

</bungle>

 

[farmerbarleymow]

</bungle>

That's annoying. I've had similar conversations with station staff when things have went wrong due to delays, and I've had a fixed ticket. 'no you can't use any train company to your destination. you have to wait at least an hour for the next train from the designated train company, or pay for a new ticket'. For fucks sake, do these staff have a sense of reasonableness bypass when they take the job?

We definitely get bungled by the train industry.

 

[skyscraper101]

We definitely get bungled by the train industry.

You'd think these profit harvesting private rail companies would all stick together in times of strike action.

I suspect it's too much to ask too, that their advice be consistent.

 

[rubbershoes]

The M5 was solid last night due to an accident. The sliproad wasn't moving so i went over the hills. The narrow country lanes are dicey enough at the best of times but they were awash with standing water and it was absolutely terrifying

 

[ice-is-forming]

This is my daily commute, a 2k walk down the beach...

From this here...



To here..

 

[teuchter]

That's annoying. I've had similar conversations with station staff when things have went wrong due to delays, and I've had a fixed ticket. 'no you can't use any train company to your destination. you have to wait at least an hour for the next train from the designated train company, or pay for a new ticket'. For fucks sake, do these staff have a sense of reasonableness bypass when they take the job?

If they advised you in these circumstances that you could take a train operated by a different company then they would you be advising you to travel witout a valid ticket and you'd be liable for penalty fares and allsorts - so, no, they would not have had a sense of reasonableness bypass.

</bungle>

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Nearly five hours to get home tonight, the bastards.

 

[mx wcfc]

Ok, so the derailment at Eastleigh isn't South Western Trains fault or Cross Country's fault. TBF, SWT are running a shuttle between Basingstoke and Winchester. One train, so every 45 mins or so, and tonight, the shuttle from Basingstoke to Winchester left JUST BEFORE trains from Reading and London arrived. Useless dickheads. 45 min wait at Basingstoke, then 20 min wait for a bus at Winch.

 

[T & P]

Well, this thread is usually filled with reports of bad commuting experiences, so I thought for a change it can be used to report quite the opposite.

I am sure I am not alone among those of us still commuting in London at street level in these surreal times to experience the fastest and most pleasant of experiences. Tonight it took me about 14-15 minutes on my motorbike from Chelsea to Tulse Hill. And wasn’t through speeding at all- simply due to the roads being almost deserted.

All other types of road users from cyclists to motor vehicles to buses were today visibly enjoying empty roads and virtually zero congestion, even in the very centre of town.

I do wonder if buses’ schedules have been modified or are still being enforced. We’ve all experienced the dreaded ‘this bus will sit at this bus stop for a while to help regulate the service’ when traffic has been lighter than usual. If they’re still implementing that policy these days it must be fucking infuriating to travel on a bus through empty roads that has to take multiple three-minute rests at bus stops to keep within the established schedule.

 

[Big Bertha]

I’ve been cycling in from catford and it’s been a delight.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Drove from Godalming to Sunbury to Bagshot and back to Godalming today, just to share the virus and that, fucking lush, can’t recall roads being so empty other than Christmas Day.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

I do wonder if buses’ schedules have been modified or are still being enforced. We’ve all experienced the dreaded ‘this bus will sit at this bus stop for a while to help regulate the service’ when traffic has been lighter than usual. If they’re still implementing that policy these days it must be fucking infuriating to travel on a bus through empty roads that has to take multiple three-minute rests at bus stops to keep within the established schedule.

London buses are going on to Saturday schedules as from Monday

Not sure how TFL bus contractors are dealing with it all - it's possible they are a bit short of drivers due to sickness / self isolating, in which case they may be managing to run the service with a few buses missing from the schedule, but each bus getting round a bit quicker - on the 'frequent routes' it's more about maintaining an even headway than each bus running at its correct time.

 

[T & P]

I’ve had to go into work a couple of times this week, the first time on the road since late March. The lockdown appears to have introduced new behaviour patterns among just about all types of road users, in London at least.

Pedestrians have lowered their already poor space awareness skills even further, with fewer than ever before bothering with an ever cursory look before crossing the street. Joggers meanwhile have taken to running on the road instead of the pavement even when there’s a decent amount of cars about, perhaps to keep social distancing with peds.

Cyclists and motor vehicle users alike seem to be jumping red lights and ignoring the Highway Code at levels I had never seen in the UK previously. The latter group is also indulging in liberal speeding. And to top it all owners of those non road legal silly scooters are not only back out in large numbers but often riding bang in the middle of the road at 15 mph with no lights or reflective wear. Joined by the odd skateboarder.

It’s just the unicyclists who’ve failed to join join the party, but they’ll be along soon I suspect

 

[A380]

I’ve had to go into work a couple of times this week, the first time on the road since late March. The lockdown appears to have introduced new behaviour patterns among just about all types of road users, in London at least.

Pedestrians have lowered their already poor space awareness skills even further, with fewer than ever before bothering with an ever cursory look before crossing the street. Joggers meanwhile have taken to running on the road instead of the pavement even when there’s a decent amount of cars about, perhaps to keep social distancing with peds.

Cyclists and motor vehicle users alike seem to be jumping red lights and ignoring the Highway Code at levels I had never seen in the UK previously. The latter group is also indulging in liberal speeding. And to top it all owners of those non road legal silly scooters are not only back out in large numbers but often riding bang in the middle of the road at 15 mph with no lights or reflective wear. Joined by the odd skateboarder.

It’s just the unicyclists who’ve failed to join join the party, but they’ll be along soon I suspect

Sounds like the time has come for:

 

[teuchter]

I agree, remove all cars from london and let them rust away in a desert somewhere.
I'm hoping that enough people see how great london could be, with this level of traffic, and no virus, that when it's all over, there might be just a little more support for schemes that try and reduce the number of motor vehicles on the road.

 

[T & P]

Driving with such light traffic is certainly a delight. The other day it took me an unprecedented and record-smashing 12 minutes to get from Chelsea to Tulse Hill on my bike. I wasn't overspeeding either.

 

[T & P]

Today I had to go early into work, which very rarely happens. Full rush hour territory, at 8 am.

Being used to the 9.30 am more gentile commuters, it's extraordinary how many dead-wish aggresive fucking wankers there are at the peak of the rush hour. The difference in attitide, in particular between the 8 am cyclists and end-of-rush-hour cyclists is like night and day. I'm surprised they don't fight each other at traffic lights, frankly

 

[Elpenor]

I agree, remove all cars from london and let them rust away in a desert somewhere.
I'm hoping that enough people see how great london could be, with this level of traffic, and no virus, that when it's all over, there might be just a little more support for schemes that try and reduce the number of motor vehicles on the road.

Vehicles are generally stored in deserts to prevent rust, for example planes at Victorville. Dry arid climates aren’t conducive to rust developing.

 

[cybershot]

Almost got took out this morning on the hard shoulder (smart motorway section) of the M6 when a van decided it was going to move into the lane (I was probably in his blind spot when he started moving across) luckily i was on the ball as was the driver behind. Don't think I want to review that dash cam footage!

 

[kabbes]

Back to moaning about the commute, although less often per week.

I could start on about the heavily reduced train service. Not only does it cause a headache in itself but it also means that a cancelled train can now mean an entire hour’s delay.

However, I will start my moan with this: South Western (may they forever rot in hell) seem to have removed all dustbins from their trains. The result is a predictable litter tsunami. There is nowhere to put a used coffee cup but on the floor or to keep it in hand. And when people are carrying lots of things and trying to get things in and out of bags, it’s not going to be in hand.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

However, I will start my moan with this: South Western (may they forever rot in hell) seem to have removed all dustbins from their trains. The result is a predictable litter tsunami.

Can't you do your bit for society by taking a bin bag with you and tidy the train up. That's not too much to ask.

 

[tommers]

Can't you do your bit for society by taking a bin bag with you and tidy the train up. That's not too much to ask.

Good idea. That's what I would do if I was in kabbes shoes. Maybe walk up and down a couple of carriages asking for people to put their rubbish in my black bag. The solution is right there, really.

 

[Dogsauce]

Good idea. That's what I would do if I was in kabbes shoes. Maybe walk up and down a couple of carriages asking for people to put their rubbish in my black bag. The solution is right there, really.

Clean for the Queen, while you still can.

 

[High Voltage]

And maybe by way of recompense and in recognition of a service to fellow commuter, he could be allowed to have a bit of a drive of the train as well . . . seems only fair

 

[farmerbarleymow]

And maybe by way of recompense and in recognition of a service to fellow commuter, he could be allowed to have a bit of a drive of the train as well . . . seems only fair

Indeed - just how hard is it to drive a train anyway?

 

[existentialist]

Indeed - just how hard is it to drive a train anyway?

It's not like you have to steer, or anything

 

[High Voltage]

Indeed - just how hard is it to drive a train anyway?

You're not even driving it, it goes on rails, so all you have to do, basically, is start it, speed it up, slow it down and stop it