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cheburashka,
[b]M*n Un***d fans[/b], [s]people slightly inebriated[/s] [b]going to[/b] Manchester
They must have been travelling up to a home game
Maybe some perspective.
Fair enough.
Surely London Tube drivers are getting paid according to the market rate, y'know, how bankers and that are paid?
I think the biggest problem here is that some people just don't seem to think others 'deserve' what they get paid, if those jobs seem somehow 'menial' and servile. Curious as to why those same people don't have a problem with other professions being 'overpaid'. As though they've categorised people according to their 'value' based on social status; a tube driver is of 'lower' status than a banker, fr'example. I've heard people make similarly prejudiced comments about plumbers, electricians and that. But no-one bats an eyelid at a barrister earning pots of money.
This is what I find unsettling about our society. That someone like a nurse or train driver is considered of 'lower value' than someone who works in banking or law etc. You cannot compare the jobs, and indeed nursing especially is far more demanding than sitting in a flippin office ffs.
But whenever tube staff do strike, the first thing that gets talked about in the media is invariable 'the cost to the economy'. So, surely these people are indeed very important in our society, and we are heavily reliant upon them in order to be able to get to work/earn money/pay bills etc.
So maybe people might wanna stop being so selfish, and look at the bigger picture.
An innertube costs less than a pound, trade. But a fiver retail.
Work it out.
Yup, they were probably heading back into Manchester for their London connections...
I used to work for SWT as a student and the stories the guys there told me about going to pick up parts from within the tunnel etc (this particular tunnel was used as a short cut at night after pubs/bars were throwing out) were abit 😯
Correct, there are people who have the unfortunate job of picking up bits, and obviously the trains need cleaning (underneath etc & driver's seat)...
cheburashka... if i was wearing a hat, i'd 'doff my hat to you'.
Rant rant rant rant rant. Here we go again, if you don't agree with me you are stupid or a Daily Mail stooge
lol, ting
Elfinsafety - MemberBut whenever tube staff do strike, the first thing that gets talked about in the media is invariable 'the cost to the economy'. So, surely these people are indeed very important in our society, and we are heavily reliant upon them in order to be able to get to work/earn money/pay bills etc.
Quite a lot of "bingo" in this post.
i've just been out to my car to get a hat, and as promised, i doffed it.
Cheers. It wasn't an easy day and will unlikely be the last incident like that for me (about another 35 years left yet before I retire). The average driver probably has one every 5 years or so, unsurprisingly they're more common these days.
Back on topic though, most tube drivers are RMT (most main line drivers Aslef) - the RMT's B0b Crow can't resist the temptation of bringing chaos to London using so few pawns.
cheburashka - so nice to hear in such calm terms, what must have been and possibly still is a very serious incident for yourself.
Best wishes for the next 35 years, or more if cm has his way again.
Thanks. Plenty of drivers at work have had the same experiences sadly, but they were by far the best people to talk to about it. We are offered help through official channels and when returning to work have to be accompanied the first time we drive past the location involved. My other half is a qualified counsellor (and animal behaviourist!) so she could keep an eye on me, although I was pretty ok after the first couple of days - knowing you did all you could at the time helps a lot. We went for a bit of sun to Fuerte while I was off too. The other guys affected who turn up to the scene and those who have to clean the mess up don't tend to get anywhere near as much support as drivers do which is poor. The trains involved are taken out of service ASAP, sent to depots for tests/data-recorder downloads/cleaning/repair if necessary and ours go onto the underframe cleaning pit which washes any rogue bits out (usually fingers etc) which are then put in a biohazard bag and left for collection. Not so dignified.
Worst things post-incident were going to the GP and telling her in a matter-of-fact way I'd killed someone at work less than 36 hours ago and that I need a sicknote; the police coming round weeks later for a statement and then obviously the inquest months later, but the inquest gives you some closure. The family had passed a message through the police in my case early on saying they were sorry and concerned for my welfare which helped a huge amount. It's rare but some families can struggle to understand things at the inquest and they're given the opportunity to ask the driver questions on the record, that can be difficult (ie 'why didn't you stop'?). The coroners are usually well versed in these inquests though and don't make you answer daft questions.
The press are usually at the inquests and can be a right PITA - they'll often latch on to you if they get the chance and try to get you to say something, you have to keep your wits about you. The one I had this year ended up with my name in most of the national papers as it was deemed quite 'newsworthy' in some ways.