[Misc] Govia Thameslink fined £1m over Gatwick Express window death

[Bwian]

In the time I was taking to think "shall I post that Young Ones clip, might be a touch tasteless" you beat me to it. A great sum up of the situation. "Do not lean out of the window - I wonder why?"

Or: Do Not Clean Soot Off The Window as it usually ended up

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[CheeseRolls]

Talk about Nanny State. The bloke worked in the rail industry and was a "railway fanatic" so he more than anyone should have known that you don't lean out of train windows. Judge said the warning sticker telling you not to lean out of the window was not displayed clearly enough! As though a more clearly displayed sign would have made the slightest bit of difference on this occasion. Tragic accident, but the guy was to blame, not the rail company.

Maybe, just maybe they should have got their finger out and replaced the old rolling stock, before this incident happened. Modern trains don't have windows you can open wide enough to lean out of.

Regardless of the individual involved thousands of people would have been delayed, because of this incident and this is the operators responsibility.

If you had to spend anytime travelling on these money making monopoly private services, you might appreciate the role the nanny state plays and the many more things they could and should be doing to intervene and hold these "service providers" accountable for the service they provide.

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[dazzer6666]

In the time I was taking to think "shall I post that Young Ones clip, might be a touch tasteless" you beat me to it. A great sum up of the situation. "Do not lean out of the window - I wonder why?"

I was in two minds.....but, someone was going to do it........

 

[Madafwo]

I was on the same induction course as Simon when we joined the railway at the same time, one of the nicest people you could meet.

His death was a shock to a lot of people, some of those are close friends of mine.

 

[Guinness Boy]

I was in two minds.....but, someone was going to do it........

Better out than in.

 

[wellquickwoody]

It mentions in the BBC article that Govia actually pleaded guilty, so they must've thought they were at least slightly in the wrong.

Where does the million quid go?

 

[Simster]

On the BBC website actually. What don't you agree with?

I don't agree we're a nanny state just because of this one story.

I know that this probably goes against the grain, but I'd say rail companies DO have an obligation to put seemingly obvious signs up like this. The general public do stupid things, everyone knows that. Look at Hillsborough - SYP's defence for their inadequate policing appeared to be that people were turning up drunk and ticketless, like this was a surprise. It was no excuse then and it is no excuse now for the rail companies to ignore their obligations. The point is surely that had it not been him, it could easily have been a juvenile, in an age where most train windows are sealed and some kids probably haven't given a second thought as to the reason why.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

I so can't defend Govia for the misery they cause to millions of journey's on a regular basis. However, I wasn't aware there are still trains running that allow people to open windows and stick their heads out. Thought that went years ago.

 

[schmunk]

I so can't defend Govia for the misery they cause to millions of journey's on a regular basis. However, I wasn't aware there are still trains running that allow people to open windows and stick their heads out. Thought that went years ago.

As a regular commuter up the Brighton mainline, I'd say the misery has all but ended now.

They don't still run trains that allow people to open windows and stick their heads out - they were withdrawn in 2016 from Gatwick Express services and in March 2017 from peak-time Southern services (Brighton to London Bridge and Eastbourne to London Bridge).

 

[British Bulldog]

Why would you want to stick your head out of a train window far enough to get it knocked off? It's not like signal posts or tunnel walls etc are that close to trains?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Where do you draw the line against people acting like complete divs tho?

Here?

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Virtually all the trains have aircon now anyway......

A sore point.

Yes, in theory. I have been in several recently with sealed windows and no air con. North Kent line. The guard can actually open a window using his Special Key (called Alan, if I remember correctly) but guards are nowhere to be seen during rush hour (from 4 in the afternoon till 8 at night) because they are frightened about having to confront a lardy freeloader in first class. Yes, that lardy freeloader is normally sat next to me, on the phone, loudly. But I digress.

 

[Lower West Stander]

Really struggling with this.

I’ve been a regular commuter to London for many years, starting with the old slam door trains and now the new ones where windows don’t open.

I never once saw anyone stick their head out of the window while the train was moving.

Who, seriously, in their right mind would ever do this?....


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[Peter Grummit]

Incredible to think as a teenager going to the Albion I could open windows right down and lean out (I didn't) and then open those slam- doors whenever I wanted eg jump out while the train was still moving in/out of the station (I was too chicken to do this often).

Was it carnage with people dying left, right and centre daily? I don't remember it so!

Seems crazy now in lots of ways but I guess people weren't so fecking dumb back then?

There was even a running board below the door that you could ride on before hopping off on to the platform. Simples.

Except the reality is that lots of people were maimed or even killed back then doing just this, just as many were impaled on their dashboard or flung through the windscreen to their deaths not wearing a seatbelt in a vehicle. Dumb feckers.

 

[goldstone]

If you had to spend anytime travelling on these money making monopoly private services, you might appreciate the role the nanny state plays and the many more things they could and should be doing to intervene and hold these "service providers" accountable for the service they provide.

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I have no idea what you're talking about. Care to explain in simple English?

 

[portlock seagull]

So everyone in the entire country has to swelter because of a solitary dimbot with a death wish ?

That my friend, is about the sum total of it.

Only 2 people in the entire country are in favour of this award: unfortunately from a tax payer's perspective, one of them was the judge (the other being the deceased's partner)

 

[portlock seagull]

Really struggling with this.

I’ve been a regular commuter to London for many years, starting with the old slam door trains and now the new ones where windows don’t open.

I never once saw anyone stick their head out of the window while the train was moving.

Who, seriously, in their right mind would ever do this?....


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This. Only people I can think of are:

1. The now deceased guy
2. vivian from the the young ones

 

[dazzer6666]

A sore point.

Yes, in theory. I have been in several recently with sealed windows and no air con. North Kent line. The guard can actually open a window using his Special Key (called Alan, if I remember correctly) but guards are nowhere to be seen during rush hour (from 4 in the afternoon till 8 at night) because they are frightened about having to confront a lardy freeloader in first class. Yes, that lardy freeloader is normally sat next to me, on the phone, loudly. But I digress.

I’ll sit where I want. You could simply ignore me if you want [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

 

[Cesar Chavez]

This. Only people I can think of are:

1. The now deceased guy
2. vivian from the the young ones

3. The guy who did it back in around 1983, on the direct direct to London from Hove, as the train entered Clayton Tunnel. He was a Liverpool fan, returning home following a 2-2 draw at the Goldstone. Not pleasant.


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[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I’ll sit where I want. You could simply ignore me if you want [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

And miss all your great comedic interlocution? Never! I'd be bereft.