Folding train rage!

el_presidente

Any of you bromptoneers relate to this?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7372956.stm

Trickyupnorth

You've just beaten me to it!!!

I just spotted the very story on the BBC's website and was about to post it on here.

The first quote they print is from someone claiming to be a teacher:

"Yes, you should try to protect the environment, but you should be sensitive to others," he says. "If putting your bike on the train obstructs other people's standing space, it doesn't fulfil any ecological criteria."

What a load of tripe!

The hatred must be a 2 wheel thing, cos I get grief on my motorbike as well. If there's a long traffic jam I would filter down the middle of the 2 lanes, some car drivers look in their wing mirrors, see me coming, and deliberately pull into the middle so I can't get past.

Muppets :evil:

cjw

All in all it's a stuning inditement of the British attitude towards bikes. If this country was serious about environmental friendly transport and cycling in particular this article would have read; "it is a disgrace on the rail that there is insufficient room for people to bring bicycles. The train operators need to supply more space for all and in particular to those seeking to use public transport and cyclcing." as opposed to what we get.... "bastards on bikes taking up my space!!!".... Ban them from the trains!!!

Oh well...

snooks

I don't have a problem with them on the train...I do get slightly narked off when the folders stop in the middle of the platform to unfold them, clip on their panniers and try to take out as many people as possible...much the same way as I get narked off by people with wheelie baggage stopping at the top of an escalator to pull out their handle, causing people to fall over each other. It's the exception rather than the norm, but I always remember the Fwits rather than the sensible cyclists
.

RussAlf

Haha what a load of ****, blame the cyclist for the lack of accomadation provided to them. I imagine the people that complain are the ones that sit in the first class seating, i say get rid of the 1st class and give more seats and room for standard passengers.

How about all those that use fold ups stop taking them and then we can overcrowd the busses ans tubes more.

TheBoyBilly

How are you finding your Dahon RussAlf?

Gussio

The aggrieved parties seem to be mainly from the Home Counties. If such narrow-minded types didn't have things to moan about then their sad, pathetic lives would seem even more empty than they already are.

squired

Trying to fit onto a train that is completely rammed with a bike is always going to annoy people, just in the same way doing so with a suitcase will. I always try to stick to the emptiest trains possible, as it is easier for everyone. Having said that, what I find far more annoying is the prospect of getting a seat next to someone who is obese. Your nice seat to work ends up being transformed into squashed skinny boy as fatty covers you in the crumbs of the doughnut they are devouring....

The rail network is a joke. In my area (Croydon) and the areas south of it there are untold numbers of new housing developments. I can only guess how many of them will house people who will be taking trains. As an example, I think I read somewhere about a potential development of 4000 houses in Oxted. Imagine the busy platform at Oxted when all those houses have been built and then the poor people further along the line suddently unable to fit on the train anymore. There is plenty of talk about increasing housing, but the transport infrastructure to support it isn't being developed at the same time.

spen666

Folding train rage!

I've never managed to fold a train

Parkey

spen666 wrote:

Folding train rage!

I've never managed to fold a train

Virgin had a good go at it last year.



Forget the train companies, this all boils down to serious flaws in government policy, especially as they have more control (and therefore respoisibility) over the railways than they ever had under BR. Firstly their policy of "relieving overcrowding" by increasing capacity at a rate slower than the rate of increasing demand is a complete farce. Secondly, their giving the go ahead to huge house building schemes without any thought whatsoever about the infrastructure the people living in those houses will need to get to work is frankly insane.

Eat My Dust

I was commuting home once and the chain snapped on my road bike. I was far from home but close to a train station. I didn't have any money on me but thought "what the hell" jumped on a train to Ealing and then got the tube from there. Luckily the gates were open and I just wondered through. Nobody said a word but you want to have seen the looks I got on the rush hour train full of business types and there was me in full lycra and dripping wet (it was puring down)!!!

Clever Pun

squired wrote:

The rail network is a joke. In my area (Croydon) and the areas south of it there are untold numbers of new housing developments. I can only guess how many of them will house people who will be taking trains. As an example, I think I read somewhere about a potential development of 4000 houses in Oxted. Imagine the busy platform at Oxted when all those houses have been built and then the poor people further along the line suddently unable to fit on the train anymore. There is plenty of talk about increasing housing, but the transport infrastructure to support it isn't being developed at the same time.

I'm based near East Croydon Station as well... they are thinking of doing up the station I believe, but even at the moment there are loads of trains into the centre of town, putting more on might prove tricky, they could make them all 12 carriages though, that might help

TheFoolio888

I really do dispair with this country (world?)... :roll:

This is really more just of an idication of:-

1. How crap public transport is in this country
2. How inconsiderate, selfish and petty people are and how everyone has to have their own little bubble to live in which should not be impeded on on pain of death

Are their not more import things to worry about than the nasty man with his bike take up space on a train...whether or not TV is HD or not...whether your bins are picked up once a week or once a fortnight...

I'm beginning to get really p***ed off with the attitude in general of a lot of people I encounter in this world. :evil:

Sorry...rant over :oops:

Mr_Cellophane

snooks wrote:

I don't have a problem with them on the train...I do get slightly narked off when the folders stop in the middle of the platform to unfold them, clip on their panniers and try to take out as many people as possible...much the same way as I get narked off by people with wheelie baggage stopping at the top of an escalator to pull out their handle, causing people to fall over each other. It's the exception rather than the norm, but I always remember the Fwits rather than the sensible cyclists
.

I get anoyed with cyclist who move off the platform with the rest of the passengers and then have to carry their bike up a steep crowded flight of steps. Very much the "get out of my way" brigade. When ever I bike in, I always wait until most people have moved off the platform. It is not only considerate, it gives me more room as well.

A - W

I like the way trains run across the Altlatic. My experience of them from Long Island to New York centre was brilliant. Masses of room via plenty of carriages. There were different levels and areas for those that needed it (wheelchairs/cycles) and everyone just got on with it.

One thing you can really appreciate it that they do it right over there, if they are going to do something they look towards the future and make it bigger then needed. We could learn some lessons from them.

Anonymouslemming

TheFoolio888 wrote:

.whether your bins are picked up once a week or once a fortnight...

And now for something completely off topic... I agree with you about everything except the bins. We're seeing, among other things, a massive increase in the rodent and fox population as a result of this that can only lead to disease as a result of this. Heck, we've even seen some indirectly get a criminal record that will follow them for life. Sure, the record is for ignoring the court summons, but even the fact that a court summons was issued is silly

jedster

I do a bike train bike commute but leave a bike at each end.

I have to say that at busy times folders can be a bit of a PITA - doubling the space that the passenger requires and providing some hard pointy bits to dig into fellow commuters. That said, a Bromton carried by someone who shows a bit or courtesy and comon sense is hardly a problem. These people who use folders with 26 inch wheels at peak times... idiots.

J

spen666

A - W wrote:

I like the way trains run across the Altlatic. ....

I thought after Skytrain went bankrupt you could only cross the Atlantic by plane, boat or hot air baloon ( ala Richard Branson)

secretsam

Mr_Cellophane wrote:

snooks wrote:

I don't have a problem with them on the train...I do get slightly narked off when the folders stop in the middle of the platform to unfold them, clip on their panniers and try to take out as many people as possible...much the same way as I get narked off by people with wheelie baggage stopping at the top of an escalator to pull out their handle, causing people to fall over each other. It's the exception rather than the norm, but I always remember the Fwits rather than the sensible cyclists
.

I get anoyed with cyclist who move off the platform with the rest of the passengers and then have to carry their bike up a steep crowded flight of steps. Very much the "get out of my way" brigade. When ever I bike in, I always wait until most people have moved off the platform. It is not only considerate, it gives me more room as well.

Bingo, this is my problem with the foldie brigade as well - many have a self-riteous, holier than thou attitude that frankly p1sses me off. They show little consideration for other users, and think that their bike habit entitles them to special treatment. And unlike others, who've stopped at lights to chat or help en route, they tend to run red lights and are arrogant so-and-so's.

There, I've vented my spleen. Bring it on, foldies - I have nothing against your bike, but the bad eggs taint you all, and there's plenty of them on the Chiltern Line trains. :evil:

RussAlf

SecretSam wrote:

Mr_Cellophane wrote:

snooks wrote:

I don't have a problem with them on the train...I do get slightly narked off when the folders stop in the middle of the platform to unfold them, clip on their panniers and try to take out as many people as possible...much the same way as I get narked off by people with wheelie baggage stopping at the top of an escalator to pull out their handle, causing people to fall over each other. It's the exception rather than the norm, but I always remember the Fwits rather than the sensible cyclists
.

I get anoyed with cyclist who move off the platform with the rest of the passengers and then have to carry their bike up a steep crowded flight of steps. Very much the "get out of my way" brigade. When ever I bike in, I always wait until most people have moved off the platform. It is not only considerate, it gives me more room as well.

Bingo, this is my problem with the foldie brigade as well - many have a self-riteous, holier than thou attitude that frankly p1sses me off. They show little consideration for other users, and think that their bike habit entitles them to special treatment. And unlike others, who've stopped at lights to chat or help en route, they tend to run red lights and are arrogant so-and-so's.

There, I've vented my spleen. Bring it on, foldies - I have nothing against your bike, but the bad eggs taint you all, and there's plenty of them on the Chiltern Line trains. :evil:

I wait for the crowds to move off the platform.

I move to a corner of the platform out of the way to unfold

I always go in the carriage with the bike space and have to put up with the stinking toilet and thousands of questions on how to use the doors.

I certainly dont go through red lights yet i saw many full sized bike riders go through this morning.

I think someone who is arrogrant wouldnt be seen dead on a fold up bike.

I see hundreads of idiots who should not be riding a bike but i wouldnt judge everyone the same.

secretsam

RussAlf wrote:

I wait for the crowds to move off the platform.

I move to a corner of the platform out of the way to unfold

I always go in the carriage with the bike space and have to put up with the stinking toilet and thousands of questions on how to use the doors.

I certainly dont go through red lights yet i saw many full sized bike riders go through this morning.

I think someone who is arrogrant wouldnt be seen dead on a fold up bike.

I see hundreads of idiots who should not be riding a bike but i wouldnt judge everyone the same.

OK, OK, I've calmed down now. I just don't like folding bikes, don't know why, not based on any experience. It's possibly because the foldies who use my particular service are clearly not good examples of the breed.

And I agree, RLJs are reaching epidemic proportions (and there's more "full size" RLJers 'cos there's more "full size" bikes)

t4tomo

RussAlf - Secret Sam has a genetic defect that makes him hate folding bikes.

I was stopped at a red light outside EUston yesterday when a chap on a marin MTB almost ran over a pedestrian rightly crossing on the green man, just so he could wait ofr the lights to change 5 yards furtehr forward than teh stop line. The streams of traffic coming down the Euston raod meant he wasn't going to actauly get anywhere.

RussAlf

Sam, what would you rather do? ride a fold up bike or get on a packed tube? I love my fold up bike, its allowed me to actually enjoy my commute to work so much more. I once didnt like fold up bikes that was untill i realised what it allows me to do.

snooks

RussAlf wrote:

I love my fold up bike, its allowed me to actually enjoy my commute to work so much more.

Sorry,you can't enjoy your commute, it's not allowed!!! It's part of the Law of London

Rule 389, sub section 84 clearly states: Thou shalt not enjoy ones commute.

It come somewhere between: 83 - Love thy neighbour's armpit and 85 - Talk to no one!

What are you thinking?...enjoy your commute? tsk tsk! Are you mad?...You'll be telling me London schools have stopped teaching "How to read a copy of the Telegraph in an area 6 inches square, in the dark, on a broken down tube"...where will it end??

Cyclegent

One solution that some people I know do is to have two bikes of not great value, one that they use to get to their station and one kept at the other end to get to the office. This negates the need to take a folder on the train.

daniel_b

Cyclegent wrote:

One solution that some people I know do is to have two bikes of not great value, one that they use to get to their station and one kept at the other end to get to the office. This negates the need to take a folder on the train.

If I were to have to commute by bike/train/bike that would be the way I would do it too.

Two older but competent non suspension bikes off ebay, mudguards, new brake/gear cables, bit of a service, and that'll do nicely

What does a 'decent' folder cost, upwards of £400?

You can get a very decent bike off ebay for between £80 - £120 (I've done so twice) and can make them very serviceable for £30 or so each, could easily get a decent pair for £300 all in.

Dan