Automated announcements / reserved seats.

foggy_lad

laoisfan wrote: »

@Fred Swanson - actually had a think about this overnight and you may have a point. I asked a Revenue Inspector on the train this morning. He said the following:

Regular IE staff do not have the power to fine somebody who may sit in a reserved seat which is not theirs. They can have you removed from the train. However, the Revenue Inspectors ( about 36 in total ) do have the power to issue fines for such an offence AND remove you from the train also if necessary.

He mentioned the National Rail Act etc etc.

So there....I learnt something new

The fine option is only available to the revenue inspectors when the person who reserved the seat can't take their seat because of a trespasser at the time of departure. But this depends on the RPU inspector being on the scene.

If you reserve a seat in Waterford and you board in Thomastown your reservation is gone. If you sit in any reserved seat and no other person claims it as their own then it is free to use. but if a seat is marked reserved from Kilkenny and you sit there in Waterford you must be ready to vacate that seat in Kilkenny if the passenger with the reservation requires you to.

A lot of passengers reserve two seats next to each other thinking that they can prevent the great unwashed from sitting beside them but this is not the case. any unused reserved seat becomes available to all once the train departs the station the reservation is made from.

As for the announcements, recently on the Waterford trains I notice some drivers have been making station announcements which is much more welcome than the annoying computer generated announcements a few times before and after each stop.

nebel1

It was a pair of seats (airline style) in the middle of the carriage. The daughter knew the aisle seat was reserved so the father was popped there.

They joined the train well before it was well laden.

im invisible

Hmm... I like your style

Reserve aisle seat
Take window seat
????
PROFIT

foggy_lad

nebel1 wrote: »

It was a pair of seats (airline style) in the middle of the carriage. The daughter knew the aisle seat was reserved so the father was popped there.

They joined the train well before it was well laden.

How do we know that the daughter didn't reserve her own seat and pay for her ticket while her fathers ticket was free so no reservation was made? And booking the Aisle seat she knew there was less probability of the window seat being reserved unless the train was quite full so she switched seats when they board the train.

monument

Losty Dublin wrote: »

The bit where you said... "It is and guilty of it myself. Mainly because I figure that the system for reserving seats is so bad anyhow that by the time I find it, it will likely have some one else sitting there with the resultant scramble for a seat elsewhere or cause a "scene" as per previous posts."

Sit where you like having booked a seat, that makes the booking system work so much better :rolleyes:

He said he does not always sit in his reserved seat (because the system is such a mess), but he did not say he sits in other people's reserved seat (as you accused him of doing).

road_high

monument wrote: »

He said he does not always sit in his reserved seat (because the system is such a mess), but he did not say he sits in other people's reserved seat (as you accused him of doing).

Exactly thanks for pointing that out I couldn't be bothered repeating myself again.

Losty Dublin

monument wrote: »

He said he does not always sit in his reserved seat (because the system is such a mess), but he did not say he sits in other people's reserved seat (as you accused him of doing).

No, he said he doesn't think that it works so he doesn't look for his booked seat and he sits anywhere he feels like. The display system may not work the odd time but your booking still specifies your seat regardless. The fact that he still ignores this having gone to the trouble of booking a seat shows his stupidity, arrogance or both.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

monument

Losty Dublin wrote: »

No, he said he doesn't think that it works so he doesn't look for his booked seat and he sits anywhere he feels like. The display system may not work the odd time but your booking still specifies your seat regardless. The fact that he still ignores this having gone to the trouble of booking a seat shows his stupidity, arrogance or both.

Mod voice; warning: There's no need for talk of stupidity, arrogance etc. It's inflammatory and just basically pointless.

Personally speaking: When buying a ticket online -- as is the case with most reservations -- there's no "trouble" booking a seat. Even selecting a seat manually isn't hard at all!

But the problems on-board got annoying a good while ago: I've noted the displays not working on about 3 out of 4 of my last train trips -- that added to people sitting in booked seats, I can't see fault in people getting fed up of the system.

Losty Dublin

monument wrote: »

Pumped up Little Hitler voice; warning: There's no need for talk of stupidity, arrogance etc. It's inflammatory and just basically pointless.


Personally speaking: When buying a ticket online -- as is the case with most reservations -- there's no "trouble" booking a seat. Even selecting a seat manually isn't hard at all!

But the problems on-board got annoying a good while ago: I've noted the displays not working on about 3 out of 4 of my last train trips -- that added to people sitting in booked seats, I can't see fault in people getting fed up of the system.

Your know when you book what your reserved seat number is; it's on your e mail booking and it's also printed on your ticket. The fact that he reckons it's ok to sit elsewhere without even looking for a display is frankly quite idiotic. If your seat happens to be taken then at least get them to move or seek staff before you sit elsewhere; sitting elsewhere solves nothing.

monument

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Pumped up Little Hitler voice;....

To be clear: He's got a week ban for that.

foggy_lad

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Your know when you book what your reserved seat number is; it's on your e mail booking and it's also printed on your ticket. The fact that he reckons it's ok to sit elsewhere without even looking for a display is frankly quite idiotic. If your seat happens to be taken then at least get them to move or seek staff before you sit elsewhere; sitting elsewhere solves nothing.

People book seats because they don't want the hassle of having to find a seat on a full train. Whay should they have to find a staff member who may not exist? Why should they have to imteract with any other person when they have paid for a reserved seat?

When you book it seems that you are well notified of what seat is yours but irish rail don't seem to put as much effort into protecting your seat reservation. I blame irish rail but many blame free travel pass holders. So why not pull irish rail out of the scheme and end all subvention and let this fantastic company stand on its own well padded(with millions of euro) feet. We would soon see the retirements and management moving on/deserting their own personal titanic and the piling on of bonuses and severance payments like never seen before.

They have had many years to get online booking and reservations working but have failed. If they cant do something so basic why are they still employed?

Hilly Bill

How do you suggest they protect the reservations? Get someone to sit or stand guard over them until the owner arrives? Why Blame Irish Rail when its not them that sit in the reserved seats?

markpb

Hilly Bill wrote: »

How do you suggest they protect the reservations? Get someone to sit or stand guard over them until the owner arrives? Why Blame Irish Rail when its not them that sit in the reserved seats?

How do other transport operators deal with this problem? Do they find it impossible too?

corktina

i think part of the problem is that some people genuinely don't see the reservation display. It isn't that obvious what it means unless you know. Perhaps a sticker could be introduced around each display re-inforcing it's message and a default of "seat available" introduced.

Owryan

corktina wrote: »

i think part of the problem is that some people genuinely don't see the reservation display. It isn't that obvious what it means unless you know. Perhaps a sticker could be introduced around each display re-inforcing it's message and a default of "seat available" introduced.

I travel the dub-wat train weekly and for reaerved seats they have the name on the display and a white seat reserved noticed pinned to the head rest.

Does it work ? Usually only when the train is less than half full, some people appear to be pre occupied about sitting on their own and will sit in a reserved seat rather than opposite a stranger for a bit.

Lelantos

corktina wrote: »

i think part of the problem is that some people genuinely don't see the reservation display. It isn't that obvious what it means unless you know. Perhaps a sticker could be introduced around each display re-inforcing it's message and a default of "seat available" introduced.

If a seat is booked the name of the person is in orange above the window, its clearly visable. It leaves no doubt in any right thinking persons mind that unless your name matches the one in lights, this isn't your seat.

corktina

but does it? I got on a train the other day and pointed out my name to the people sitting in my bay and they were amazed. It isn't clear enough

monument

Lelantos wrote: »

If a seat is booked the name of the person is in orange above the window, its clearly visable. It leaves no doubt in any right thinking persons mind that unless your name matches the one in lights, this isn't your seat.

It's actually quite small and high up.

Many people are not regular users of the trains and there's often some confusion. For example:

I used to sit in the wheel chair / pram space (always willing to give it up for a disabled user and on the watch out for wheelchairs at stations) and I've witnessed lots of old people and a few not so old not having a clue how to work the disabled bathroom door / find the button. When I was even half aware I'd see this happening once or more a trip.

Another example: Between just keeping to the same carriage out of habit and bring bicycles along, I end up in the same end carriage and there's hardly a journey that somebody looking for a toilet would walk to the end where there's only the driver's cab -- many of them going as far as trying to open the driver's door.

corktina

very true. On my recent trip there was some guy who couldn't work out how to open the door to get off, and eventually went through to the next carriage where a door happened to be open.

Lelantos

monument wrote: »

It's actually quite small and high up.

Many people are not regular users of the trains and there's often some confusion. For example:

I used to sit in the wheel chair / pram space (always willing to give it up for a disabled user and on the watch out for wheelchairs at stations) and I've witnessed lots of old people and a few not so old not having a clue how to work the disabled bathroom door / find the button. When I was even half aware I'd see this happening once or more a trip.

Another example: Between just keeping to the same carriage out of habit and bring bicycles along, I end up in the same end carriage and there's hardly a journey that somebody looking for a toilet would walk to the end where there's only the driver's cab -- many of them going as far as trying to open the driver's door.

It's above your head & well lit, anyone that has ever travelled on a train knows about the pre booked seats. Anyone that travels by train a lot knows that 90% of people who sit in these seats know damn well what they are doing.

foggy_lad

Owryan wrote: »

I travel the dub-wat train weekly and for reaerved seats they have the name on the display and a white seat reserved noticed pinned to the head rest.

Does it work ? Usually only when the train is less than half full, some people appear to be pre occupied about sitting on their own and will sit in a reserved seat rather than opposite a stranger for a bit.

I was on the 6.35pm train to waterford on saturday and it still had the reserved cards and reservation lights lit up from the prwvious journey up from Waterford. Several people were looking at the names above their seats and double checking their tickets to see were they on the wrong carriage but noit was the reservation system which had not been set up for the return journey to waterford. Luckily there were not too many on the train.

Hilly Bill

markpb wrote: »

How do other transport operators deal with this problem? Do they find it impossible too?

Dont know, any idea?

ongarboy

I guess you can't also rule out the theory that some solo passengers may have problems with literacy which could be why they also sit in reserved seats. (perhaps some older passengers that did not get adequate schooling back in the day). If 1% of the population is still known to be illiterate, then that can be up to 4 passengers on a 400 seater train.

The Royal Scam

If IE were forced to have a system wheras you got your ticket price refunded if you pre booked seat was occupied, they would be sort out the issue sharpish..

Jamie2k9

The Royal Scam wrote: »

If IE were forced to have a system wheras you got your ticket price refunded if you pre booked seat was occupied, they would be sort out the issue sharpish..

They have this system already....

foggy_lad

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

They have this system already....

Indeed they do but only if there is no alternative seat available on the whole train. Now how hard would that be to prove? And even if you could they only give a refund in vouchers afaik

Jamie2k9

foggy_lad wrote: »

Indeed they do but only if there is no alternative seat available on the whole train. Now how hard would that be to prove? And even if you could they only give a refund in vouchers afaik

If there is no seat left on the train and you are certain all you need to do is ask them to check the CCTV or the passenger counters. Not sure if its only refund vouchers but they need to allow people use them to buy online fares again which currently isn't possible.

corktina

Lelantos wrote: »

It's above your head & well lit, anyone that has ever travelled on a train knows about the pre booked seats. Anyone that travels by train a lot knows that 90% of people who sit in these seats know damn well what they are doing.

i've already given an example of people not seeing the display , as have others...it is clear if you know what it is, but if you have no curiosity and just think you can sit anywhere, it isn't as clear as having a notice pinned to the actual seat.
Whatever the case , it is IEs responsibility to improve the situation and enforce reservations.

LXFlyer

The onboard displays are no different to any modern rolling stock that I've travelled on elsewhere.

The fact that people are sitting in reserved seats is more down to many Irish people's ignorance (as in not knowing any better), or the "ah sure it's grand" mentality of ignoring any semblance of authority.