Please Mind the Gap Incident

JeffK88

Tonight my SO was getting the train back from Celbridge to Newbridge when she encountered a serious problem on getting a buggy off the train at Newbridge. While taking the buggy off the train it got jammed between the platform on the train and swung forward with our daughter inside. Thankfully a commuter was passing by who immediately dropped his bike and assisted my partner before the buggy could get jammed any further or topple over ( If your on these here forums , thank you so much). So basically the question to everybody is have Irish Rail ever stated anything about the quite significant gap between the platform and the train ? Is there a reason why it is so significant?. I know there aware of it due to the all those " Please mind the Gap" announcements. I also am aware that the stations or trains have ramps on some occasions but on this occasion none was available or offered to my partner on either leg of the journey.

LXFlyer

Bear in mind that trains go through Newbridge at up to 90 mph and as such there has to be a gap to allow for movement.

AlekSmart

JeffK88 wrote: »

Tonight my SO was getting the train back from Celbridge to Newbridge when she encountered a serious problem on getting a buggy off the train at Newbridge. While taking the buggy off the train it got jammed between the platform on the train and swung forward with our daughter inside. Thankfully a commuter was passing by who immediately dropped his bike and assisted my partner before the buggy could get jammed any further or topple over ( If your on these here forums , thank you so much). So basically the question to everybody is have Irish Rail ever stated anything about the quite significant gap between the platform and the train ? Is there a reason why it is so significant?. I know there aware of it due to the all those " Please mind the Gap" announcements. I also am aware that the stations or trains have ramps on some occasions but on this occasion none was available or offered to my partner on either leg of the journey.

The good news is that accessibility in all it's forms IS covered by IE...

http://www.irishrail.ie/travel-information/disabled-access

Ramps

Our staff will use ramps to help you on or off our trains if required, 24 hours advance notice needs to be given to ensure staff can be redeployed to assist you on or off our services.

At some stations there is a gap between the platform and the carriages which may create difficulty for people who are visually impaired or have mobility impairments and assistance may be required when boarding or alighting from the train.

It's all about preparation I suppose.

Has you SO made this journey before...has she ever experienced difficulty in this way before ?

Help can be arranged,but it has to be requested......

Staffing

Many of our stations have reduced staffing (meaning there is only one member staff on duty or staff who can assist, and will have other duties) or stations may be unstaffed.

When you book your assistance, our Customer Information Team will advise you of the most suitable stations to use, according to your needs

Be careful out there !

the_syco

JeffK88 wrote: »

While taking the buggy off the train it got jammed between the platform on the train and swung forward with our daughter inside.

Wait.... were you going forward pushing the buggy off the train, or reversing off the train with the buggy?

Squall Leonhart

Sounds like the lady was going forward.... which is a bad tactic, even if there were no gaps between platform and train!

JeffK88

Yeah I have said to her it was bad idea to push buggy out first. The buggy in question was a travel system and awkward to turn around in the corridors so that it could have been taking out the opposite way. It was her first time using the train with the buggy. There limited time available to get off the train with a travel system , folding up the buggy , taking the car seat out etc.. there would not be enough time to get off the train especially with one person. I wasn't aware you had to give 24 hour notice for a ramp.

Cookie_Monster

JeffK88 wrote: »

So basically the question to everybody is have Irish Rail ever stated anything about the quite significant gap between the platform and the train ? Is there a reason why it is so significant?.

there can be several reasons. As lx pointed out clearance is required for high speed rocking & movement, there can be slight curves in some platforms which exaggerate the gap, older platforms can be lower than newer stock. All the stock classes on the system will vary slightly in width and height so there has to be clearance allowed for all the types.

Jamie2k9

They never stop announcing "Please mind the gap" at every stop.

The gaps at all stations are generally the same unless the station is really old or on a bend.

Not to criticize you however tacking a buggy off the train alone was a stupid thing to do. You should of asked anybody do help, plenty of people would of. The forward thing made it worse but ask next time.

eirbear1989

I have often brought my brother in a wheelchair on the Maynooth to Dublin run. I have always been offered assistnce with ramps, and the driver always asks where we are getting off so that there is a ramp ready on the other end. I have had to help a lot of people with buggies however as there does not seem to be any other assistance. I think Irish Rail go out of their way to help people in wheelchairs.

I once has a ticket inspector put two teens off long haul journey for not abiding to the sign beside the wheelchair spaces (about having to give up the seats) even though I was standing opposite them with the wheelchair. Yet I have been on the train and bus with a buggy and got no such treatment.

I was actually refused access to a bus one day due to the buggy bay having a buggy in it, yet when I got the later bus a wheelchair got on two stops later and I was asked to fold up the buggy and let the wheelchair in (something I had not idea how to do considering it was my cousins buggy and I have very little experience with buggies) but it just goes to show that people are a lot more likely to help a person with a wheelchair than a person with a buggy.

schemingbohemia

eirbear1989 wrote: »

I have often brought my brother in a wheelchair on the Maynooth to Dublin run. I have always been offered assistnce with ramps, and the driver always asks where we are getting off so that there is a ramp ready on the other end. I have had to help a lot of people with buggies however as there does not seem to be any other assistance. I think Irish Rail go out of their way to help people in wheelchairs.

I once has a ticket inspector put two teens off long haul journey for not abiding to the sign beside the wheelchair spaces (about having to give up the seats) even though I was standing opposite them with the wheelchair. Yet I have been on the train and bus with a buggy and got no such treatment.

I was actually refused access to a bus one day due to the buggy bay having a buggy in it, yet when I got the later bus a wheelchair got on two stops later and I was asked to fold up the buggy and let the wheelchair in (something I had not idea how to do considering it was my cousins buggy and I have very little experience with buggies) but it just goes to show that people are a lot more likely to help a person with a wheelchair than a person with a buggy.

Have you never actually thought why this happens?
Perhaps, just perhaps, it might have something to do with choice or ability? People in wheelchairs don't (usually) have the option of not using them whereas people with buggies do.