Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Why Are Irish Rail Failing so badly

1…2223252728…33

Comments

  • #722
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,050 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    You are firmly fixed in the past of the porter and the flagman blowing his whistle to clear the train for departure. Ireland has moved on and so have coach buses but sadly some will not recognise progress unless it fits into their pre-defined moulds and fits in with their expectations.

    All the express coaches are doing the Cork trip a lot faster than the trains and a lot cheaper too! they do not require dragging your bags the long journey out to the Luas stop for the 20 minute extra journey into Dublin city!

    The buses serve places people actually want to go like Dublin City and the Airport!


    Heuston is in Dublin City Foggy and not everyone will need to go to O'Connell street or the airport ( you can get the bus to the airport from Heuston anyway ) . Some have cars parked at Heuston, some will want to get a taxi, some wont have bags that require dragging and some will jump on a Dublin bus that gets them home which they may have to do once they get off your bus . The truth is Foggy, Dublin is more than the city centre which your bus doesnt cover. Your bus may suit a lot of people due to times, price, pick up and drop off points and it wont suit others. Same goes for the train.


  • #723
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,050 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Not a chance and any train staff or RPU agent that tries to force the issue would risk a severe reprimand!

    Why would anyone give up a legitimately obtained seat for anyone else when there is no obligation to do so regardless of how much their ticket had cost?

    Common decency would be Irish Rail fixing their awful reservations system which has never worked properly! They keep charging people for a service they know they can't provide, is that fraud?

    Irish Rail shouldnt have to police some ignorant person for refusing to move. I would have thought that people would have more respect for their fellow passengers these days instead of refusing to move just to stick one up at Irish Rail. Then again, free travel is not enough for some people.


  • #724
    Solair
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,230 ✭✭✭Solair


    LeftBlank wrote: »
    On 22000s it's shown as "Reserved from <station>". Not sure about the Mk4 but wouldn't be surprised if something similar was possible.

    Yes, that also happens on the MK4. The seat-booking systems are identical other than the displays being physically a bit different.

    I was due to board a MK4 for Cork last week and due to a technical glitch of some sort it did not depart and we were moved onto a 22000 which was made up of two linked formations that was sitting on Platform 7 at Heuston.

    The MK4 seat reservations actually transferred to that train and the seat labeling was correct!

    To be fair to them too, despite the slightly late departure we made it into Cork bang on time (in fact about 2 mins early)

    I honestly think Irish Rail are improving a lot and things are a hell of a lot more consistent than they used to be (certainly on the Cork line anyway). It used to be nuts when you didn't know whether you'd have a proper train i.e. a MK3 or some old banger of a thing would turn up with moss growing inside and no heating.

    The 4 things that annoy me at the moment:

    1) Lack of sockets on the MK4 in standard class. That is absolutely ridiculous for such a new set of coaches. Really inexcusable spec.

    2) The huge gaps at the platforms in Kent Station in Cork. They should have been straightened. There's acres of space at that station and really no particular reason that I can see that they needed to preserve the layout they have.

    3) Lack of speed. The Cork-Dublin train's too slow. It needs to be doing that journey in about 2 hours at most.

    4) I sincerely hope they're going to do a minor refurbishment of the MK4s soon. They're starting to really look tatty already! There were bits of upholstery hanging off the bottom of the seat in front of me last time, the carpets look worn out and the arm rests are all worn out! Really bad choice of materials.


  • #725
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Irish Rail shouldnt have to police some ignorant person for refusing to move. I would have thought that people would have more respect for their fellow passengers these days instead of refusing to move just to stick one up at Irish Rail. Then again, free travel is not enough for some people.
    They cant police anyone who has done nothing wrong and who has sat in a seat which was NOT RESERVED!

    I have zero respect for anyone that thinks the disabled and elderly should not have the same rights as everyone else on a train!

    As I stated very clearly before if I sit in a seat which is not marked as reserved at the time I will not give up that seat for anyone with a reservation apart from some person who may need it more than myself.

    Seat reservations systems are idiot proof so it say a lot about Irish Rail that they are still having serious issues with reservations after years of trying to fix things!


  • #726
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,623 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Irish Rail numbers have increased over the last while and to say there is no packed trains is just mad

    What?!!! Irish Rails numbers are down 25%:

    http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rail-cuts-on-way-after-passenger-numbers-fall-25pc-3214942.html

    And that is before the introduction of the new Aircoach/GoBE services!!
    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    Do you travel on trains often?

    At least once a month to Cork for the past 10 years up until 6 months ago when I happily switched to Aircoach/GoBE.

    The 17:00 may still be busy, but nothing like it use to be say 4 years ago. Back then there would be people crammed into the aisles between seats and by the doors. It is now much quieter then it was in the past and that was before the new Aircoach/GoBE services started.

    The recession and people switching to driving to Cork (just 2 hours 15/30 mins) had already taken their toll even before the new direct coach services started.
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Heuston is in Dublin City Foggy and not everyone will need to go to O'Connell street or the airport ( you can get the bus to the airport from Heuston anyway ) .

    True, but I think the majority people would find O'Connell St area much more convenient. It is after all the main corridor for the majority of dublin bus services to almost every where in Dublin and also close to the DART.

    Also from what I've seen, if you ask the driver when boarding the Aircoach in Cork, they will stop at Hueston. They did last week when I was on it. Two people got off of a full bus.

    Which says two things, firstly the train has no advantage as you can get off the bus at Hueston anyway and second of all of a full bus only two people actually wanted to get off there, showing O'Connell St or the airport is where most people prefer to go.

    BTW I've seen GoBus from Galway leave people off at Hueston too.


  • Advertisement
  • #727
    end of the road
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,492 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    You are firmly fixed in the past of the porter and the flagman blowing his whistle to clear the train for departure.
    i would like to thank irish rail for providing me with a porter last week to welcome me to the station and aboard the train as well as carrying my trunk to the train, i even got to blow a whistle to send it on its way after arrival at my destination, a pleasure to have been able to do such a thing.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Ireland has moved on
    no it hasn't, we must keep these vital traditions alive to preserve the natural essence of our railways and to make sure our boys and girls can continue to do what they love so dearly.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    so have coach buses
    they always were and always will be smelly dirty slow rickity things
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    sadly some will not recognise progress unless it fits into their pre-defined moulds and fits in with their expectations.
    his laurdship would like to thank irish rail for the provision of a private train which irish rail promised they will provide once rolling stock becomes available
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    All the express coaches are doing the Cork trip a lot faster than the trains
    to the airport maybe but other then that no their not.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    a lot cheaper too!
    yeah, cheep and nasty.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    they do not require dragging your bags the long journey out to the Luas stop for the 20 minute extra journey into Dublin city!
    ehh, the station is in dublin city, and not everyone has bags, i can go to dublin bag free all the time, and its only about 5 10 minutes into main areas such as oconnel street.
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    The buses serve places people actually want to go like Dublin City and the Airport!
    the trains serve the city to, the rosslare trains serve tara street where i can get off walk to the quays and get my bus, all lovely simple and care free, if i was to get the bus from wexford i would have a long walk so actually the bus doesn't go to places where (people) want to go, they serve places where (some people) want to go. also nice try editing my post you quoted everyone knows what i actually wrote so fail again foggy.

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • #728
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,834 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    What?!!! Irish Rails numbers are down 25%:

    http://www.independent.ie/national-n...c-3214942.html

    And that is before the introduction of the new Aircoach/GoBE services!!

    That is what you call poor research from the Indo. 25% over 5 years but currently numbers are up on this time last year largely students who can't afford to drive and more people studying. A recent article in the Irish Examier shows that around 5,000 more people are using Limerick-Dublin train services weekly compared to Sep/Oct 2011 and thats the same accross the board.
    At least once a month to Cork for the past 10 years up until 6 months ago when I happily switched to Aircoach/GoBE.

    The 17:00 may still be busy, but nothing like it use to be say 4 years ago. Back then there would be people crammed into the aisles between seats and by the doors. It is now much quieter then it was in the past and that was before the new Aircoach/GoBE services started.

    The recession and people switching to driving to Cork (just 2 hours 15/30 mins) had already taken their toll even before the new direct coach services started.

    Once a month isn't a lot to travel on trains you need to do it weekly same service and then you could realy tell what loadings are like.

    Remenber the 18.30 to Tralee was moved to 17.05 to ease pressue on the 17.00 so in affect you have two trains going almost all the way to Cork within 5 minutes so numbers would fall on the 17.00.


  • #729
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,050 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They cant police anyone who has done nothing wrong and who has sat in a seat which was NOT RESERVED!

    I have zero respect for anyone that thinks the disabled and elderly should not have the same rights as everyone else on a train!

    As I stated very clearly before if I sit in a seat which is not marked as reserved at the time I will not give up that seat for anyone with a reservation apart from some person who may need it more than myself.

    Seat reservations systems are idiot proof so it say a lot about Irish Rail that they are still having serious issues with reservations after years of trying to fix things!

    Again Foggy, i havent said anything about seats that are NOT reserved.
    Nobody has said that the disabled and the elderly havent got the same rights as everyone else on the train.
    If you booked and paid for a seat on a bus, train , concert, theatre or football match and you couldnt sit in that seat because someone was already sitting in it, what would you do? Would you blame ticketmaster for not having your name on the seat? would you tell the person "Ah sure youre grand, i'll go and sit in the jacks.Sure wasnt i the big eejit for paying for that seat in the first place, enjoy your trip, concert, show match on me". Or would you tell them " Move".?


  • #730
    Hilly Bill
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,050 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    bk wrote: »
    What?!!! Irish Rails numbers are down 25%:

    http://www.independent.ie/national-news/rail-cuts-on-way-after-passenger-numbers-fall-25pc-3214942.html

    And that is before the introduction of the new Aircoach/GoBE services!!



    At least once a month to Cork for the past 10 years up until 6 months ago when I happily switched to Aircoach/GoBE.

    The 17:00 may still be busy, but nothing like it use to be say 4 years ago. Back then there would be people crammed into the aisles between seats and by the doors. It is now much quieter then it was in the past and that was before the new Aircoach/GoBE services started.

    The recession and people switching to driving to Cork (just 2 hours 15/30 mins) had already taken their toll even before the new direct coach services started.



    True, but I think the majority people would find O'Connell St area much more convenient. It is after all the main corridor for the majority of dublin bus services to almost every where in Dublin and also close to the DART.

    Also from what I've seen, if you ask the driver when boarding the Aircoach in Cork, they will stop at Hueston. They did last week when I was on it. Two people got off of a full bus.

    Which says two things, firstly the train has no advantage as you can get off the bus at Hueston anyway and second of all of a full bus only two people actually wanted to get off there, showing O'Connell St or the airport is where most people prefer to go.

    BTW I've seen GoBus from Galway leave people off at Hueston too.

    If you get on the Aircoach then ye it is more than likely its the Airport that you will be going to. Its horses for courses, what suits some will not suit others. All modes of transport have their pros and cons when you look at your options before travelling.


  • #731
    bk
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 23,623 Mod ✭✭✭✭bk


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    That is what you call poor research from the Indo. 25% over 5 years but currently numbers are up on this time last year largely students who can't afford to drive and more people studying. A recent article in the Irish Examier shows that around 5,000 more people are using Limerick-Dublin train services weekly compared to Sep/Oct 2011 and thats the same accross the board.

    First of all, please link to some evidence of this?

    Hmm, it sounds very much like what statisticians call a dead cat bounce:

    http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/deadcatbounce.asp

    In this case a desperate attempt by IR to keep up numbers that are dropping drastically.

    You really think a temporary discount to students is going to keep IR alive? As soon as the discount is discontinued or as soon as the students find out about the even cheaper tickets on the coach services they will be gone again.

    Reality is numbers are down drastically off their peak and falling.
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    If you get on the Aircoach then ye it is more than likely its the Airport that you will be going to. Its horses for courses, what suits some will not suit others. All modes of transport have their pros and cons when you look at your options before travelling.

    No, taking the Aircoach the past few months, the majority of people get off at O'Connell St. I'd say well over 90% are heading to Dublin City and that most of them what to go to the city center and not Hueston.


  • Advertisement
  • #732
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Cant be moved from Cork to Mallow but can be moved at Mallow . Put it like this, if i had a seat reserved from Mallow and you were sat in that seat and refused to move after i showed you that i had it reserved then you would be out of that seat and half way down the carriage in quick time.
    Refusing to move for such a trivial reason is just pure ignorance and especially if that person was on a freebie.
    here you imply that those with free travel are ignorant if they don't give up their seat for someone who has been sold a reservation which was not displayed on the seat!
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Personally i wouldnt care including if its an Oap, visually impaired , or a child. They shouldnt be there in the first place. If i have to sit with their family for the rest of the journey then so be it.
    What a pleasant person you seem to be.

    You may have a reservation and a ticket with a seat number but it is worthless and means nothing unless that reservation is properly displayed above the seat from the start of the journey!
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Overreacting as usual Foggy . Where are you going with locking up people in mental homes?
    Its only common decency to move for a person who has proof that they have booked that seat. To refuse to move is just plain ignorance .
    I havent said anything about passengers sitting in non reserved seats Foggy so i dont know what you are going on about there.
    This whole saga is about "unreserved" seats-Seats which are reserved but on paper only! unless that reservation is properly displayed on the train then someone who sits in your "reserved but not showing as reserved" seat has every right to stay in that seat!
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Its only common decency to move at that point Foggy especially if you hadnt bought a ticket in the first place.
    Again you are saying that those who are elderly or disabled should move from their legitimately obtained seats to facilitate Irish Rail and those who have a reservation which Irish Rail have failed to reserve!
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Irish Rail shouldnt have to police some ignorant person for refusing to move. I would have thought that people would have more respect for their fellow passengers these days instead of refusing to move just to stick one up at Irish Rail. Then again, free travel is not enough for some people.
    Again with the remarks aimed at the disabled and elderly free travel pass holders!
    foggy_lad wrote: »
    They cant police anyone who has done nothing wrong and who has sat in a seat which was NOT RESERVED!

    I have zero respect for anyone that thinks the disabled and elderly should not have the same rights as everyone else on a train!

    As I stated very clearly before if I sit in a seat which is not marked as reserved at the time I will not give up that seat for anyone with a reservation apart from some person who may need it more than myself.

    Seat reservations systems are idiot proof so it say a lot about Irish Rail that they are still having serious issues with reservations after years of trying to fix things!
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Again Foggy, i havent said anything about seats that are NOT reserved.
    Nobody has said that the disabled and the elderly havent got the same rights as everyone else on the train.
    If you booked and paid for a seat on a bus, train , concert, theatre or football match and you couldnt sit in that seat because someone was already sitting in it, what would you do? Would you blame ticketmaster for not having your name on the seat? would you tell the person "Ah sure youre grand, i'll go and sit in the jacks.Sure wasnt i the big eejit for paying for that seat in the first place, enjoy your trip, concert, show match on me". Or would you tell them " Move".?
    The whole discussion is about seats that are not reserved when people sit in them but halfway through the journey they suddenly light up as reserved from x station, Do try to keep up.

    I have shown where your comments and remarks clearly aimed at free travel pass holders including the disabled and elderly imply that they deserve and should have less rights than paying passengers and those with reservations even if those reservations are not properly managed by Irish Fail.

    If you booked a seat on a Westport-Dublin train tomorrow for travel from Roscommon then that reservation should show when the train starts boarding in Westport. if that does not happen and I board in Westport, Claremorris etc and sit in that seat then I am sitting in a seat which is not reserved and should not be moved from that seat because Irish Fail have once again Fooked it up!


  • #733
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    bk wrote: »
    First of all, please link to some evidence of this?

    Hmm, it sounds very much like what statisticians call a dead cat bounce:

    http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/deadcatbounce.asp

    In this case a desperate attempt by IR to keep up numbers that are dropping drastically.

    You really think a temporary discount to students is going to keep IR alive? As soon as the discount is discontinued or as soon as the students find out about the even cheaper tickets on the coach services they will be gone again.

    Reality is numbers are down drastically off their peak and falling.



    No, taking the Aircoach the past few months, the majority of people get off at O'Connell St. I'd say well over 90% are heading to Dublin City and that most of them what to go to the city center and not Hueston.
    It is long overdue that Cork people now have a reliable bus service that allows them go to shows, parties, outings etc in Dublin city without having to stay overnight.

    as for the dead cats they are usually to be found in the toilets of the Mark4 trains, and of course Irish Rail management know more about massaging and rearranging figures and statistics than they know about running a railway!


  • #734
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Its only common decency to move at that point Foggy especially if you hadnt bought a ticket in the first place.

    it's only common decency for IE to mend their system.

    I hadn't realised that this was the case for reservations from a mid journey point and I am quite shocked at such a hi-tech system being so cock-eyed

    If the train was crowded, I wouldn't move either. I paid fopr my seat and it wasn't reserved when I took it.First come first served


  • #735
    intellectual dosser
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭intellectual dosser


    end of the road wrote: »
    they always were and always will be smelly dirty slow rickity things

    When was the last time you were on a bus?

    On Monday I had to go from Galway to Dublin for an exam. I'm no brain so I needed to do a bit of last minute cramming on the bus. When we got to Dublin and were passing Heuston I saw the trains and I realised that I could have been on the train and using one of the tables to study.

    Imagine - it never even dawned on me to use the train over the bus. This would have been the only situation where I would have considered using the train from Galway to Dublin.

    From Galway its just a no brainer:
    GoBus & CityLink are just as quick, half the price, comfortable, departures every 30 minutes, you can go to Heuston, Dublin City Centre or Dublin Airport - how can you justify getting the train?


  • #736
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    kieran4003 wrote: »

    Fair enough post, but if I may make the following points.

    Fares:
    All advance fares on the train are E30 return. GoBus is E20 return.
    Student return on the train is E20. GoBus is E18.

    I think the train fares on the Galway route are reasonable at E15 each way. Cork at E22 is expensive I would agree.

    Time:
    GoBus is 2:30 minutes.
    IE is typically 2:30 minutes.

    Monday night IE trialled a Dublin - Galway train with a 2:05 journey time and 3 stops. Tonight they will trial a Dublin - Galway train with a 2:11 journey time and 6 stops. An outline of what to expect in the new timetable.
    The train stops short of the city by 2km so add a few Euro and 20minutes to the train journey. Also the bus is far more frequent and more flexible than the train. All this talk of super fast trials means nothing until the passenger can get to the city centre faster than the bus and at the same prices not at some heavily discounted promotional fares designed to increase passenger numbers overall.


  • #737
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,270 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    corktina wrote: »
    If the train was crowded, I wouldn't move either. I paid fopr my seat and it wasn't reserved when I took it.First come first served

    Incorrect; a ticket entitles you only to travel on board a train; there is no guarantee of a seat on board without pre booking a seat. A seat reservation is and has been the only way you can be ensured a seat on board a train; this has been the case for many years now. You may argue that it wasn't occupied on a section of the trip and finders keepers but unless you vacate the seat to them then you are denying them of a service which they have booked. I can understand you feeling peeved but you are not in the right by taking up their seat.


  • #738
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    that's all well and good but its IE that are screwing up both parties.

    How long will it be until there is a bit of a tussle and someone gets hurt? It's a recipe for rail-rage, and IE needs to put it's house in order.


  • #739
    Jamie2k9
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,834 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/high-price-of-petrol-forces-students-onto--212447.html
    You really think a temporary discount to students is going to keep IR alive? As soon as the discount is discontinued or as soon as the students find out about the even cheaper tickets on the coach services they will be gone again.

    It is keeping them going and we all know that it will not end as IR can't afford it or they will lose revenue from thousands of passengers..BE faresare cheeper but students are still chosing to travel by train.


  • #740
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,270 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    corktina wrote: »
    that's all well and good but its IE that are screwing up both parties.

    How long will it be until there is a bit of a tussle and someone gets hurt? It's a recipe for rail-rage, and IE needs to put it's house in order.

    That's assuming every passenger is going to be aggressive around this, CT. The other way around is to reserve the seat for the whole trip which is reasonable if they board in Mallow or Limerick Junction but not if they board close to Dublin as the seat's then lost for a passenger who is doing a shorter trip; eg Cork-Mallow. In general, the vast majority of people are respectful of booked seats and will move once asked to; the obnoxious ones are a very small minority.


  • #741
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    What's happened to Selective Door Opening on the 22000s - the second (!!!!) tender was put out a year or two ago?


  • Advertisement
  • #742
    sligotrain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭sligotrain


    Be careful of building an argument around Straw men - I have not witnessed any aggression regarding seat allocations on any IE train I've travelled on over the last couple of years and I would be on the Cork Dublin trains at least every month for the last five years.

    I have had only one occasion where someone was sitting in a seat reserved for me and in that instance I asked them to move politely and they politely moved.

    If we regulate the system around controlling a few headbangers we might as well have armed guards patrolling the trains with alsations to keep order!


  • #743
    homeless student
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,020 ✭✭✭homeless student


    anyone any opinions on the price people should pay when they have to stand on the train? I say half price. also pensioners should have to pay something even 5 or 10 euro because they are the ones taking up the majority of space, suppose they do buy a lot of tea on the trains though ha, the food and drink on the trains is a rip off aswell, I refuse on principle to ever buy anything on it, also IE need to look at the parking situation at some of its train stations, not enough space, not good enough for paying customers.


  • #744
    sligotrain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭sligotrain


    Your train fare gets you from A to B - there is no legal guarantee that you are going to get a seat. Maybe not the answer you'd like but that's the situation.


  • #745
    homeless student
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,020 ✭✭✭homeless student


    sligotrain wrote: »
    Your train fare gets you from A to B - there is no legal guarantee that you are going to get a seat. Maybe not the answer you'd like but that's the situation.

    and what about the whole issue of safety?should ye really be letting people on when they re standing?wouldnt like to be standing on a train if there was a crash.


  • #746
    The Idyl Race
    Closed Accounts Posts: 222 ✭✭The Idyl Race


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    But we were discussing the issues of the reservations systems and how it does not work even though people are paying for the service,

    if you book a seat from Mallow or Roscommon to Dublin you would expect that when I board in Cork or Westport your booked seat will have a reservation light and a note such as "reserved for H.Bill from Mallow/Roscommon", but this does not happen. This means that when I sit in a seat in Cork or Westport it might be reserved farther along the line but I am not being made aware of this and as such there is absolutely no obligation on me to give up my legitimately obtained seat for you even though you have a reservation and all the proof you can carry!


    My reserved seat = you move. Simple really. Backed up by by-laws and the courts if you are really obstinate.

    The Internet is a great place for horseshít masquerading as fact but in real life actions have consequences.


  • #747
    sligotrain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 148 ✭✭sligotrain


    homeless student wrote: »
    and what about the whole issue of safety?should ye really be letting people on when they re standing?wouldnt like to be standing on a train if there was a crash.

    Again more straw men. Statistically speaking trains are one of the safest modes of transport there is. Yes you run the risk of being injured in a crash if you are standing in a train but if you look at the backstory of several other train accidents people sitting in seats were just as likely to be injured.

    Standing in commuter trains is sadly a fact of life, particularly outside Ireland. If any of you have ever travelled on commuter trains in cities like Paris, New York, Tokyo or London as I have then the amount of standing we have on our own trains is small beer.

    How would you police for instance a standing only fare? Pretty well impossible I'd say and there would be plenty of skangers who would run to the ticket checker and say I've been standin' bud gimme me money back...


  • #748
    homeless student
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,020 ✭✭✭homeless student


    sligotrain wrote: »
    Again more straw men. Statistically speaking trains are one of the safest modes of transport there is. Yes you run the risk of being injured in a crash if you are standing in a train but if you look at the backstory of several other train accidents people sitting in seats were just as likely to be injured.

    Standing in commuter trains is sadly a fact of life, particularly outside Ireland. If any of you have ever travelled on commuter trains in cities like Paris, New York, Tokyo or London as I have then the amount of standing we have on our own trains is small beer.

    How would you police for instance a standing only fare? Pretty well impossible I'd say and there would be plenty of skangers who would run to the ticket checker and say I've been standin' bud gimme me money back...

    planes are one of the safestmodes of transport aswell, why dont we stand on them?

    standing on trains doesnthave to be a fact of life, add more carriages or start charging the pensioners,there wouldnt be as many standing then.

    in fairness it wouldnt just be theskangers looking for their money back, plenty of tight respectible peoplearound


  • #749
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Losty Dublin wrote: »

    Incorrect; a ticket entitles you only to travel on board a train; there is no guarantee of a seat on board without pre booking a seat. A seat reservation is and has been the only way you can be ensured a seat on board a train; this has been the case for many years now. You may argue that it wasn't occupied on a section of the trip and finders keepers but unless you vacate the seat to them then you are denying them of a service which they have booked. I can understand you feeling peeved but you are not in the right by taking up their seat.
    But the seat has not just been unoccupied for part of the journey but has had no visible reservation or prior notice such as reserved from ballybrophy or thurles etc. And while this is the case it is open to any customer without a reservation to take up that seat and remain in it for their journey simply because they are not warned that it is reserved from xxx station.


  • #750
    foggy_lad
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Losty Dublin wrote: »

    In general, the vast majority of people are respectful of booked seats and will move once asked to; the obnoxious ones are a very small minority.
    But that is the whole issue, the seat is not booked and there is no reservation because Irish fail have fooked it up.


  • Advertisement
  • #751
    The Idyl Race
    Closed Accounts Posts: 222 ✭✭The Idyl Race


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    But that is the whole issue, the seat is not booked and there is no reservation because Irish fail have fooked it up.

    If I ever encounter you in my seat, pontificating as you do, it will be my very great pleasure to give you an expensive and time consuming lesson in what can and can not be done with an Irish Rail reservation.

    Considering that when I went to Waterford last week there was 1. a notice warning others not to sit there and 2. my name was over the seat I imagine you would be on very shaky ground indeed. Even if it wasn't there, the ticket with the reservation on it would be sufficent proof to shift your dogmatic backside.

    As others have pointed out, it is in the CIE by-laws that purchase of a ticket is no guarantee of a seat, and it is also a summary offence to tamper with a reserved seat. Good luck in court.


This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement