update on the Southern train bike ban

[davek]

Tony Raven wrote:
> Given your requirements a Birdy might be a better option - folds
> larger than a B but neatly and is better than a B for longer distance
> riding.

Yes, I have the Birdy on my mental checklist - there's a chap I see
frequently on the train who has one, and he has enough of an air of
"serious cyclist" about him (ie by the way he dresses) that I can only
assume he knows what he is doing. I shall have to befriend him and get
a closer look at his bike.

d.

 

[davek]

John B wrote:
> For journeys only requiring a short distance at each end the Brommie still
> wins hands down.

I can see I shall have to get an Airnimal /and/ a Brompton.

d.

 

[davek]

Simon Brooke wrote:
> Birdy Speed. Folds nearly as small as a Brompton, allegedly rides much
> better. Costs /much/ more.

A /very/ nice looking bike. And you're right - not cheap!

d.

 

[MartinM]

davek wrote:
> Simon Brooke wrote:
> > Birdy Speed. Folds nearly as small as a Brompton, allegedly rides much
> > better. Costs /much/ more.
>
> A /very/ nice looking bike. And you're right - not cheap!

here's the latest Southern publicity material

http://www.ctcg.org.uk/

 

[davek]

MartinM wrote:
> here's the latest Southern publicity material

If only it weren't true...

I still haven't tried taking my bike on the train since the ban came
in, but yesterday I bumped into a friend who usually takes his and he
was on foot - he has tried to take his bike a few times but it seems SE
are enforcing the ban with vigour, which he found out the hard way.

d.

 

[MartinM]

more pearls of wisdom from Southern Customer Services;
Dear Mr W,

Thank you for your web comment.

It is my understanding that other folding cycles that are similar in
size and definition to Brompton and Dahon makes will be accepted on
peak trains.

A folding cycle means one that folds down to roughly the size of a
briefcase. It will exclude cycles that only fold in the middle for
loading into the boot of a car.

I hope this information is of some use to you.

Regards

David Cotterell
Southern Customer Services

so that's me stuffed again

As Mr W pointed out; perhaps the purpose of the on line survey is so
they know where to place the Wermacht after Jan 16 (cynical, moi?)

 

[David Martin]

MartinM wrote:
> more pearls of wisdom from Southern Customer Services;
>
> It is my understanding that other folding cycles that are similar in
> size and definition to Brompton and Dahon makes will be accepted on
> peak trains.
>
> A folding cycle means one that folds down to roughly the size of a
> briefcase. It will exclude cycles that only fold in the middle for
> loading into the boot of a car.
>
>
> so that's me stuffed again

Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.

...d

 

[Mark Thompson]

> Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.

A rubble bag from B&Q etc should do it - won't snag as much on pedals etc
as a bin bag. In the unlikely event of being asked what is in the bag,
remember to reply "luggage".

 

[MartinM]

Mark Thompson wrote:
> > Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.
>
> A rubble bag from B&Q etc should do it - won't snag as much on pedals etc
> as a bin bag. In the unlikely event of being asked what is in the bag,
> remember to reply "luggage".

I like the bit about briefcase; even a Brompton is about 5 times larger
than a briefcase. Apprently at the Meet the Managers at London Bridge
this morning it was said that the ban would be enforced at the gate not
on the train

 

[Tony Raven]

MartinM wrote:
> Mark Thompson wrote:
>>> Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.
>> A rubble bag from B&Q etc should do it - won't snag as much on pedals etc
>> as a bin bag. In the unlikely event of being asked what is in the bag,
>> remember to reply "luggage".
>
> I like the bit about briefcase; even a Brompton is about 5 times larger
> than a briefcase. Apprently at the Meet the Managers at London Bridge
> this morning it was said that the ban would be enforced at the gate not
> on the train
>

If that's the case at Waterloo, great!. Down into the Underground
section and then pop up via the platform stairs thereby bypassing the
gates ;-)

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

 

[MartinM]

Tony Raven wrote:
> MartinM wrote:
> > Mark Thompson wrote:
> >>> Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.
> >> A rubble bag from B&Q etc should do it - won't snag as much on pedals etc
> >> as a bin bag. In the unlikely event of being asked what is in the bag,
> >> remember to reply "luggage".
> >
> > I like the bit about briefcase; even a Brompton is about 5 times larger
> > than a briefcase. Apprently at the Meet the Managers at London Bridge
> > this morning it was said that the ban would be enforced at the gate not
> > on the train
> >
>
> If that's the case at Waterloo, great!. Down into the Underground
> section and then pop up via the platform stairs thereby bypassing the
> gates ;-)

Waterloo is SWT not Southern, I was lokking at their policy poster at
the weekend, it seems it's OK to bring a bike as long as you live
outside Surrey /GLC.

 

[John Blake]

In message id <[email protected]>
on 15 Dec 2005 11:46:18 -0800, MartinM wrote in uk.rec.cycling :

>
>Mark Thompson wrote:
>> > Stick it into a big bag, then it is luggage rather than a bike.
>>
>> A rubble bag from B&Q etc should do it - won't snag as much on pedals etc
>> as a bin bag. In the unlikely event of being asked what is in the bag,
>> remember to reply "luggage".

If the trains are so effin full who is going to be able to move
through the train inspecting "luggage"?

>I like the bit about briefcase; even a Brompton is about 5 times larger
>than a briefcase. Apprently at the Meet the Managers at London Bridge
>this morning it was said that the ban would be enforced at the gate not
>on the train

As I understand the roolz, bikes on any train departing or arriving at
London / Brighton in the peak hours 0700-1000, 1600-1900 are
prohibited. Gateway enforcement at its simplest means that in these
hours bike will not be allowed into stations.

So, what if you want to travel from one bit of the network to another
without going all the way to Brighton or London? What if you have
been doing this journey for *** years and have had never encountered
overcrowding issues (probably because you live and work in unpopular
areas!)?

You just know what the reaction is going to be.

Roolz iz roolz. You ain't bringing dat ting onto this station until
after 1000 / 1900!

Who told the accountants / civil servants (because one or both of them
though of this) to throw common sense out of the window when devising
these policies?



Or is it just a wheeze to squeeze more cattle into certain trucks?

 

[Mark Thompson]

> Or is it just a wheeze to squeeze more cattle into certain trucks?

Yes. That's exactly their point. On full trains bikes get in the way of
paying customers. On a packed full train I can see their point about sharp
nobbly bits and grease from the chain too. Quite why they don't let the
guard have discretion I'm not sure. Either they tried it and it didn't
work, or they figure hardly anyone is going to be put off by the ban so
don't give a numpties.

Still, the bagging the bike thing is foolproof, so the ban only stops the
unprepared.

 

[MartinM]

Mark Thompson wrote:

> > Or is it just a wheeze to squeeze more cattle into certain trucks?
>
> Yes. That's exactly their point. On full trains bikes get in the way of
> paying customers. On a packed full train I can see their point about sharp
> nobbly bits and grease from the chain too. Quite why they don't let the
> guard have discretion I'm not sure. Either they tried it and it didn't
> work, or they figure hardly anyone is going to be put off by the ban so
> don't give a numpties.
>
> Still, the bagging the bike thing is foolproof, so the ban only stops the
> unprepared.

The bike rack at platform 17 at Victoria was completely full this
morning, presumably riders who left them there on Friday and will
collect them on Monday. It is a dingy dark place at the end of the
platform but has CCTV and Southern say they guarantee security of bikes
left there; one of my companions left his there (not his good one, an
old jalopy). Too much faff for me, by the time you walk down one
platform and back up another and re-attach all the mobile bits might as
well walk or take a folder. I spoke to the guard tday, he said as long
as folders don't block the gangway or doors they can go anywhere.

 

[Tony Raven]

Mark Thompson wrote:
>
> Yes. That's exactly their point. On full trains bikes get in the way of
> paying customers.

So do the luggage racks and the toilets but I don't see them removing
those and banning passengers using them in order to make more room for
more paying customers.

--
Tony

"The best way I know of to win an argument is to start by being in the
right."
- Lord Hailsham

 

[MartinM]

Tony Raven wrote:

> Mark Thompson wrote:
> >
> > Yes. That's exactly their point. On full trains bikes get in the way of
> > paying customers.
>
> So do the luggage racks and the toilets but I don't see them removing
> those and banning passengers using them in order to make more room for
> more paying customers.

according to the guard this morning that is almost exactly what they
are planning; on the new trains for our line (the old ones are at least
18 months old) they are removing about half the seats (technically the
diffference between a 377 and 376)

 

[James Annan]

Tony Raven wrote:

> Mark Thompson wrote:
>
>>
>> Yes. That's exactly their point. On full trains bikes get in the way
>> of paying customers.
>
>
> So do the luggage racks and the toilets but I don't see them removing
> those and banning passengers using them in order to make more room for
> more paying customers.
>

They've taken the seats out of some Japanese trains to make more room
for paying customers. Bikes are legal, if wrapped in a bag.

James
--
James Annan
see web pages for email
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/julesandjames/home/
http://julesandjames.blogspot.com/