 |
| Quieten down! |
BrizCommuter is not a fan of the quiet carriage. Whilst they work well on booked seat long distance trains in Europe, they don't really work well on suburban rail systems, which is why few other commuter systems have bothered to even try. Peak period commuters tend to travel in either a carriage where they can actually get a seat (or in some cases actually get onto the train), or the carriage closest to the exit at their destination station. Having to avoid a quiet carriage just in case you might get a phone call from work/spuse/childcare can be quite a pain in the posterior. Given that 18 passengers in car 2 on BrizCommuter's train this morning were listening to music through headphones, BrizCommuter thinks that QR will have a struggle to make cars 2 and 5 quiet.
BrizCommuter is also concerned about the "quiet carriage police". QR, and Transit officers do not police the quiet carriage. However, many quiet carriages have been observed to be policed by intolerant angry members of the public, shouting (yes, shouting) at anyone making any noise louder than shallow breathing. It is sadly only a matter of time before one of these persons ends up being assaulted. Funnily enough members of the "quiet carriage police" have also been observed getting on trains before passengers have alighted, hogging aisle seats whilst window seats are empty, and taking up seats with their hand bags. Go figure!
Whilst QR promote the moved quiet carriages, and free wi-fi on trains, they are still neglecting the two key requirements of a decent railway - frequent and reliable train services. Commuters are still being kept in the dark about the introduction of the phase 2 timetables. Many commuters (and even some QR staff) are still in the dark about the recent minor Ferny Grove and Cleveland Line changes. There have also been multiple severe service interruptions in the last few months. Do QR need to get their priorities right?
Update 18/04/2012
BrizCommuter accidentally coughed in the quiet carriage this morning, but thankfully didn't get any nasty looks from the "quiet carriage police". Maybe they haven't moved in yet, as they also didn't notice the 14 people listening to music in just the one quiet carriage. Maybe they are trying to be tolerant?Also, the old quiet carriage poster adverting the quiet carriage as being in cars 1 and 6 was still up in car 2, which happens to be the new quiet carriage - doh!
The quiet carriage is usually no quieter than other carriages. QR must be kidding themselves if they think it works!!
ReplyDeleteYour are spot on Briz. The quiet carriage should be renamed the 'rude intolerant angry persons' carriage.
ReplyDeleteFrequent and reliable services are so much more important.
ReplyDeleteI generally sit in carriage 2. I always listen to my iPod. I'm pretty sure it's never very loud, so we will see how we go. Hoping to not encounter any intolerance from my fellow commuters.
What on earth is wrong with choosing to sit in an aisle seat if that is your preference? As long as you may it easy for the next person to sit in the other seat, no problem - first in, first served!
ReplyDeleteI disagree with all of you above. I like the quiet carriage, I think it's great. I think the people who deliverately sit in the quiet carriage and ignore the quiet rules are rude and lack self-control. I wonder how their kids behave.
ReplyDeleteI've been a fan of the quiet carriage since it started. I love that I can (if I chose) step onto a train, open my book and read peacefully the whole way to work (or home). It may be intolerant... but strangely enough, I really don't want to listen to other people's conversations, or music, or children. Having said that, few people have an issue with a quick phone call, or someone listening to an Ipod (that isn't deafening the people around them). So I really fail to see what the issue is here. Perhaps if we stopped treating the carriages like they were our living rooms then a quiet carriage wouldn't have been asked for by commuters in the first place?
ReplyDeleteI love the quiet carriage, and am happy to board the train wherever its convenient to gain access to one. In most cases there are 2 or 4 other carriages for loud mouthed, self inflated, egotists to talk loudly because 'I'm on my mobile' or explain to a child the endless number of stops before they can get off the train. Trains aren't long enough for it to truly be inconvenient to move a long a little if you don't want a quiet ride. I don't expect total silence in a quiet carriage, but I do expect people to keep phone calls short and quiet, and not to be offended if they are asked to turn they're music down. Why do you find it so hard? I run into and out of the city twice a day on the Caboolture line and 90% of the time the quiet carriage is quiet. And full. So I guess I'm not the only one that appreciates the service.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I also like the quiet carriage. I don't always need it but occasionally if I've had a shite day at work it's a good way to get home in relative peace. Sure beats hearing "and like Simone said OMG!! So we were like, oh duh Simone, and like you know, like yeah!" all the way home. hehe damn, I seem to be morphing into a quiet carriage snob :-)
ReplyDeleteI think brizcommuter is being a bit hysterical. Why are people who like peace and quiet "intolerant"? I think it's overdoing it a bit saying if you cough politely people will say something. Calm down there old son. Some of us think the quiet carriages are a good idea, and it's a pity they're not enforced. Who hasn't shared a carriage with inconsiderate loud mouths whose ego and or bad language make the journey unpleasant for everyone? Can't the show-offs and inane gigglers get a LOUD carriage all to themselves? Imagine the fun they'd have outdoing one another. My biggest gripe is with the announcers who put their speakers on full blast, with the blessing of QLD Rail it seems. Is there no volume control? Sometimes these announcements are painfully loud. It's just about encouraging a little consideration for people.
ReplyDeleteGoing by the comments, lots of people are convincing themselves that the quiet carriage works. BrizCommuter rode in the Quiet Carriage this morning (avec correct signage), and there was 1 loud conversation, 2 annoying mobile phone rings (1 rang for more than a minute), and at least 12 passengers with headphones. The quiet carriage doesn't work does it?
ReplyDeleteI would just like to apologise to the commuters on the Beenleigh line on Friday afternoon. I took a group of schoolchildren to Out of the Box and not knowing about quiet carriages and concentrating of getting five year olds onto the train safely didn't see the sign that said Quiet Carriage. Once the lovely lady talking on her mobile phone alerted me to the fact that it was a quiet carriage I tried to keep the children's conversations to a quiet minimum. Please accept my apology if this caused anyone any inconvenience. I can assure you it was totally unintentional.
ReplyDelete