Southeastern train disruption (franchise to be taken over by Govt p191)

Could cause a few problems....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39609977

Charing Cross is fucked.

Managed to get on the only train out of the station within a 40 minute gap and by the time it got to London Bridge the platform staff were the ones bangin on windows to tell already crammed passengers to move down like cattle.

Every single one of their staff is vermin.

I know I keep going on about this and I'm only venting but I feel the need to shout. It's the 22nd of May AND THE FU####G HEATING IS ON!!!!!!!!! I've complained before and didn't get so much as an acknowledgment. Anyone got any idea what you have to do to get through to these arseholes?

Sillybilly said:

I know I keep going on about this and I'm only venting but I feel the need to shout. It's the 22nd of May AND THE FU####G HEATING IS ON!!!!!!!!! I've complained before and didn't get so much as an acknowledgment. Anyone got any idea what you have to do to get through to these arseholes?

I have gone out my way to have a word with the driver before but long time ago. Can't remember if he ignored me or referred me to customer complaints or suchlike.

WSS said:

Drivers don't control the heating apparently

They do on some new trains. They can even turn off heating in individual coaches. I'm not sure about Southeastern trains but that's certainly the case with the new Great Northern trains that run from London to Peterborough and Cambridge.

South eastern trains are the worst for this. 6 months of the year heating on full blast 6 months heating off. Literally switches over on a day..

And my trains were the worst. Not the new ones where the air conditioning actually worked but not the old ones where the windows open. So windows bolted shut but air con with the puffing power of a dead ant. I genuinely nearly fainted when I didn't get a seat on a hot crowded train last year. Nearly blacked out and had to sit down. Turns out I was suffering from glandular fever but still dangerous.

Oh I can't wait till I return to work in August! That 50 min (lol you mean an hour and 15) train journey packed in like cattle! That's my reward for working bloody hard at uni this year...

Alwaysneil said:

Lucky to have a job you whippersnapper

Millenials...

Alwaysneil said:

Lucky to have a job you whippersnapper

You're not wrong. It's scary the number of friends I have leaving uni this year with good degrees in a proper subject (like econonics) some with a masters and yet can't get a job. I'm lucky coz I did a years experience so had the massive CV boost (and the inside line in how to beat their ridiculous recruitment process).

cantersaddick said:

Oh_Yoni_Boy said:

Oh_Yoni_Boy said:

Will soften the blow though when I know that @cantersaddick has joined that party.

Not just yet! I have 2 and a bit months of sunning myself and drinking myself silly first!

Dammit.

Alwaysneil said:

cantersaddick said:

Alwaysneil said:

Lucky to have a job you whippersnapper

You're not wrong. It's scary the number of friends I have leaving uni this year with good degrees in a proper subject (like econonics) some with a masters and yet can't get a job. I'm lucky coz I did a years experience so had the massive CV boost (and the inside line in how to beat their ridiculous recruitment process).

Think you've let yourself down slightly there by describing economics as 'a proper subject'.

In comparison with say engineering, some maths degrees, physics, some management degrees and even some golf course management degrees, economics can be a theoretical degree with no real basis to suggest the theory can translate into the real world

I did thin sandwich degree with 5 months study 5 months work for the first 3 years and a 'full' academic year at the end.

No doubt for me that I came out much more employable after this than a straight 'academic' degree.

Alwaysneil said:

Would also say that degrees are fine but for many people a decent apprenticeship with an option to do more theoretical learning would be better

Haha what you got against economics eh?

Yes it's very theoretical and not much of it translates into the real world. It's widely seen by employers as a good degree. Transferable skills are good, knowledge of current affairs better than pretty much any other degree course. Undertanding of finance, markets, money and banking better than most. It's a good degree that gives a good foundation but is general enough to allow you career options.

Very much agree with you on degrees vs apprenticeships. It should very much be based on what suits the individual and that's where a lot of people are going wrong. There are some really good school leavers programmes out there that off training to the equivalent of a degree and good progression over 5 years. I almost took one.

Oh_Yoni_Boy said:

Typed out a response about how I rate economics as a subject, and then realised that the thread was getting derailed.

Where's the misery at.

Here you go: http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/15298083.Fares_on_Southeastern_services_are_about_to_go_up/

A spokesman for Southeastern said: “We understand no one wants to pay more for their journey, which is why we’ve frozen some of our fares for the past three years. But like any business, we sometimes need to adjust our prices. When this happens we always try to keep any increases to a minimum.

It's true, sometimes business do need to adjust their prices. However, when my local restaurant puts its menu price by 10% I don't mind so much, because I haven't spent the last 15 years paying through the nose for shit food and shit service in an already over-priced restaurant which is baking in summer, freezing in winter and hideously overcrowded to the point where I have to share a 2-person table with 8 other people. Also, my local restaurant tends to stick to its published opening hours, rather than deciding at short notice that they can't be bothered to open because the weather's too hot/cold/sunny/wet/mild, and has never told me that I can't have my meal after all as a result of displaced waitresses or congestion in the kitchen area.

To put it another way, Mr South Eastern Spokesman, f%*k off you c$#t.

iainment said:

If your journey is 10 miles or less and you're reasonably fit or able to become reasonably fit you should cycle.

Way less stress. Costs less. You get fit or fitter. No brainer to me.

I used to cycle to work but then I found out I valued my life at more than the cost of a train ticket.

MrLargo said:

iainment said:

If your journey is 10 miles or less and you're reasonably fit or able to become reasonably fit you should cycle.

Way less stress. Costs less. You get fit or fitter. No brainer to me.

You cycled along the Old Kent Road or round central London in rush hour? Did it for 6 months - buses, lorries, idiot road rage drivers. No fun at all, and certainly not stress free. Fair play to those that do it, not for me though. At least I feel safe when I'm squashed against the window on a stationary train an hour after I should have arrived at work.

Agree to a point that cycling is better - but depends massively on your route and work facilities, cycling from Charlton the length of the A2 and some to Vauxhall made me dislike cycling. Constantly on edge, people driving like morons and lemming face-in-phone pedestrians. If I had to turn 'right' at New Cross to head towards the City I can only imagine it gets even worse.

Also rain in winter and the wind across Blackheath are total 'nopes' from me. Not forgetting coming home up Blackheath Hill with 35mins or so pollution rattling around the lungs... that was all too much like hard work every day. Has to be really bad to choose Southeastern, just wasn't for me. Prefer to cycle for fun... commute for *opposite of fun*.