d wrote:

shouldn't there be some sort of bylaw for not wearing huge rucksacks to
deal with these sorts of idiots who seem to think they're still trecking
in nepal even when squashed on the victoria line?

Agreed. But I'd just like to point out that some of us who are disabled need
to use normal-sized rucksacks (daypacks) on public transport. While we can
(and should) take care not to bump other people, it's best if those other
people don't try to push past us as it can easily cause injury.

I've lost count of the number of people I've come across (both on and off of
public transport) who can't even *see* the rucksack , let alone walking
sticks and crutches, when they're walking straight towards it. A single bump
can feel like a knife going in...

--
Mochilero

On 30 July, 19:17, Tom Anderson wrote:

This is the problem. I have a friend who suffers from this disability. He
sometimes carries a unicycle on his back. It really beggars belief, but i
think it really is the case that some people just have very poor spatial
awareness.

tom

Am I the only one who pondered what sort of disability your friend has
but can still ride a unicycle ? Whoooosh.

Being rotund, I make a fine siight with a rucksack, I usually have a
small but always full one with me (NO NOT FOOD) and am always aware
that I take up the space of three (Belly / me / bag) when wearing it,
so remove it prior to entering buses, tubes and trains and carry it.

I have encountered the problem on the Vic and TBH I think the only
answer is that the Status Quo will apply. People off of overnight
planes and long distance coaches have little interest in spacial
awareness (I agree they should). The only spacial thing most of them
understand is the state of space they have been rendered in the recent
past.

Richard

On 2010-07-30, Ian Jelf wrote:
In message , Eric
writes
On 2010-07-30, Tom Anderson wrote:
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010, d wrote:

I had to use the tube today and had the pleasure of some eejit wearing a
rucksack in front of me constantly swivelling it about and bumping me.
Happily I managed to get my own back when I got off the train by just
shoving past their rucksack and almost knocking them over but shouldn't
there be some sort of bylaw for not wearing huge rucksacks to deal with
these sorts of idiots who seem to think they're still trecking in nepal
even when squashed on the victoria line?

Yes, there should. Also people who roll their little rolly cases in the
tube passageways,

And people who walk down the middle of a passageway, occupying the whole
thing, at a speed slower than intended by anyone else. Admittedly this
only applies to wide people and narrow passages, but this is London, and
that is a frequent combination.

Do we in fact need a taxonomy of intolerable underground behaviour?


Perhaps, but not yours. I have removed a lot of your list, but what's
left is pretty much equivalent to saying that people with disabilities
should stay home and keep out of your way.

Er, that's one heck of a jump of reasoning from what Tom actually wrote!

Not given considerable experience of abusive and threatening behaviour
from people who disapprove of these actions when in fact our choice is
between doing that and never going anywhere. Not to say that Tom would
be abusive and threatening, but enough people are to make me somewhat
bitter about it all.

My basic point is that unless you have had some sort of mobility problem
you tend to think that the tolerance and helpfulness of the world at
large is much greater than it actually is.

E.

On 30/07/2010 21:16, Paul Corfield wrote:
On Fri, 30 Jul 2010 19:14:42 +0100, Tom
wrote:

On Fri, 30 Jul 2010, d wrote:

I had to use the tube today and had the pleasure of some eejit wearing a
rucksack in front of me constantly swivelling it about and bumping me.
Happily I managed to get my own back when I got off the train by just
shoving past their rucksack and almost knocking them over but shouldn't
there be some sort of bylaw for not wearing huge rucksacks to deal with
these sorts of idiots who seem to think they're still trecking in nepal
even when squashed on the victoria line?

Well it is the holiday season. This year is nowhere near as bad as
previous years for rucksackitis. I used Victoria tube at lunchtime
earlier this week - it was complete mayhem with so many visitors just
not knowing where to go or what to do. The queue for tickets was
enormous at the ticket office and the machines - a real surprise even
though it is one of the busiest stations.

Yes, there should. Also people who roll their little rolly cases in the
tube passageways, and people who think that just having stepped off a
train is the right time to put their bag down and fiddle with it.

Oh yes. It's the handbags (not cases) on wheels that stagger me. What
can you be carrying in a handbag that is so heavy that you need wheeled
assistance?

And also people who only start retrieving their ticket when they get to a
gate.

And people who think right in front of an entrance or the foot of an
escalator is the right place to stand in groups of a dozen and discuss
where to go.

And people who walk down the middle of a passageway, occupying the whole
thing, at a speed slower than intended by anyone else. Admittedly this
only applies to wide people and narrow passages, but this is London, and
that is a frequent combination.

You (and others) have mentioned most of my pet hates. A recent annoyance
is people managing to combine standing at the edge of a platform, the
middle of the platform and the back plus littering it with bags,
standing in groups and also obstructing the entrance to the platform
[1]. This is a speciality of the westbound District Line at Victoria -
an absolute shambles. None of the people have any clue that in
combination they have effectively prevented all movement on the platform
or that people might just want to get past.deep breath& sigh I
hate to say it but one day there will be an accident as a result of
this.

[1] note this is not the height of the rush hour when I accept platforms
can get completely packed out with people but at least they "know the
drill".

What really annoys me are people who stop just before getting on an
escalator. They to put both feet on one of the plates and will hesitate,
rather than just stepping on.

wrote in message news:9kH4o.6$Mh1.2@hurricane...

What really annoys me are people who stop just before getting on an
escalator. They to put both feet on one of the plates and will hesitate,
rather than just stepping on.

That's exactly where the uninitiated first become aware that they should be
carrying a dog. It's hardly surprising they hesitate...

:-)

Paul S

Some of us - those with mobility problems, for instance - have no
choice but to use a packpack.

I use a crutch, and need my other arm free to hold on to moving buses,
Underground cars etc. But 2-3 times a week I also have to carry my 'gym
kit' for physio sessions in addition to day to day items. Here's
yesterday's load:

packed lunch, 2 apples, 50cl water

2 business files, notebook and A4 pad

laptop and compact camera

shorts, T-shirt and toiletries

... all of which were either essential or (deodorant, toothpaste)
highly desirable

If the train is standing at a platform, and space & time permits, I
hand-carry the bag on board, but that's not feasible if I need my spare
hand to grab a rail and "hold tight" as bus conductors of old would
call.

But reboarding [if that's the phrase] a Circle line train at Edgware
Road yesterday I was taken aback to see a woman accompanying what I
assume was a picture or print of some sort - a size I can only describe
as "bigger than A0 - more than half a door" It blocked off both her
seat and the next two down the car.

Several passengers asked her to move it, with varying degrees of
politeness. All to no avail - a shrug was her only response until
another 20-something woman told her brusquely "stand it up - or walk
home and let more intelligent people have a seat".
--
Writer / editor on London's River

wrote in message
...
I had to use the tube today and had the pleasure of some eejit wearing a
rucksack in front of me constantly swivelling it about and bumping me.
Happily I managed to get my own back when I got off the train by just
shoving
past their rucksack and almost knocking them over but shouldn't there be
some sort of bylaw for not wearing huge rucksacks to deal with these sorts
of
idiots who seem to think they're still trecking in nepal even when
squashed
on the victoria line?

Some of us HAVE been trekking in Nepal.

Get over it.

:-)

--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."
www.imagebus.co.uk/shop

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 08:51:35 on Fri, 30 Jul
2010, d remarked:
I had to use the tube today and had the pleasure of some eejit wearing a
rucksack in front of me constantly swivelling it about and bumping me.

I had someone like that bumping me every few minutes on a
full-and-standing Cambridge train one morning. And the wearer almost got
violent when I politely (no, really) asked him to stop it.

Rucksack wearers generally have no concept of their "rear facing" personal
space.

Personally, I am always equipped with flashing indicators and reversing
lights when so encumbered, not to mention my bodies audible warning system
(eg, "out of the way, fatty, I'm coming through!"

--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."
www.imagebus.co.uk/shop

"Mizter T" wrote in message
...

On Jul 30, 9:51 am, wrote:
I had to use the tube today and had the pleasure of some eejit wearing a
rucksack in front of me constantly swivelling it about and bumping me.
Happily I managed to get my own back when I got off the train by just
shoving
past their rucksack and almost knocking them over but shouldn't there be
some sort of bylaw for not wearing huge rucksacks to deal with these sorts
of
idiots who seem to think they're still trecking in nepal even when
squashed
on the victoria line?

I had this happen twice recently, and politely spoke to both of the
rucksack wearers. The first was a girl from up north who was very
apologetic

See, they don't have trains oop north...

--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."
www.imagebus.co.uk/shop

"Tom Anderson" wrote in message
rth.li...

First person to mention people using escalators while not carrying a dog
gets a kicking.

I thought they all got out at Barking?

--
Brian
"Fight like the Devil, die like a gentleman."
www.imagebus.co.uk/shop