In
light of too much work and a distinct lack of time, here is a
collage... Keep the pictures coming and I will endeavour to add new ones
as often as poss. Imagine how big this will be by the end of the year.
Thursday, 12 April 2012
The Montage of Misery
Monday, 9 April 2012
@My6Percent 4 @SW_Trains
I have always liked the social side of the Internet, ever since I first played Doom online at a (significantly richer) friend's house. And ever since the days of chat rooms and the early message boards, there has been abuse. It seemed alright when it was just us saddo's (I was only interested in chatting about mid 90's Neighbours) who sat there being abused by faceless humans.
But now chat rooms are not just for the indoor types. They're for the outdoor types, the cool types, the mature types and even the Royal types. There is a certain type of rage used by people online. It is harsh and cruel and immediate. Yet, if you met face to face with these humans, they'd, in the main, be perfectly reasonable.
As much as I feel aggrieved by the service of South West Trains and believe me, I do. I'm also painfully aware that running their twitter account, as the WICC do, must be tough. So I don't begrudge them a little nibble at me if I point out things they don't want to hear. When the C bomb has been dropped on you on a daily basis (not by me although I've wanted to), you're going to feel monked off.
So @SW_Trains keep going! When the service is good and you're not spending your day apologising for all the delays, I guarantee the social universe will be more kind.
Cuppa tea?
As much as I feel aggrieved by the service of South West Trains and believe me, I do. I'm also painfully aware that running their twitter account, as the WICC do, must be tough. So I don't begrudge them a little nibble at me if I point out things they don't want to hear. When the C bomb has been dropped on you on a daily basis (not by me although I've wanted to), you're going to feel monked off.
So @SW_Trains keep going! When the service is good and you're not spending your day apologising for all the delays, I guarantee the social universe will be more kind.
Cuppa tea?
Sunday, 8 April 2012
A little light train time reading
You know when you discover something completely new to you and then start noticing it everywhere you go? I'm a bit like that with coffee. Having never drunk it before about two months ago (and subsequently becoming a regular one shot latte fan) I now find myself fascinated by the fact that so many people are carrying those polystyrene cups of wake-uppy goodness everywhere they go.
For me, the same could be said for South West Trains. Up until a year ago, my only dalliances with them were on an occasional basis. Whilst I always found cause to moan, it was so infrequent, that I didn't bother to take the time to investigate. Plus I'm not naturally inquisitive, so unless something really motivates me, I cannot be arsed to think about it too deeply.
I've found myself over the past couple of weeks idly googling "South West Trains". There are, it transpires, a hell of a lot of people disgruntled enough to make blogs like this or write articles in newspapers, publish court cases involving SWT, hell, even the government are talking about them right now.
Below is a list of a few of those 'hits' from the first twenty pages of Google... Enjoy!
From the famous South West Trains escapees story in June 2011
If the writer of this happens to chance upon me. Please get in touch!
Someone far more articulate than I!
Finally understand the 450 issue a bit better
Disability issues on South West Trains... Not something new
Old, but still rather intriguing
Tuesday, 3 April 2012
Monday, 2 April 2012
Beyond just a sh*t service
Today like many of you, I read this blog about a disabled chap who was insulted, lied to and demeaned in a way you would think could not possibly be true.
http://geoffholt.com/2012/04/south-west-trains-disability-discrimination-shame/
Turns out the twitter team behind @SW_Trains were also alerted to this. Their initial response was:
Now, maybe I am being naive, but if I were the PR/Marketing rep for a big company like South West Trains, I would read that and think 'God, we must respond to this immediately and we must make sure we investigate properly'.
But no, #SWTrains did not initially alter their behaviour from the every day complaints we make about service.
Read that article again, then read their response. Sickening isn't it?
http://geoffholt.com/2012/04/south-west-trains-disability-discrimination-shame/
Turns out the twitter team behind @SW_Trains were also alerted to this. Their initial response was:
Now, maybe I am being naive, but if I were the PR/Marketing rep for a big company like South West Trains, I would read that and think 'God, we must respond to this immediately and we must make sure we investigate properly'.
But no, #SWTrains did not initially alter their behaviour from the every day complaints we make about service.
Read that article again, then read their response. Sickening isn't it?
Comfortably numb
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote directly to South West Trains. Firstly to the marketing manager (and CC'd in the dear MD, Tim Shoveller) and then secondly, I emailed her exec (and CC'd in the dear MD, Tim Shoveller). Originally I posted it on my blog. Then thought I'd give them a chance to respond and took it down. As I had no reply, I am putting back up the content of the message.
If you haven't time to read all the way through, or your mobile is loading rather slowly (after all, there is no WiFi on South West Trains!), it was a tale about a lady who was being taken to court by #SWTrains for a seemingly minor error (a mistake, rather than a deliberate evasion).
The email is below, should you be curious:
Dear Blah,
I hope you do not mind me emailing you directly, I just felt, as the the marketing representative for South West Trains, this might interest you.
There are many issues with the trains service that I would love to discuss with you, but will stick with the most pressing matter:
A court summons, recieved by the wife of one of my twitter followers, from the evidence, appears to be completely unjust. It would seem there are a number of holes in the case. For you though I suppose, the potentially bad PR could be damaging as the woman was heavily pregnant at the time, had an Oyster card with money on it, is an American actress (famous enough to be in Vogue) with English husband and the ticket inspector provided a lot of misinformation.
I want to know whether, with your help, we can get this case settled without incident. Firstly, to allow a perfectly decent couple to get on with their lives without something like this hanging over them. Secondly, so that the local press don't get wind of the fact that something with emotive undertones has occurred on your train service, which is already recieving something of a bashing from news and commuters alike.
If you tell me to write in via your site, I'm afraid, I won't. I want help, not an automated form to fill in. Please understand that I don't stand to gain anything through helping with this, but I am determined that a wrong should be righted.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Kind Regards to you on this beautiful Thursday afternoon,
My6Percent
I hope you do not mind me emailing you directly, I just felt, as the the marketing representative for South West Trains, this might interest you.
There are many issues with the trains service that I would love to discuss with you, but will stick with the most pressing matter:
A court summons, recieved by the wife of one of my twitter followers, from the evidence, appears to be completely unjust. It would seem there are a number of holes in the case. For you though I suppose, the potentially bad PR could be damaging as the woman was heavily pregnant at the time, had an Oyster card with money on it, is an American actress (famous enough to be in Vogue) with English husband and the ticket inspector provided a lot of misinformation.
I want to know whether, with your help, we can get this case settled without incident. Firstly, to allow a perfectly decent couple to get on with their lives without something like this hanging over them. Secondly, so that the local press don't get wind of the fact that something with emotive undertones has occurred on your train service, which is already recieving something of a bashing from news and commuters alike.
If you tell me to write in via your site, I'm afraid, I won't. I want help, not an automated form to fill in. Please understand that I don't stand to gain anything through helping with this, but I am determined that a wrong should be righted.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Kind Regards to you on this beautiful Thursday afternoon,
My6Percent
Sunday, 1 April 2012
Your suburban rail network needs YOU
Ah a bit of peace at the end of the week and I'm busy doing, what I'm now referring to as, "my second job": Being @my6percent.
To anyone reading this for the first time, this whole blog is an open vent to South West Trains senior management. I'm no Union leader, or even particularly politically motivated. I am simply someone who has to commute every single weekday, who thought the 6% increase in fares on January 1st, was just a step too far from a company who offer so little.
From the first quarter of the year. Nearly 25% of all my journeys have been either delayed (by 5 minutes or more) or cancelled. Which is quite something, when you think about that in the context of a working week. Every 2 days, there is a delay or cancellation.
Like everyone else I am completely fed up with it. It's stressful enough commuting, without having to worry about being severely delayed every other day.
My father asked me recently what I wanted to achieve by setting @my6percent up. It is simple really. I want South West Trains to stop taking the piss. If my service is bad, you reimburse me properly, don't offer me some token gesture. If I communicate with your twitter account, I expect it to be without sarcasm. If you offer me an opportunity to ask your MD questions online, I expect him to not ignore my questions and offer an honest answer.
To anyone reading this, thank you. It has been great getting to know you all and some of the tweets I get are either really maddening or hilarious. Sometimes both. I will continue to endeavour to spread the word and hopefully one day we can all look back and go "God. Wasn't it so worth NOT accepting that shit service".
To anyone reading this for the first time, this whole blog is an open vent to South West Trains senior management. I'm no Union leader, or even particularly politically motivated. I am simply someone who has to commute every single weekday, who thought the 6% increase in fares on January 1st, was just a step too far from a company who offer so little.
From the first quarter of the year. Nearly 25% of all my journeys have been either delayed (by 5 minutes or more) or cancelled. Which is quite something, when you think about that in the context of a working week. Every 2 days, there is a delay or cancellation.
Like everyone else I am completely fed up with it. It's stressful enough commuting, without having to worry about being severely delayed every other day.
My father asked me recently what I wanted to achieve by setting @my6percent up. It is simple really. I want South West Trains to stop taking the piss. If my service is bad, you reimburse me properly, don't offer me some token gesture. If I communicate with your twitter account, I expect it to be without sarcasm. If you offer me an opportunity to ask your MD questions online, I expect him to not ignore my questions and offer an honest answer.
To anyone reading this, thank you. It has been great getting to know you all and some of the tweets I get are either really maddening or hilarious. Sometimes both. I will continue to endeavour to spread the word and hopefully one day we can all look back and go "God. Wasn't it so worth NOT accepting that shit service".
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