Tube protocol AIBU

[Urubu]

What do you do when you touch your contactless travel card/bank card on the reader and the light turns red for an unknown reason?
I wait for the 5-10secs it takes to turn orange again before touching again - and it always works.

Well this morning the woman following me started yelling at me "what are you going to do? Just stand there?"
I answered "yes, I am, what exactly where you going to do? Wait for the light to turn orange exactly as I am doing??"

But am I missing something and WIBU?

[confusednotcom2]

YANBU perhaps TFL need to issue a handbook. stick to the correct side, let others off tube first, don’t get off tube & stand there, move to the wall, etc.

[chatwoo]

you mean if the tapping on/off doesn't work? Yes I would just try again - there's a delay but tough sh*t - it's not like it's deliberate!

[Hassled]

You weren't BU but people (me) lose all sense of reason going through tube turnstiles. I seem to change personality in my bid to get through them as fast as humanly possible and with no regard for anyone else whatsoever. I've got to sort it out. I wasn't the woman behind you, btw, but I know I could have been.

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

Try again one more time is OK, but if there’s a problem after that step away and find a member of staff.

[Scribblegirl]

Ugh the tube really does bring out the worst in people. I always take a big step back and try again as I know the sensors sometimes won't let you touch in if you're too close to the gate. I've been yelled at by people before when I've taken the step back because they were charging up my arse and I'm always terribly smug when it works perfectly

[confusednotcom2]

I take great pleasure when I pause, step back & go through & then somebody rushes & the barriers close on them. her hee

[confusednotcom2]

or hee hee even

[frieda909]

YANBU. I think the etiquette is that you try one more time and then you go get help if it still doesn’t work. I only start to get ragey when the person stands there open mouthed trying it again and again (I may have snapped ‘SEEK ASSISTANCE!!!’ at someone more than once in my life )

I am actually on the tube right now as I type this and I feel the same as Hassled. I’m so polite and pleasant (I think) the rest of the time but the tube turns me into a compete and utter cow. Just a few minutes ago I nearly lost it at some woman who was impatiently trying to get off the tube at a very busy stop. I had just moved to one side to allow a group of people off, and she was huffing and puffing because she couldn’t ger past me. Unless you want me to somehow cling to the ceiling then you just have to wait, I can’t physically move both left and right at the same time!

[Vibe2018]

I understand people feeling frustrated at rush-hour but you should try to control yourself a bit.

Other passengers might have reasons why they are not behaving as you expect - like my son who has autism or my MIL who has the early stages of dementia.

[Winterfellismyhome]

I see this every morning (tube staff). The thing i say the most is "step back and try again" depending on the code thats come up. But yeah a lot of people need to relax

[Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar]

You don't need to seek assistance when the light is red. It'll change to orange within a couple of seconds. Some people are just rude idiots who assume their time is so much more valuable than yours.

[TheClacksAreDown]

5-10 seconds doesn’t sound like much but it is quite a lot when you’re at a busy station with lots of people trying to get through. It might be obvious to you why you’re waiting but not to them.

[Urubu]

Hassled I totally understand being irrationally annoyed when taking the tube - it happens to me as well!
But I don't say anything, I just boil inside, and I think most people do that, which is why I was surprised by her reaction.

And yes I only tried a second time - and it worked - but agree that if it fails the second time you should step out.

[confusednotcom2]

Winterfellismyhome

Do you witness a lot of argy bargy? Thankfully I hardly have to get the tube these days but Im always suprised at how wound up people get, it’s really not worth it.

I’ve seen a few rucks in my time, although more so in my youth. One of the more memorable ones featured 2 ladies & an umbrella dripping water. The umbrella wielding one started issuing death threats (not sure how it escalated so quickly) & the other lady just socked her & strolled off. Moral of the story don’t allow your umbrella to drip on others & threaten to kill them unless your Jean Claude Van Damme!

[coffeeforone]

Yes it’s called completely reasonable and normal to try one more time and everyone does this (fully expecting to annoy the person behind, especially IF the second time doesn’t work!)

[confusednotcom2]

It might be obvious to you why you’re waiting but not to them

True but use your noggin (not you personally). The OP didn’t wake up, inflict the morning rush hour on herself simply to play a game of statutes at the ticket barrier.

[Chattette1]

I would try again but wouldn't wait 5-10 seconds that's ages during the rush hour! Usually I'd immediately try again and hen move aside if it didn't work because then a staff member would let me through another gate and there's always a build up of people waiting behind.

[FluffyWuffy100]

Convention is you get two goes and then you need to get out of the way.

It doesn’t take 5-10 secs tho - step back slightly and it only takes about 2 secs to be ready again.

[icedgem85]

You need to step back. I'm guessing you're standing too close to the gate and have blocked the sensor. It doesn't ever take 10 seconds to go back to orange either - unless you're blocking it. Next time, step back and try again. If it stays red after 2 secs, try another gate or ask someone.

[Winterfellismyhome]

@confusednotcom2 not too much really. someone will usually just comment something and walk off. I did break up a fight and old street once because someone had pushed in the queue

[lidoshuffle]

I fainted standing on a packed rush hour tube once and people were so kind, in that invisible British way.

I came to and was on a seat. My handbag and briefcase on my lap, someone else behind was quietly fanning me with a paper, invisible hands helped my off with my coat. And recovered, I was standing on the escalator a man walked up past me and said he hoped I was feeling better.

People are good hearted really, even on the tube!

[confusednotcom2]

Winterfellismyhome

Good to hear, I either have bad luck or frequent less salubrious stations.

[justilou1]

Tap it on her forehead and use the shocked silence to tap it on the doohickey again. Then when it turns orange, say "You fixed it! Thanks!" (Then saunter off into the sunset)

[Whisperingwinds]

justilou1 :grin:

[Whisperingwinds]

ffs even