Sick of train driver just passing me

[gypsytrampandthief]

Twice this week the driver "hasn't seen me" (despite today standing as close to the track as is reasonably safe and waving) Yesterday morning he didn't stop and I drove to the next station, passing the train, and got to the platform where he had pulled in for a group of teenage female students going to college. I was so furious I spoke to the ticket inspector and explained that this is the second time the driver has gone right by me. For complete transparency, the first time I was looking at my phone and late to wave, but ffs, why else would anyone be standing on an empty platform at 7.10 in the morning! Yesterday I was 100% looking up and arm out.

AIBU to think that a dumpy middle aged woman is not as "visible" as a teenage student?

Wear nrpn and get a flash lamp? Annoying but hopefully effective.

I had NO IDEA this was a thing (yes, I’ve lived rurally, but not anywhere that has a train service).

Many times as a teenager I’ve had busses fly past me as I’ve been frantically waving from the stop. Never happens to me now that I live in a place where the bus stops at pretty much every stop. I think the invisibility is more from the driver not being used to stopping there as hardly anyone gets on, a lone person being less obvious than a group, poor lighting, not standing out against the colours of the background. I bet it’s quite hard to see a lone person waving in the distance when you approach at some speed - yes, they should be looking hard, but I bet it’s difficult all the same. I think you really need a Hi vis, light, glo stick etc.

I’ll say something else which might blow the mind of urban MNers.

we have some level crossings where members of the pubic have to operate the gates. So you’re driving along, get to a level crossing and the gates are over the road. You have to check there’s not a train coming, open the gates, drive over. Get out again and put the gates back to where they were.

when I was a kid there was one like this but it was padlocked and you had to wait for the man to come out the house next door to do the gates. I remember once waiting at like 2am for him to get out of bed and do it (we had to honk the horn loads).

I can beat the train which goes from my local city to Sheffield, so quite a main route. The road is more direct than the train line which seems to take a very bendy route, I guess because it goes via various towns and villages to the train stations there. It’s a 40 mile journey and quicker by car.

I have been somewhere where it was a request stop in rural Wales,I'd never heard of it before. The combination of the amount of people waiting and sadly the fact that they are young has probably got something to do with the driver stopping.

No, there are still "request" stops at some small stations on branch lines.

Yanbu

Me too and I work for Network Rail!
Never heard of it 😁

I'd guess if your platform is quiet he's not even looking for people. Could you use a torch? Or I wonder if there's such thing as an inflatable stop sign?

I’ve seen request train stops in very rural areas.

I used to live in a place with one of these, not all the trains on that route were scheduled to stop at the station, even when you signalled it. I'm guessing you're using the same time train every day though?

What annoyed me the most was when they'd forgotten you were on the train going home and had asked the conductor to stop at the station, they missed it and I had to get off at the next stop and wait for the next one in the opposite direction. I think they did it 3 times in a row one day, with me going back and forth until I just got a taxi!

Not just you OP! Since becoming an invisible middle-aged woman, I've noticed the same thing at request bus stops. I once ended up walking into the road to stop a bus after waving my arm did nothing to slow it down. The driver shouted at me; I shouted at him that he should stop if someone sticks their arm out. As well as becoming invisible, I've also become capable of shouting at people, when needed, and overall I think I prefer it to being young and worth stopping a bus for :)

Oh and I find it impossible to get served in pubs! I need some inflatable tits with strobe lights.

Wow I learnt a new thing today
some train stations are request stops!!! 😮😮😮

I'd start filming it on your phone. You may have to get creative to film a waving arm and train in the same shot, but every item it happens you can send it in to the train company.

Where can I buy some? Just for everyday wear to the office

Right OP, time for a high vis top and an enormous flag to wave the train down. Failing that, some distress beacons fired in the air should do it?! 😂

Some very small train stations are request stops. I grew up near a couple. You literally flag the train down, like a bus

Yup. This is true at my station.

They do in our village station. They only stop if someone is at the station. The ticket guy onboard scans the tickets and sells them to people who get on.

I've had it twice (definitely not a request stop) where the 5.40am train has driven past me, so I've had to run home get my bike and cycle to the next stop asap and still be late for work (anaesthetist), I complained and just got told it's a shame but they had to make up time as late so didn't (it's only the 3rd stop on the schedule n don't really see how it can be that beyond at crazy morning time!

Have you considered wearing high-vis, op? Waving a flag or setting off flares when you see the train? The driver won't be able to say then that he didn't see you... 🤔

I wouldn't advise waving anything red or a red light. That will annoy the driver as he will think there is an emergency.

Get an orange high viz vest the same as railway workers wear.

when I was a kid there was one like this but it was padlocked and you had to wait for the man to come out the house next door to do the gates. I remember once waiting at like 2am for him to get out of bed and do it (we had to honk the horn loads)

Same but the other way around. The gates were set at open, and he had to come out and close them when there was a train coming. Some of them freight trains so all through the night. What a responsibility!!

I used to live in Devon, several stop were request stops!

Not if the train doesn’t stop and you’re stressed out about it! I’d be taking my car to work!