Twins, trains and trouble

I'm an ardent supporter of public transport.  I've commuted by train for years.  I've tried to always be a considerate passenger; I've helped with a fainting passenger, a broken arm and an epileptic fit, and taken the time to assist people when the passenger operators are busy or unhelpful.

When I went back to work, there was no question in my mind that the twins and I would continue to travel by train.  On the train, I could talk to them and feed them, instead of being stuck on the motorway with two potentially screaming babies in the backseat.  After all, every train has a specific wheelchair and pram section - how hard could it be?

Unbelievably hard.

One issue is that the wheelchair and pram section is never at the same end of the train.  If I happen to be at the right end when it arrives, I get on quickly and people work around us.  If I get it wrong, I have to trundle to the other end, and end up standing next to the pushchair for the 50-minute journey, hoping that the twins don't need feeding.

It's not the standing that bothers me, it's the safety aspect.  I don't like blocking the doorways.  I just have no option when the people scattered over the fold-up seats refuse to shuffle up a bit.  I've tried asking, and been met with a variety of responses from blank stares to outright abuse.  I don't ask any more. I've tried asking passenger operators to ask people to move, and been ignored.

So on Thursday night it was with resignation that I saw that most of the seats in the wheelchair section were taken.  True to form, most of the passengers carefully ignored us, though if they had just squeezed up a bit there would have been room to lift a seat up and park the twins.  Instead I put the pushchair in the doorway (carefully working out which door on the express train would not be used until my stop in Papakura) and sat on the floor.  I'd been on the go for 11 hours already, and Finn was awake and fussy.  I sat him on my knee and talked to him to keep him happy and quiet.  I'm well aware that other people don't want to listen to grumpy babies on their way home, so I work damn hard to keep them entertained.

The passenger operator for our carriage, an older Indian man, had been up and down the aisle without comment several times.  Shortly before Manurewa, three-quarters of the way home, Finn got hungry.  I started breastfeeding him, this being what you do with hungry babies.  Suddenly the passenger operator freaked out.  He finally asked the passengers to move, since we could not sit there!  We had to move!  It was for security reasons!  We had to move now! 

I asked him to wait two seconds, as I knew Finn was nearly finished.  The PO pulled the pushchair with Vieve asleep in it away from me and the door, then left it in the middle of the aisle without the brake on, leaving me to try to detach Finn hurriedly and discreetly, stand up on a moving train with a baby on my hip, stop the pushchair rolling away with my foot, lift up a seat and secure it, and park the pushchair.

I was angry, but at least I had a seat, and the bubs were out of the way.  And then the PO CLICKED HIS FINGERS IN MY FACE, stormed past and slammed the carriage door.

Apparently he went to get the train manager, as next thing I had another large angry man in my face.  Who told me I wasn't entitled to be on the train with my children. 

When I challenged him on that, he backtracked to say that I was endangering my children by taking them on the train when there wasn't room, and he would never take HIS kids on the train like that.  (Presumably, if I'm allowed out of the kitchen, I should hang around in town until 8pm when the trains are emptier?)

I pointed out that there's only no room because people won't move.  He told me to ask them to move.  I told him I can't, because they either won't move or I get abused.  At which point he told me not to cry (THIS ISN'T CRYING, THIS IS MY HEAD EXPLODING), then told me to ask a PO to ask them to move.  I told him I've tried that before without luck, and that it shouldn't be MY responsibility to do so.  They have the authority; they should see the issue and resolve it.  His defense was that "some of them are new and they don't know".

Blink.  Blink blink.  Incompetent staff and inadequate training are a defence? 

I'm angry.  I'm so angry.  I'm also too tired to finish this coherently, and I have to be up in six hours.  I guess the moral of the story is:  don't bother trying to travel with Veolia if you have kids. 

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MJ   #1   09:24 am Mar 05 2010

Firstly - I love your blogs, and wish they were more forthcoming - however completely understand why they are not!!!

Secondly - while I may not have to deal with the exact same scenario I can completely agree with the sentiment. I go absolutely wild when I see people who are too damn lazy to move themselves to help others out.

When you have calmed down, write a formal complaint. Make yourself heard, because the staff WILL get the kick up the butt they deserve.

CJ   #2   09:41 am Mar 05 2010

I haven't taken public transport for years now. Simply becuase they are unreliable. I'm angry too; for what you had to go through.

Pinkkie   #3   09:46 am Mar 05 2010

Good on you for sticking to your guns. Peak hour(s) traffic in Auckland is not something to be attacked with babies in the back seat. I probably would have said that without me, a paying commuter he would not have a job and could he please ensure that commuters with needs were assisted, otherwise there might not enought commuters to pay his wage.....

Sam   #4   09:52 am Mar 05 2010

I completely sympathise with your position - and their actions seem to make journeys that should be stress-free completely stressful. Veolia are an absolute disgrace and seem to have no training in place for managing passengers on peak-hour services. It is also disappointing that people wouldn't get out of their seats for you without you having to ask.

Geoff   #5   09:52 am Mar 05 2010

Agree with MJ #1 about the formal written complaint. Aside form the helpfulness to begin with, the guard then put your child in danger (unbraked pushchair), along with moving the pushchair without your permission.

To then have the senior guard (they are not managers of anything) getting in your face is completely unprofessional, especially with trying to make sure that the blame was put on you.

Train travel is difficult enough if you are an "ideal" passenger, let alone having to cart large luggage or children with you.

n   #6   09:54 am Mar 05 2010

What total and complete utter asswipes!!!! Want to be much grouchier but stuff won't publish it then..

That really sucks, amd its horrible but true that more and more people these days just aren't going to help.

And agree with #1 you must have been pretty busy lately, I've been missing your blogs :)

girl   #7   09:54 am Mar 05 2010

This makes me furious!!! I agree with MJ #1 definitely make a formal complaint. What IDIOTS!!! I hope you have a better day today, and your blogs are fantastic.

Melissa   #8   09:55 am Mar 05 2010

Wow. You most definitely have to make a formal complaint about that. It's appalling treatment for anyone, let alone someone trying to deal with two babies!

Alex   #9   09:56 am Mar 05 2010

Maybe I'm making an assumption here, being from Wellington. I don't know if Auckland's the same but our public transport providers have a contract with the Greater Wellington Regional Council (and receive subsidies through rates). They are all required to have a Charter, and one of the things it spells out is customer service and its complaints process.

Make sure you get a copy of Veolia's Charter. You absolutely have a right to complain and be taken seriously. This from their own website: "We take our commitment to customers seriously."

These blokes have NO idea! And the gormless passengers that you had zero help from are no better.

Ester   #10   09:59 am Mar 05 2010

That is DISGUSTING! I use public transport in Wellington daily (have done for 16 years now) and ALWAYS stand up for people who are older, have children, have wheel or pushchairs, or are disabled.

Reading this has made me ashamed to be a NZer- I am appalled at the behaviour not only of the staff (who should be fored on the spot), but of your fellow passengers.

perhaps another sign of the differences between public in Wellington and Auckland, but either way, disappointing and not acceptable.

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