Woking to Heathrow
 

e27002 aurora wrote:
On Mon, 3 Apr 2017 09:04:24 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:



"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Apr 2017 01:15:45 +0100, Graham Nye
wrote:

On 2017-04-01 11:07, e27002 aurora wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

OK, so I have had it with the Woking RailAir coach link. I need an
alternative means of reaching the airport. Train from the South Coast
to Woking is fine. But what are the alternatives for reaching the
airport?

Starting from the Portsmouth area.

The national rail journey planner suggests a number of options - Waterloo,
Paddington, Heathrow or Southampton, Reading, the other railair coach.

If you're going to do part of the journey by coach you could do the whole
journey by National Express - half an hour longer but a quarter of the
rail price. That's what I do from the West Country rather than messing
around at Reading.

(Travelling off-peak from Portsmouth Harbour seems to save a whole 3%
off the anytime fare. How generous.)

Using Portsmouth Harbour would mean travelling in the opposite
direction, probably be rail! But that one might be doable.

The sanest suggestion is to travel to Waterloo, then taxi to
Paddington, then Heathrow Express.

why would you get a taxi from Waterloo to Padd when there's a direct tube
line?

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)


On my most recent long haul trip, I had two wheelie suitcases, a
medium-sized backpack and a shoulder bag. I got all the way home from
Heathrow using public transport, but wasn't popular getting that lot off a
packed bus!

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 15:58:25
on Sun, 2 Apr 2017, remarked:
https://www.uber.com/en-GB/drive/lon...-requirements/

The main complaint is that they don't (do much checking). And
reportedly the problem with insurance is they don't track
cancellations

I'm not even sure there's a mechanism for that even if they wanted
to

They could do spot checks on the drivers, say once a month on
averagefor each, and blacklist the ones without insurance.

I think you mean take them to court to get 6 points on their licence?

No, but the licensing authorities and police are.

Why would Uber snitch on their customers (and make no mistake, Uber's
customers are the drivers, passengers are the customers of the
drivers).

Because the consequences of them being found out covering up such illegality
will have far more serious consequences for their business than jettisoning
the odd driver or two.

Let's get them doing the regular checks first. One step at a time!

--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 09:03:02 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
tim... remarked:

I just thought that doing that for 10,000 drivers, once a month (say)
was going to be too much aggro for both parties

If you're running a billion-dollar business, you shouldn't just turn
your back on the costs of doing that business.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 09:21:10 on
Mon, 3 Apr 2017, e27002 aurora remarked:

As an aside, the events of that evening showed the value of having a
guard on board. Apparently, the driver went into shock. The card
called the BTP, and Network Rail. He saw that the driver was given
tea and comfort. As we lost heating and the lighting the guard dealt
with a sick passenger and a lady going into labour. The issue of the
role of guards needs careful attention before they are eliminated.

Now that almost everyone has a mobile phone passengers can call for an
ambulance for a lady going into labour. And if they are miles from a
station, that's what air ambulances are for.

The balance here is between the cost of guards on every train, every
day, the cost of sending an air ambulance to a scene like that about
once a month in the whole country.

In any event, many trains will still have a second member of staff on
board, to check tickets. It's just that they won't have the power to
close the doors, and have "guard - I'm paid twice as much" on the name
badge.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
15:58:25 on Sun, 2 Apr 2017, remarked:
https://www.uber.com/en-GB/drive/lon...-requirements/

The main complaint is that they don't (do much checking). And
reportedly the problem with insurance is they don't track
cancellations

I'm not even sure there's a mechanism for that even if they
wanted to

They could do spot checks on the drivers, say once a month on
averagefor each, and blacklist the ones without insurance.

I think you mean take them to court to get 6 points on their
licence?

No, but the licensing authorities and police are.

Why would Uber snitch on their customers (and make no mistake, Uber's
customers are the drivers, passengers are the customers of the
drivers).

Because the consequences of them being found out covering up such
illegality will have far more serious consequences for their business
than jettisoning the odd driver or two.

Let's get them doing the regular checks first. One step at a time!

My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes lack-of-insurance
offences.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 09:03:02 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
tim... remarked:

I just thought that doing that for 10,000 drivers, once a month (say) was
going to be too much aggro for both parties

If you're running a billion-dollar business, you shouldn't just turn your
back on the costs of doing that business.

but they are a technology business, they aren't a transport operator

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

On 03/04/17 10:15, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:21:10 on
Mon, 3 Apr 2017, e27002 aurora remarked:

As an aside, the events of that evening showed the value of having a
guard on board. Apparently, the driver went into shock. The card
called the BTP, and Network Rail. He saw that the driver was given
tea and comfort. As we lost heating and the lighting the guard dealt
with a sick passenger and a lady going into labour. The issue of the
role of guards needs careful attention before they are eliminated.

Now that almost everyone has a mobile phone passengers can call for an
ambulance for a lady going into labour. And if they are miles from a
station, that's what air ambulances are for.

The balance here is between the cost of guards on every train, every
day, the cost of sending an air ambulance to a scene like that about
once a month in the whole country.

In any event, many trains will still have a second member of staff on
board, to check tickets. It's just that they won't have the power to
close the doors, and have "guard - I'm paid twice as much" on the name
badge.
But some lines (and tunnels) don't have mobile coverage.

I travelled between Cardiff and Netley on Wednesday and Thursday and at
least 20% of that route has absolutely no mobile coverage but
fortunately still has a guard.

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

I just pray that the the new orders are not DOO Faraday screens.

Woking to Heathrow
 

"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 3 Apr 2017 09:04:24 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:



"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
. ..
On Sun, 2 Apr 2017 01:15:45 +0100, Graham Nye
wrote:

On 2017-04-01 11:07, e27002 aurora wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

OK, so I have had it with the Woking RailAir coach link. I need an
alternative means of reaching the airport. Train from the South
Coast
to Woking is fine. But what are the alternatives for reaching the
airport?

Starting from the Portsmouth area.

The national rail journey planner suggests a number of options -
Waterloo,
Paddington, Heathrow or Southampton, Reading, the other railair coach.

If you're going to do part of the journey by coach you could do the
whole
journey by National Express - half an hour longer but a quarter of the
rail price. That's what I do from the West Country rather than messing
around at Reading.

(Travelling off-peak from Portsmouth Harbour seems to save a whole 3%
off the anytime fare. How generous.)

Using Portsmouth Harbour would mean travelling in the opposite
direction, probably be rail! But that one might be doable.

The sanest suggestion is to travel to Waterloo, then taxi to
Paddington, then Heathrow Express.

why would you get a taxi from Waterloo to Padd when there's a direct tube
line?

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)

yep

every time I go to LHR (on the Picc)

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

"Recliner" wrote in message
...
e27002 aurora wrote:
On Mon, 3 Apr 2017 09:04:24 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:



"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 2 Apr 2017 01:15:45 +0100, Graham Nye
wrote:

On 2017-04-01 11:07, e27002 aurora wrote:
e27002 aurora wrote:

OK, so I have had it with the Woking RailAir coach link. I need an
alternative means of reaching the airport. Train from the South
Coast
to Woking is fine. But what are the alternatives for reaching the
airport?

Starting from the Portsmouth area.

The national rail journey planner suggests a number of options -
Waterloo,
Paddington, Heathrow or Southampton, Reading, the other railair coach.

If you're going to do part of the journey by coach you could do the
whole
journey by National Express - half an hour longer but a quarter of the
rail price. That's what I do from the West Country rather than messing
around at Reading.

(Travelling off-peak from Portsmouth Harbour seems to save a whole 3%
off the anytime fare. How generous.)

Using Portsmouth Harbour would mean travelling in the opposite
direction, probably be rail! But that one might be doable.

The sanest suggestion is to travel to Waterloo, then taxi to
Paddington, then Heathrow Express.

why would you get a taxi from Waterloo to Padd when there's a direct
tube
line?

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)


On my most recent long haul trip, I had two wheelie suitcases, a
medium-sized backpack and a shoulder bag. I got all the way home from
Heathrow using public transport, but wasn't popular getting that lot off a
packed bus!

Not many people travel with that much luggage and even consider getting
to/from the airport by PT

even transporting that lot around the terminal is a PITA

The worst that I ever tried was a maximum sized wheelie suitcase and a carry
on wheelie suitcase

I really need a large rucksack ;-)

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

On 03/04/2017 11:49, Martin Coffee wrote:
On 03/04/17 10:15, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:21:10 on
Mon, 3 Apr 2017, e27002 aurora remarked:

As an aside, the events of that evening showed the value of having a
guard on board. Apparently, the driver went into shock. The card
called the BTP, and Network Rail. He saw that the driver was given
tea and comfort. As we lost heating and the lighting the guard dealt
with a sick passenger and a lady going into labour. The issue of the
role of guards needs careful attention before they are eliminated.

Now that almost everyone has a mobile phone passengers can call for an
ambulance for a lady going into labour. And if they are miles from a
station, that's what air ambulances are for.

The balance here is between the cost of guards on every train, every
day, the cost of sending an air ambulance to a scene like that about
once a month in the whole country.

In any event, many trains will still have a second member of staff on
board, to check tickets. It's just that they won't have the power to
close the doors, and have "guard - I'm paid twice as much" on the name
badge.
But some lines (and tunnels) don't have mobile coverage.

I travelled between Cardiff and Netley on Wednesday and Thursday and at
least 20% of that route has absolutely no mobile coverage but
fortunately still has a guard.

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?


--
Graeme Wall
This account not read.

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 11:48:22 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
tim... remarked:

I just thought that doing that for 10,000 drivers, once a month (say)
was going to be too much aggro for both parties

If you're running a billion-dollar business, you shouldn't just turn
your back on the costs of doing that business.

but they are a technology business, they aren't a transport operator

That figleaf is rapidly eroding away. (Or were you being sarcastic)
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 11:48:22 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
tim... remarked:

I just thought that doing that for 10,000 drivers, once a month (say)
was going to be too much aggro for both parties

If you're running a billion-dollar business, you shouldn't just turn
your back on the costs of doing that business.

but they are a technology business, they aren't a transport operator

That figleaf is rapidly eroding away.

(Or were you being sarcastic)

Obviously :-)

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

Graeme Wall wrote:
On 03/04/2017 11:49, Martin Coffee wrote:
On 03/04/17 10:15, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:21:10 on
Mon, 3 Apr 2017, e27002 aurora remarked:

As an aside, the events of that evening showed the value of having a
guard on board. Apparently, the driver went into shock. The card
called the BTP, and Network Rail. He saw that the driver was given
tea and comfort. As we lost heating and the lighting the guard dealt
with a sick passenger and a lady going into labour. The issue of the
role of guards needs careful attention before they are eliminated.

Now that almost everyone has a mobile phone passengers can call for an
ambulance for a lady going into labour. And if they are miles from a
station, that's what air ambulances are for.

The balance here is between the cost of guards on every train, every
day, the cost of sending an air ambulance to a scene like that about
once a month in the whole country.

In any event, many trains will still have a second member of staff on
board, to check tickets. It's just that they won't have the power to
close the doors, and have "guard - I'm paid twice as much" on the name
badge.
But some lines (and tunnels) don't have mobile coverage.

I travelled between Cardiff and Netley on Wednesday and Thursday and at
least 20% of that route has absolutely no mobile coverage but
fortunately still has a guard.

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?



Use GSM-R.

If that has failed, walk to the nearest SPT/other phone (e.g. crossing
etc).


Anna Noyd-Dryver

Woking to Heathrow
 

On Mon, 3 Apr 2017 11:49:43 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:



"e27002 aurora" wrote in message
.. .

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)

yep

every time I go to LHR (on the Picc)

tim


You may be younger and in better health than me. I would struggle,
and try the patience of my fellow passengers.

Woking to Heathrow
 

On 03/04/17 11:58, Graeme Wall wrote:
On 03/04/2017 11:49, Martin Coffee wrote:
On 03/04/17 10:15, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:21:10 on
Mon, 3 Apr 2017, e27002 aurora remarked:

As an aside, the events of that evening showed the value of having a
guard on board. Apparently, the driver went into shock. The card
called the BTP, and Network Rail. He saw that the driver was given
tea and comfort. As we lost heating and the lighting the guard dealt
with a sick passenger and a lady going into labour. The issue of the
role of guards needs careful attention before they are eliminated.

Now that almost everyone has a mobile phone passengers can call for an
ambulance for a lady going into labour. And if they are miles from a
station, that's what air ambulances are for.

The balance here is between the cost of guards on every train, every
day, the cost of sending an air ambulance to a scene like that about
once a month in the whole country.

In any event, many trains will still have a second member of staff on
board, to check tickets. It's just that they won't have the power to
close the doors, and have "guard - I'm paid twice as much" on the name
badge.
But some lines (and tunnels) don't have mobile coverage.

I travelled between Cardiff and Netley on Wednesday and Thursday and at

least 20% of that route has absolutely no mobile coverage but
fortunately still has a guard.

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 11:49:33 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
Martin Coffee remarked:

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

It's a balance between what might go wrong once a year, and the cost of
all those guards.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 14:03:26 on Mon, 3 Apr
2017, Martin Coffee remarked:

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Do they issue GSM-R handsets to guards (genuine question).
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 05:15:04
on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:

My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes lack-of-insurance
offences.

Not seriously enough to routinely stop the cars and ask, though. They
could start with the illegally parked ones - that'll get through the
fleet in no time!
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

On Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 6:41:09 PM UTC+1, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:29:00
on Sun, 2 Apr 2017, remarked:
https://www.uber.com/en-GB/drive/lon...-requirements/

The main complaint is that they don't (do much checking). And
reportedly the problem with insurance is they don't track
cancellations

I'm not even sure there's a mechanism for that even if they wanted to

They could do spot checks on the drivers, say once a month on average
for each, and blacklist the ones without insurance.

I think you mean take them to court to get 6 points on their licence?

No, but the licensing authorities and police are.

Why would Uber snitch on their customers (and make no mistake, Uber's
customers are the drivers, passengers are the customers of the drivers).
--
Roland Perry

I'm sorry but you've made the mistake. Uber's customers are the
passengers because Uber debit their credit cards. The passengers
do not pay the drivers.

Woking to Heathrow
 

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 14:03:26 on Mon, 3 Apr
2017, Martin Coffee remarked:

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Do they issue GSM-R handsets to guards (genuine question).


No. But the one in the back- or intermediate- cab can easily be turned on.
That doesn't, of course, help if the train involved is an HST or is
loco-hauled with the DVT leading (or with no DVT).


Anna Noyd-Dryver

Woking to Heathrow
 

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 11:49:33 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
Martin Coffee remarked:

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

It's a balance between what might go wrong once a year, and the cost of
all those guards.

Taking the recent concrete example of introduction of DOO, I'm pretty sure
the agreements on Southern (for now at least) involve a member of staff
being on every train (with limited exceptions), and I'm pretty sure they
were re-employed on their new contracts with no loss of pay. Obviously both
of these things may change in the future, but at present, where does your
huge cash saving come from?


Anna Noyd-Dryver

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
05:15:04 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:

My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes lack-of-insurance
offences.

Not seriously enough to routinely stop the cars and ask, though. They
could start with the illegally parked ones - that'll get through the
fleet in no time!

The reasons for the stops vary but checking on the insurance is just an
online look-up job. It's amazing how many cars stopped for whatever reasons
are then caught for lack of insurance as well.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Anna
Noyd-Dryver) wrote:

Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 14:03:26 on Mon, 3 Apr
2017, Martin Coffee remarked:

If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Do they issue GSM-R handsets to guards (genuine question).


No. But the one in the back- or intermediate- cab can easily be turned on.
That doesn't, of course, help if the train involved is an HST or is
loco-hauled with the DVT leading (or with no DVT).

Surely, every train has at least two cabs somehow? We don't have single-cab
as the only locos on passenger trains.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 18:56:14
on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:
My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes lack-of-insurance
offences.

Not seriously enough to routinely stop the cars and ask, though. They
could start with the illegally parked ones - that'll get through the
fleet in no time!

The reasons for the stops vary but checking on the insurance is just an
online look-up job. It's amazing how many cars stopped for whatever reasons
are then caught for lack of insurance as well.

The problem with the current model of ANPR and lookup for insurance is
that the cars do have insurance, just not for "reward/hire".
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at
15:25:59 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:
On Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 6:41:09 PM UTC+1, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 12:29:00
on Sun, 2 Apr 2017, remarked:
https://www.uber.com/en-GB/drive/lon...-requirements/

The main complaint is that they don't (do much checking). And
reportedly the problem with insurance is they don't track
cancellations

I'm not even sure there's a mechanism for that even if they wanted to

They could do spot checks on the drivers, say once a month on average
for each, and blacklist the ones without insurance.

I think you mean take them to court to get 6 points on their licence?

No, but the licensing authorities and police are.

Why would Uber snitch on their customers (and make no mistake, Uber's
customers are the drivers, passengers are the customers of the drivers).

I'm sorry but you've made the mistake. Uber's customers are the
passengers because Uber debit their credit cards. The passengers
do not pay the drivers.

You misunderstand the nature of Internet intermediaries.

If it was as you say, then there would be no doubt whatsoever that Uber
as a transportion company and the drivers were employees. Uber deny both
vociferously.

When you buy something online from a retailer, and they charge you via
your credit card and Worldpay, you are in no sense a customer of
Worldpay. They are just a collecting agency, and to the extent that the
fares go from you to Uber to the driver, then they are just a money
collecting agency.

Where it starts getting mucky is that they are also a booking agency,
and just as you don't expect Amazon to be letting people sell handguns
and child abuse images on their platform, you shouldn't be expecting
Uber to match you up with an unlicenced or uninsured driver.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 23:33:00 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
Anna Noyd-Dryver remarked:

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

It's a balance between what might go wrong once a year, and the cost of
all those guards.

Taking the recent concrete example of introduction of DOO, I'm pretty sure
the agreements on Southern (for now at least) involve a member of staff
being on every train (with limited exceptions), and I'm pretty sure they
were re-employed on their new contracts with no loss of pay. Obviously both
of these things may change in the future, but at present, where does your
huge cash saving come from?

The ongoing training programme, training of new guards, and as you
suggest the employment of new on-train staff at a different grade,
despite not "demoting" the grandfathered-in existing guards.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 19:05:47
on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:
If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Do they issue GSM-R handsets to guards (genuine question).


No. But the one in the back- or intermediate- cab can easily be turned on.
That doesn't, of course, help if the train involved is an HST or is
loco-hauled with the DVT leading (or with no DVT).

Surely, every train has at least two cabs somehow? We don't have single-cab
as the only locos on passenger trains.

A loco-hauled train will have two cabs, but how does the guard easily
get to the rear cab of the loco?
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
18:56:14 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:
My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes
lack-of-insurance offences.

Not seriously enough to routinely stop the cars and ask, though. They
could start with the illegally parked ones - that'll get through the
fleet in no time!

The reasons for the stops vary but checking on the insurance is just an
online look-up job. It's amazing how many cars stopped for whatever
reasons are then caught for lack of insurance as well.

The problem with the current model of ANPR and lookup for insurance
is that the cars do have insurance, just not for "reward/hire".

I assume the online lookup can find such details. Drivers get done for
insurance offences. We used to get a steady stream of them before
councillors because getting as many as 6 points at once was a trigger for a
licence review.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message , at
19:05:47 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:
If there is no mobile phone coverage, what is the guard going to
do?

Network Rail have their own communication system which will work in
those areas.

Do they issue GSM-R handsets to guards (genuine question).


No. But the one in the back- or intermediate- cab can easily be turned
on. That doesn't, of course, help if the train involved is an HST or is
loco-hauled with the DVT leading (or with no DVT).

Surely, every train has at least two cabs somehow? We don't have
single-cab as the only locos on passenger trains.

A loco-hauled train will have two cabs, but how does the guard easily
get to the rear cab of the loco?

Presumably along the trackside.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

In article , (Roland Perry)
wrote:

In message ,
at 15:25:59 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017, remarked:

I'm sorry but you've made the mistake. Uber's customers are the
passengers because Uber debit their credit cards. The passengers
do not pay the drivers.

You misunderstand the nature of Internet intermediaries.

If it was as you say, then there would be no doubt whatsoever that
Uber as a transportion company and the drivers were employees. Uber
deny both vociferously.

When you buy something online from a retailer, and they charge you
via your credit card and Worldpay, you are in no sense a customer of
Worldpay. They are just a collecting agency, and to the extent that
the fares go from you to Uber to the driver, then they are just a
money collecting agency.

Where it starts getting mucky is that they are also a booking agency,
and just as you don't expect Amazon to be letting people sell
handguns and child abuse images on their platform, you shouldn't be
expecting Uber to match you up with an unlicenced or uninsured driver.

To take hire car bookings in the UK Uber have to be an operator as well.
That is an activity that has to licensed by a local authority and they have
obligations, especially to keep records of hirings.

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 02:42:32
on Tue, 4 Apr 2017, remarked:
My point was to highlight how seriously the law takes
lack-of-insurance offences.

Not seriously enough to routinely stop the cars and ask, though. They
could start with the illegally parked ones - that'll get through the
fleet in no time!

The reasons for the stops vary but checking on the insurance is just an
online look-up job. It's amazing how many cars stopped for whatever
reasons are then caught for lack of insurance as well.

The problem with the current model of ANPR and lookup for insurance
is that the cars do have insurance, just not for "reward/hire".

I assume the online lookup can find such details.

Maybe, maybe not. Then there's the issue of whether the insured is
driving, or has he lent the car to a mate to do a bit of freelancing.

Drivers get done for insurance offences. We used to get a steady stream
of them before councillors because getting as many as 6 points at once
was a trigger for a licence review.

--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 02:42:33
on Tue, 4 Apr 2017, remarked:

I'm sorry but you've made the mistake. Uber's customers are the
passengers because Uber debit their credit cards. The passengers
do not pay the drivers.

You misunderstand the nature of Internet intermediaries.

If it was as you say, then there would be no doubt whatsoever that
Uber as a transportion company and the drivers were employees. Uber
deny both vociferously.

When you buy something online from a retailer, and they charge you
via your credit card and Worldpay, you are in no sense a customer of
Worldpay. They are just a collecting agency, and to the extent that
the fares go from you to Uber to the driver, then they are just a
money collecting agency.

Where it starts getting mucky is that they are also a booking agency,
and just as you don't expect Amazon to be letting people sell
handguns and child abuse images on their platform, you shouldn't be
expecting Uber to match you up with an unlicenced or uninsured driver.

To take hire car bookings in the UK Uber have to be an operator as well.
That is an activity that has to licensed by a local authority and they have
obligations, especially to keep records of hirings.

The loophole seems to be the way they take bookings, but then outsource
the driving to subcontractors.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

On Mon, 03 Apr 2017 09:27:52 +0100, e27002 aurora
wrote:

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)

Yes, but in later years it's been two suitcases and a carry-on
backpack, and often a large shoulder bag added when going home.

bus - Walthamstow Central Vic - Picc change at the obvious place -
Heathrow.

--
jhk

Woking to Heathrow
 

On 2017-04-04 08:05:50 +0000, Roland Perry said:

The loophole seems to be the way they take bookings, but then outsource
the driving to subcontractors.

That's what basically every minicab company does. Uber is just a
minicab company. The only difference from a regular one is that
dispatch is automatic rather than a person doing it.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Woking to Heathrow
 

On Tue, 04 Apr 2017 11:12:51 +0200
Jarle Hammen Knudsen wrote:
On Mon, 03 Apr 2017 09:27:52 +0100, e27002 aurora
wrote:

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)

Yes, but in later years it's been two suitcases and a carry-on
backpack, and often a large shoulder bag added when going home.

Why do some people feel the need to take half their wardrobe with them when
they go on holiday? If I can't fit everything into a medium sized hold-all
when I go away then I chuck stuff out until I can.

--
Spud

Woking to Heathrow
 

In message , at 10:16:06 on Tue, 4 Apr
2017, Neil Williams remarked:
The loophole seems to be the way they take bookings, but then
outsource the driving to subcontractors.

That's what basically every minicab company does. Uber is just a
minicab company. The only difference from a regular one is that
dispatch is automatic rather than a person doing it.

But maybe a regular minicab company has a fleet insurance policy.
--
Roland Perry

Woking to Heathrow
 

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 23:33:00 on Mon, 3 Apr 2017,
Anna Noyd-Dryver remarked:

If a train is stranded without a functional driver then the situation
can serious especially if the signalling is such that the signaller
doesn't know exactly where the train is. I dread to think what might
happen if this is somewhere without mobile coverage.

It's a balance between what might go wrong once a year, and the cost of
all those guards.

Taking the recent concrete example of introduction of DOO, I'm pretty sure
the agreements on Southern (for now at least) involve a member of staff
being on every train (with limited exceptions), and I'm pretty sure they
were re-employed on their new contracts with no loss of pay. Obviously
both
of these things may change in the future, but at present, where does your
huge cash saving come from?

The ongoing training programme, training of new guards, and as you suggest
the employment of new on-train staff at a different grade, despite not
"demoting" the grandfathered-in existing guards.

That's what BA did when it hired in new starters (on lower salaries) to work
new routes from LGW.

and look what happens

a couple of years later they go on strike because they aren't earning the
same as legacy workers flying from LHR.

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

"Jarle Hammen Knudsen" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 03 Apr 2017 09:27:52 +0100, e27002 aurora
wrote:

Have you ever tried to manoeuvre on the Underground with a large
suitcase and a sizable piece of hand baggage, i.e. a pilot's case? I
only tried once. :-)

Yes, but in later years it's been two suitcases and a carry-on
backpack, and often a large shoulder bag added when going home.

if you're paying 200 pounds in excess baggage fee, the cost of the taxi is
immaterial

tim

Woking to Heathrow
 

On 2017-04-04 09:53:31 +0000, Roland Perry said:

In message , at 10:16:06 on Tue, 4
Apr 2017, Neil Williams remarked:
The loophole seems to be the way they take bookings, but then outsource
the driving to subcontractors.

That's what basically every minicab company does. Uber is just a
minicab company. The only difference from a regular one is that
dispatch is automatic rather than a person doing it.

But maybe a regular minicab company has a fleet insurance policy.

Typically no it does not unless it owns the fleet.

Normally, minicab drivers drive their own car and arrange their own insurance.

Neil
--
Neil Williams
Put my first name before the @ to reply.

Woking to Heathrow
 

On Tue, 4 Apr 2017 11:21:10 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:

if you're paying 200 pounds in excess baggage fee, the cost of the taxi is
immaterial

How did you arrive at that conclusion?

And it's about £25 per extra bag with one bag included.

--
jhk