Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incidentplanning and the BTP
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007, Sam Wilson wrote:

The trouble is that they scroll and not very efficiently at that (the
messages seem to be fixed length so a short message leaves the display
blank for a significant period) and you have to stand and wait for the
message to come round before you can tell what it is.

Maybe it should display "Not Reserved" (without needing to scroll the
useless "This seat is " part of the message), or "From ... " up to the
start of the reservation, then "Until ...." and the name (alternating
rather than scrolling) while the seat has a reservation).
--
Chris Johns

Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incident planning and the BTP
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:17:21 +0100 someone who may be Sam Wilson
wrote this:-

I've been getting the distinct impression on recent VT trips that the
LCD displays are far too difficult for folk* to understand. There were
card reservations attached to the seats in addition to the electronic
stuff, and it's those I was talking about. If folk* can be educated as
to the use of those little displays, then I wholeheartedly concur.

The trouble is that they scroll and not very efficiently at that (the
messages seem to be fixed length so a short message leaves the display
blank for a significant period) and you have to stand and wait for the
message to come round before you can tell what it is.

Indeed.

The messages are also too long. Reducing the word count could avoid
the need for them to scroll at all in many cases. For example , "Not
reserved", would not need to scroll while, "This seat is not
reserved", does need to scroll.



--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incident planning and the BTP
 

In message , at 16:45:26 on
Mon, 16 Jul 2007, David Hansen
remarked:
The messages are also too long. Reducing the word count could avoid
the need for them to scroll at all in many cases. For example , "Not
reserved", would not need to scroll while, "This seat is not
reserved", does need to scroll.

There's something about the current railway management or techies that
is in love with scrolling. You wouldn't need to scroll most of the
messages on the Kings Cross main departure board if there was a very
limited amount of abbreviation in the messages. As it is, almost all
scroll, making me feel quite sea-sick after a few minutes.
--
Roland Perry

Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incident planning and the BTP
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 18:11:36 +0100, Roland Perry
wrote:

There's something about the current railway management or techies that
is in love with scrolling. You wouldn't need to scroll most of the
messages on the Kings Cross main departure board if there was a very
limited amount of abbreviation in the messages. As it is, almost all
scroll, making me feel quite sea-sick after a few minutes.

Same with IBus...

That said, the Pendolinos manage "AVAILABLE" or "RESERVED". Indeed, I
don't think the Pendolino ones are even capable of scrolling.

Neil

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

Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incident planning and the BTP
 

Roland Perry wrote:

There's something about the current railway management or techies that
is in love with scrolling. You wouldn't need to scroll most of the
messages on the Kings Cross main departure board if there was a very
limited amount of abbreviation in the messages.

....or a very slightly bigger display, which I'm sure would be preferable
for accessibility reasons.
--
http://gallery120232.fotopic.net/p9683656.html
(53932 (Class 108) at Manchester Piccadilly, 4 Jun 1985)

Oh dear - commuter services out of Euston today, poor incident planning and the BTP
 

On Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:33:16 GMT someone who may be
(Neil Williams) wrote this:-

That said, the Pendolinos manage "AVAILABLE" or "RESERVED". Indeed, I
don't think the Pendolino ones are even capable of scrolling.

An indication that franchises are given the train manufacturers wish
to supply, rather than the one the franchisees want.


--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54