I commute into London using the DfT's disastrous Southern Fail experiment, regularly experiencing cancellations, delays and overcrowding as the DfT attempts to cut the costs of train services by removing staff and trains. Two things in particular annoy me, firstly, cancellations due to 'temporary shortage of train crew'. There is no temporary shortage of train crew, it's a permanent shortage, GTR don't employ enough staff, they haven't done for years, they've made no serious attempt to employ enough staff and it is entirely deliberate. Secondly, the nutters who try to squeeze their way down the standing room only train in search of an undiscovered vacant seat. They just need to get on, find somewhere to stand and suck it up, it's obvious when you get on a ram packed service that there aren't going to be magical rows of empty seats, so pushing through a packed train is just fucking annoying.
Train Cancelled
'We apologise for the inconvenience.
This is due to,
temporary shortage of crew'
Yesterday, today.
Last week, last year.
Where did they temporaily go?
Mr Grayling should know!
Train Wanderer
The wanderer roams the train
Seeking the mythical empty seat
Squeezing past zombies
It's standing room only
Just cannot take it
Paid fortune for ticket
Don't make me stand!
They treat cattle better!
There's a bag on that seat!
How dare they do that!
I should reprimand them
But my stop's already here
