If only all drivers were like this...

The more rules there are then the less scope there is for independent thought.


Peter

" said:

The more rules there are then the less scope there is for independent thought.


Peter

Like the independent thought which was allowed to flourish due to the lack of effective rules in the financial industry. This gave us all of the complex financial products which were not understood by the management. However, these made illusory profits which kept the management quiet (and a massive trough for the independent thinkers' snouts) but which led us to the current parlous financial state of the world. I think we might all have been happier for a few rules in that instance.

You also wrote earlier about the Stalinist lack of fun these days. Some people think it fun to sup a dozen pints of lager, half a dozen vodka red bulls and a few jaegerbombs then have a ruck in the High Street at 2:00 am (or 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon in Newcastle). I am quite happy to see a Stalinist view in that case.

" said:

The more rules there are then the less scope there is for independent thought.


Peter

Like the independent thought which was allowed to flourish due to the lack of effective rules in the financial industry. This gave us all of the complex financial products which were not understood by the management. However, these made illusory profits which kept the management quiet (and a massive trough for the independent thinkers' snouts) but which led us to the current parlous financial state of the world. I think we might all have been happier for a few rules in that instance.

You also wrote earlier about the Stalinist lack of fun these days. Some people think it fun to sup a dozen pints of lager, half a dozen vodka red bulls and a few jaegerbombs then have a ruck in the High Street at 2:00 am (or 3:00pm on Sunday afternoon in Newcastle). I am quite happy to see a Stalinist view in that case.

The use of the warning horn is this manner is in direct contravention of the following section of the rule book module TW1 Preparation and movement of trains - General.

Clause 10.2 of the above listed section of the rule books states the following....

10.2 Using the warning horn.

a) General

Person responsible :- Driver

You must not use the horn more than is necessary to give an effective warning or to make sure that safe working takes place.

As can be clearly seen there is no people on or near the line, and if there was a person in such a position of danger the prescribed warning is a series of short urgent danger warnings. The playing of a tune such as does not constitute an effective warning nor a urgent danger warning.

If I was this gentlemans owning competancy manager I would be considering the temporary withdrawal of his license to drive trains pending a further length of time at the training school on the basis that he is no longer competent in the requirements of this particular section of the rules and regulations applicable to the post of a professional train driver, if not a visit from the local noise pollution officer from the local council.

I've heard it suggested that rules are for the guidance of the wise and the strict observance of fools.

I believe as someone who is lineside every day that Drivers should have no discretion as to whether or not to sound the horn when they see someone - I believe that whenever a Driver sees someone lineside he should blow up irrespective of whether or not he sees a risk to that person.

When I was passed for driving in 1963. Sam Smith's parting words to me were. "Remember the Driver must use his discretion" Aren't Drivers allowed discretion any more?
Aubrey

1. The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.


2. The freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.

A bit more outwith-the-rules discretion that used to be regular (and helped the job no end).

From Bethnal Green there were 4 tracks worked TCB (with describers) to Hackney Downs, where the Enfield and Chingford/Lea Valley lines divided (the suburban lines became the Enfields, the fasts went toward Clapton). Hackney had crossovers but Bethnal Green was booked to sort everything out - Enfields & Cheshunts came down the Sub, calling at Cambridge Heath & London Fields, while Chingfords & Hertfords came non-stop down the fast. Hackney itself had the peculiar LNER/ER way of setting up auto working - if all routes in a designated group were cleared, all the signals in that group would work as auto until one of the routes was pulled up. There were 4 groups at Hackney - suburbans to & from the Enfield road and fasts to & from Clapton - so by & large Hackney could simply be left to look after itself while the signalman worked Clapton Junction with its accursed Westronic remote control (apparently called 'Catastronic' by the engineers who'd instlled it).

Once in a blue moon, BG would send a Chingford (more often Chingford ECS) down the sub. When they did, the signalman would always ring 2 beats on the block bell, to alert Hackney to the change. Inspectors and managers were perfectly happy, even though it was (strictly) a breach of the rules. I hate to think what the delays would've been like if they'd all worked strictly by the book, even though it happened so rarely - Hackney in the peak was a busy place. As the man told me, 'for the guidance of the wise'!