I've been laughing the last couple of days at the Guardian's Bike Blog series, where people have been recounting their stories of travelling on trains with their bike. Not laughing manically in a "look at the stupid cyclists what do they think they're doing?" kind of way, but more of an ironic, knowing laugh.
I have to admit, there are some of my colleagues who hate bicycles being on board their train in a way that I've never understood. Even before I bought my own bike, I was always happy to see a cyclist. I'd rather that than see someone jump out of their car at the last minute and stroll onto the train, having idled their engine for the last twenty minutes (Alnmouth in Northumberland is bad for that).
The articles on the Guardian website hint at arcane procedures and changing goalposts - and they're right! My own company, for example, used to have space for 6 bikes which didn't have to be reserved. Then they got new trains, with space for 4 which had to be reserved. Then they decided you didn't have to reserve. Then changed it so you had to reserve. Then they redesigned the interior of the train and the bike spaces fell to 3. But you could only reserve 2. And you didn't have to reserve.
Clear, yes?
Unfortunately every train is designed differently, and every train company has different rules. There's a possibility of a standardised system of whether bikes have to be reserved or not, and I know it makes my life a lot easier if I'm expecting a bike on at a certain station.
But to not offer the chance to book a bike on a train online in the 21st Century is unforgivable, and I'm afraid that some of the Guardian writers are right. Cyclists are an afterthought to the railway companies.
0 comments:
Post a Comment