I've picked bits from Ian Visits, London Weekly News for this morning's post.
This one is from the BBC so it should be accurate.
A woman missed her footing when boarding a train at Clapham Junction resulting in serious leg injuries. The warnings about Mind the Gap are constant on London's train system, by staff, by recorded announcements, by live public address announcements and painted on platforms. Yet still they still happen. Nearly 40 million people boarded or alighted at Clapham Junction in one year and of those, 29 people were injured in some way. Clearly people do mind the gap, but oh my. What a gap! (Even though this is from the BBC, I am not sure this photo is reliable. Surely it can't be like that.)
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Yes, I know I should not make light of a serious offence. If I was wearing pearls, I would be clutching at them. But really, nine months gaol because people briefly saw men bits? If it wasn't to their taste!, they could quickly avert their eyes. Regular users of public transport around the world probably come across people all the time with mental health issues. There are far worse things than seeing a todger at a railway station.
The bottom of the barrel has been scraped. I thank you.
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Good riding with you! Hope you have a good weekend. Andrew aloha
ReplyDeleteCheers Cloudia.
DeleteYes, I have travelled through a few railway stations where the gap is like that one and almost impossible to negotiate for a little short *rse like me. Not just in London. P had to almost lift me down from the train in Ronda (Spain) as I couldn't reach the platform and we saw one elderly gent fall as he tried to board and had to be helped to his feet.
ReplyDeleteJayCee, we have some large gaps, but nothing like the one in the photo. It may hard to do, but if a gap is that large, I think people should be deterred from getting on the train there, at least. Not much can be done about people getting off.
DeleteI would have huge troubles with a gap like that these days.
ReplyDeleteSeeing men bits? Not bothered at all. Probably not interested, definitely not bothered.
EC, public exposure seems rather pathetic to me, unless they have something seriously different to show.
DeleteAndrew this is not an isolated incident. Have you any idea how many women are harassed or sexually assaulted on the London tubes. Even busy ones. Bystanders don't like to get involved apparently. London Transport police are keen to have the maximum sentences given to anyone found guilty of a sexual offence. It is neither funny or trivial to be confronted by someone exposing themselves.
ReplyDeleteFun60, I have some idea from what I read, along with racist and homophobic attacks. I can't connect harassment and assaults of any kind with this behaviour. Maybe he was a repeat offender and so deserved the sentence but on the face of it, nine months gaol seems excessive. I've seen such things myself and you just look away. More bother to me was the shouty bloke in the melanoma clinic on Wednesday who for over half an hour repeatedly and loudly yelled, "I am not coming back here and you can't make me".
DeleteMaybe it wasn't his first time exposing his bits because nine months does seem rather harsh.
ReplyDeleteMoree harsh is that gap!!
Bob, you may be quite right about him being a repeat offender. I really don't know why men do this. Is it to freak woman out?
DeleteIf the gap is really as pictured I'm surprised there aren't more falls. There is rather a vacant look in the young man's eyes.
ReplyDeleteDeb, now you mention it, his pupils are small and vacant looking. Drugs?
DeletePeople do what people do. The train station needs to rectify the problem though. There is never a shortage of mentally unwell people.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, yes, the gap really should not be that large. Even a temporary elevation of the platform at this point would help.
Delete"There are far worse things than seeing a todger at a railway station" - I thoroughly agree - two todgers for example.
ReplyDeleteYP, you may be surprised to know I agree with you. I don't want to see them when I am out and about.
DeleteA todger? :)
ReplyDeleteA word my father used Hels, I guess with English origins.
DeleteGosh, how do disabled people manage that train/ platform? I'd be forever trapped on the train.
ReplyDeleteI once was seated opposite a man on a train and his balls were hanging out the leg of his shorts. Shorts were a lot shorter back in the day
Kylie, it won't be like that along the whole train. Maybe they should have painted signs on the platform, Mind the huge bloody gap at this point. Regular travellers will know with the gap is much less.
DeleteAh yes, going back to Warwick Capper days?
DeleteLate 80s?
DeleteYep, we are.
DeleteI can see where somebody, either because of disability or age, can't walk very well would have a difficult with a gap that big. A public service announcement is not going to magically make it easier.
ReplyDeleteKirk, it would be for some impossible, but it won't be like that for the whole distance along the length of the train. The height gap could be the same though.
DeleteThat's a hell of a gap. I'll make sure to remember to never use Clapham Station if I ever visit London. The willie exposing man has "Jesus" eyes.
ReplyDeleteRiver, drugged eyes maybe?
DeleteGet less for murder sometimes Andrew.
ReplyDeleteThat is large gap, trouble is I expect people are so used to hearing those words, they just don't listen, or forget.
True Margaret. I heard of one case today, domestic violenceurder, out in three years. We hear those Mind the Gap words too here, but not as much.
DeleteIt's the only way some men can get any attention. I don't know if women feel the same urge to expose themselves.
ReplyDeleteJB, they don't really. Everyone notices and looks away. They may think they are getting attention. Tipsy woman at a public young music performance, to anywhere else they are when tipsy, are inclined to lift up their tops and expose themselves. Naturally men, being such basic animals, wholly approve.
DeleteThe "gaps" are indeed quite large at some tube and train stations. I have a friend who fell in the gap at one point, but fortunately wasn't injured. (She'd been drinking, which I suspect is the cause of a lot of gap mishaps!)
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the story about the guy exposing himself, but I suspect the sentence may reflect the spirit in which he committed the offense. Was he being threatening? Was he approaching people? Was he approaching children? I doubt he was just horsing around with his mates.
Steve, as with most of these court matters, you really need to know the case by being there or at least by transcripts.
DeleteNot just on public transit either! I was on the bus recently, and saw some man bits walking down the street. It was only after a while that I realized that I should have reported him, I am that desensitized.
ReplyDeleteNow that I am taking the GO train, I think that the gap is bigger than it should be on those commuter trains. I'm short, 5 feet tall.
Jackie, I have seen accidental exposure by people with mental health issues. No one takes any notice.
DeleteYou would really think in the 21st century, platform heights and train heights should be standardised, without huge gaps. I expect it is very expensive to remedy.
We short people might have to resort to carrying gangplanks...
DeleteIt's considered a sexual assualt these days. Times have changed and women are sick and tired of putting up with this kind of shit.
ReplyDeleteI expect it would be here too Pixie. I suppose you came across a bit of it your former workplace.
DeleteI had no idea there was such a large gap in some stations.
ReplyDeleteIf the guy was being threatening as he exposed himself he needs to learn a lesson. He probably needs some type of help.
Pat, yes there could be a whole lot more to the story. Surely there can't be one worse than that one, except apparently there is in Spain.
Delete