Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.

"There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"

Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
this new regime.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
(link will rot)

Mark

In message <ufv3egth8av7j5bjb00tvd5hr3di00tnhm@4ax.com>, at 19:42:00 on
Sun, 4 Jul 2021, Mark Goodge <usenet@listmail.good-stuff.co.uk>
remarked:
>Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>
> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"

They'd love the challenge I did, maybe 15yrs ago, to do a trip from
Nottingham via ECML to Edinburgh, Glasgow and WCML home to Nottingham
for £50 (singles, no railcard). It was quite a struggle to get the
combination of tickets, and only worked because of splits, and a
ridiculously cheap "via Appleby" one from Glasgow to Leeds. I'd have to
get my notes out, but I think it took about 15hrs starting with the
first train of the day to Grantham.
--
Roland Perry

On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>
> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>
> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
> this new regime.
>
> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
> (link will rot)
>
> Mark
>

In my extensive experience of asking to go into stations without a
ticket to have a look around, men nearly always understand enthusiasm
and are usually fine with it, but women are always downright baffled.

--
Basil Jet recently enjoyed listening to
2010 - At Echo Lake - Woods

Perhaps she will her officers patrolling the station bars, making sure
people are not taking too long over their pint.

Easier than actually going catching criminals.

On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>
> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>
> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
> this new regime.
>
> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
> (link will rot)
>
> Mark
>

I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.

I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
That's not normal in her eyes.

She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.

<martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>>
>> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
>> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
>> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
>> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>>
>> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
>> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
>> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
>> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
>> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
>> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
>> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
>> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
>> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
>> this new regime.
>>
>> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>> (link will rot)
>>
>> Mark
>>
>
> I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
> of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
> potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.
>
> I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
> broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
> as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
> That's not normal in her eyes.
>
> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.
>
>

Yes, she seems simply not to be aware of enthusiasts and track bashers. As
already mentioned upthread, many women simply regard such interests as
weird.

<martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>>
>> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
>> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
>> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
>> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>>
>> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
>> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
>> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
>> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
>> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
>> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
>> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
>> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
>> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
>> this new regime.
>>
>> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>> (link will rot)
>>
>> Mark
>>
>
> I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
> of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
> potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.
>
> I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
> broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
> as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
> That's not normal in her eyes.
>
> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.
>
>

I think a mountain is being made out of a molehill, the intended targets
are quite clear in the article.
Mind you some rail enthusiasts are weird and if they attract attention and
get in a pickle maybe should consider that the railway is primary a means
of transport and not a theme park laid on for their entertainment. My
missus had to suffer such a twerp a few weeks ago when she took a trip
along the South Devon Coast on a free day while working away. Having
arranged to meet her nephew who resides in Plymouth at Teignmouth she and
other people on the platform were loudly and intrusively informed as if
they should be interested that a Steam Train would be coming through
imminently.
His actions were annoying enough that a station staff member decided to
intervene using the quite effective piece of information that the twit was
a day early to shut him up.
The train concerned I looked up and it was the Devonian Express from
Solihull to Plymouth on June/9th and twat head was indeed a day early.

GH

On 05/07/2021 00:34, Recliner wrote:
> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>>>
>>> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
>>> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
>>> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
>>> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>>>
>>> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
>>> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
>>> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
>>> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
>>> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
>>> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
>>> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
>>> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
>>> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
>>> this new regime.
>>>
>>> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>>> (link will rot)
>>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>
>> I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
>> of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
>> potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.
>>
>> I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
>> broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
>> as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
>> That's not normal in her eyes.
>>
>> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
>> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.
>
> Yes, she seems simply not to be aware of enthusiasts and track bashers. As
> already mentioned upthread, many women simply regard such interests as
> weird.

I deliberately said baffling rather than weird, but if they were aware
of this book, they'd probably go for weird.

https://fawbooks.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-girl-in-the-street-or-the-bedside-bus-book-robert-e-jowitt

--
Basil Jet recently enjoyed listening to
2000 - Good Looking Blues - Laika

On 05/07/2021 00:50, Marland wrote:
> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>>>
>>> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
>>> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
>>> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
>>> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>>>
>>> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
>>> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
>>> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
>>> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
>>> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
>>> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
>>> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
>>> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
>>> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
>>> this new regime.
>>>
>>> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>>> (link will rot)
>>>
>>> Mark
>>>
>>
>> I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
>> of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
>> potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.
>>
>> I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
>> broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
>> as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
>> That's not normal in her eyes.
>>
>> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
>> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.
>>
>>
>
> I think a mountain is being made out of a molehill, the intended targets
> are quite clear in the article.

Whilst her intended targets are clear the sheer number of enthusiasts in
comparison means they are going to end up as collateral damage.

I remember in one of the FGW episode (cannot remember the name) some
entirely innocent person was taken off a train which he missed following
a search This is the sort of thing going to happen to us.

> Mind you some rail enthusiasts are weird and if they attract attention and
> get in a pickle maybe should consider that the railway is primary a means
> of transport and not a theme park laid on for their entertainment. My
> missus had to suffer such a twerp a few weeks ago when she took a trip
> along the South Devon Coast on a free day while working away. Having
> arranged to meet her nephew who resides in Plymouth at Teignmouth she and
> other people on the platform were loudly and intrusively informed as if
> they should be interested that a Steam Train would be coming through
> imminently.
> His actions were annoying enough that a station staff member decided to
> intervene using the quite effective piece of information that the twit was
> a day early to shut him up.
> The train concerned I looked up and it was the Devonian Express from
> Solihull to Plymouth on June/9th and twat head was indeed a day early.
>
> GH
>

On 2021-07-04 18:42:00 +0000, Mark Goodge said:

> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>
> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>
> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
> this new regime.
>
> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>
> (link will rot)

The article does seem to make it reasonably clear that there is a
specific objective unrelated to enthusiasts that could very well be a
problem that deserves attention (I am not likely to be targeted by the
sorts of bad people the article describes, so I can't comment on
whether it's a real problem). In a lot of hobbies there are people who
set themselves goals that people who are only vaguely aware that the
hobby exists might find difficult to appreciate or relate to.

I think most people are aware that railway enthusiasm is a thing, and
can probably understand some of the things people like to do (like
watching or photographing a steam special), but are likely simply
unaware of some of the things people do in pursuit of the hobby. I
expect there are lots of hobbies that are like this, and plenty of
people every day doing things that seem to a casual observer entirely
bizzare or excessively specific in detail. For example there are
people out there who strive to complete Super Mario Bros. in the
fastest possible time, finding bugs in the game that let them save a
few frames of animation so that they can shave a few fractions of a
second off the record. Not my thing, and if I hadn't happened down an
internet rabbit hole once that revealed this pursuit, it would not
occur to me that this was even a thing.

Generally most people, when they find out about these sorts of esoteric
things, take a live-and-let-live attitude. My hope is that the BTP as
an organisation would at least have an awareness of the facets of
railway enthusiasm, because in the course of policing the railway
network, it is inevitable that at some point they will encounter some
people doing these things. Understanding the motivations behind the
behaviour of people on the railway, both routine travellers and
enthusiasts, makes the job of policing easier and hopefully less
confrontational.

Robin

On 05/07/2021 00:34, Recliner wrote:
> Yes, she seems simply not to be aware of enthusiasts and track bashers. As
> already mentioned upthread, many women simply regard such interests as
> weird.

I would have thought she might have more important things do when you
consider current news stories about her police force and the huge
numbers of police officers wanting transfers.

On 05/07/2021 00:02, martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk wrote:
> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.

Perhaps she should follow the example of airports where they see
plane-spotters as people to make friends with because they are likely to
be the first to spot any suspicious activity.

<martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
> On 05/07/2021 00:50, Marland wrote:
>> <martin.coffee@round-midnight.org.uk> wrote:
>>> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>>>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>>>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>>>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>>>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>>>>
>>>> "There are people who go from A to B, get a return train and come back
>>>> immediately. That's not normal. We also know that there are people who
>>>> go onto the network and are on it for a long time. If you're on a
>>>> journey for 12 hours, what are you doing?"
>>>>
>>>> Now, to be fair, she is making the genuine observation that public
>>>> transport does tend to be a haunt of sex pests, because of the ready
>>>> availability of potential victims and the closed environment. But it
>>>> seems to me that it's grossly irresponsible not to distinguish between
>>>> people who use the railweays a lot because they like trains, and people
>>>> who are using them as a tool for nefarious purposes. I wonder how many
>>>> people will end up being harassed by BTP simply because they're trying
>>>> to notch up some more track miles or different traction. And I wonder
>>>> how far Geoff and Vicky would have got before being apprehended under
>>>> this new regime.
>>>>
>>>> https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/21922e40-d5c0-11eb-b95d-157b756aca5b?shareToken=1867ab29c89f7b5d85aa25bb64efae6a
>>>> (link will rot)
>>>>
>>>> Mark
>>>>
>>>
>>> I suspect more railway enthusiasts than undesirables undertake journeys
>>> of 12 hours or come straight back from their destination so she is
>>> potentially causing problems for genuine railway users.
>>>
>>> I attempted to do Cogan to Penzance and back in a day in May. My HST
>>> broke down at St Germans where I abandoned my journey and returned home
>>> as I couldn't reach Penzance in return for the last service home.
>>> That's not normal in her eyes.
>>>
>>> She is potentially creating a hostile environment for railway
>>> enthusiasts. She needs to be challenged.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> I think a mountain is being made out of a molehill, the intended targets
>> are quite clear in the article.
>
> Whilst her intended targets are clear the sheer number of enthusiasts in
> comparison means they are going to end up as collateral damage.
>
> I remember in one of the FGW episode (cannot remember the name) some
> entirely innocent person was taken off a train which he missed following
> a search This is the sort of thing going to happen to us.
>
>
Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.

The amount of time the BTP would be tied up in handling such calls would
soon require her attention, while she appears to have had a successful
career so far I wonder if she has twigged that BTP is small operation
compared to her previous employers, a few hundred extra calls to the Met a
day is hardly noticeable but would be felt in the much less resourced BTP.

Schemes like this are an excuse use for cost cutting anyway and getting the
public do to their work,
if she wants to be serious about undesirables travelling then put some BTP
staff at every major station and look at people .
For my sins at School I belonged to a Police Cadet force, very rare most
have Army or Air Cadets .
It was over 50 years ago and the world has moved on a lot but one of the
comments I remember from one of full timers in charge of us was the
success rate of an ordinary Bobby in IIRC Truro.
When his shift allowed he would spend some time watching who was getting
off the main morning train arrival from up country and knew who was back in
the area having got out of clink,who had form and had arrived to do some
business. This information was then disbursed amongst his colleagues
who when a crime occurred already had an inkling who may be involved .

That’s what BTP need to do , look ,using cctv if needed and talk to
colleagues.
Not depend on dotty doris who thinks some old git trying to discreetly
scratch his haemorrhoids is making a sexual advance.

GH

In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:

>Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.

More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
other platform, neither wearing a mask.
--
Roland Perry

On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:33:02 +0100
MB <MB@nospam.net> wrote:
>On 05/07/2021 00:34, Recliner wrote:
>> Yes, she seems simply not to be aware of enthusiasts and track bashers. As
>> already mentioned upthread, many women simply regard such interests as
>> weird.
>
>
>I would have thought she might have more important things do when you
>consider current news stories about her police force and the huge
>numbers of police officers wanting transfers.

Its much easier to make a fuss and "do something" about the low hanging fruit.
Its a tactic the police are using more and more to try and deflect from their
increasing inability to solve real crime.

On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:54:14 +0100, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
>2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:
>
>>Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>>are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>>requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>>text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>>one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>>bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.
>
>More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>other platform, neither wearing a mask.

They're not required to, are they?

In message <jo56eg122csdtikdcb3ra7h0d46gobi13g@4ax.com>, at 15:28:53 on
Mon, 5 Jul 2021, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:54:14 +0100, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
>>2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:
>>
>>>Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>>>are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>>>requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>>>text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>>>one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>>>bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.
>>
>>More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>>seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>>other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>
>They're not required to, are they?

I thought every on stations (as well as trains) still were.
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
> In message <jo56eg122csdtikdcb3ra7h0d46gobi13g@4ax.com>, at 15:28:53 on
> Mon, 5 Jul 2021, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>> On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:54:14 +0100, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
>>> 2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:
>>>
>>>> Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>>>> are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>>>> requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>>>> text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>>>> one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>>>> bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.
>>>
>>> More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>>> seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>>> other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>>
>> They're not required to, are they?
>
> I thought every on stations (as well as trains) still were.

For passengers, not police on duty. Even when sitting in police cars they
don't seem to wear masks. Presumably they're regularly Covid-tested
instead.

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:54:14 +0100, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
>> 2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:
>>
>>> Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>>> are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>>> requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>>> text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>>> one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>>> bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.
>>
>> More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>> seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>> other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>
> They're not required to, are they?
>

If they're in a public place on a railway station…

Anna Noyd-Dryver

Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> wrote:
> Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>> In message <jo56eg122csdtikdcb3ra7h0d46gobi13g@4ax.com>, at 15:28:53 on
>> Mon, 5 Jul 2021, Recliner <recliner.usenet@gmail.com> remarked:
>>> On Mon, 5 Jul 2021 09:54:14 +0100, Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>> In message <ikfv8mFbu8cU1@mid.individual.net>, at 08:47:18 on Mon, 5 Jul
>>>> 2021, Marland <gemehabal@btinternet.co.uk> remarked:
>>>>
>>>>> Well turn her own guns back on her then, if enthusiasts start to feel they
>>>>> are picked on all then do her bidding and text suspicious activity as she
>>>>> requests, a lone teenager travelling at an unexpected time,
>>>>> text you think he is drug carrying, a couple having a smooch ,text that
>>>>> one of them appears to be an unwilling participant’ , the swarthy looking
>>>>> bloke with a rucksack who is praying a lot is he a terrorist.
>>>>
>>>> More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>>>> seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>>>> other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>>>
>>> They're not required to, are they?
>>
>> I thought every on stations (as well as trains) still were.
>
> For passengers, not police on duty.

Railway staff on duty are supposed to wear them, at least on my TOC. Unless
we're "at our workstation" which includes drivers in driving cabs.

(Driver Instructors and trainees sharing a cab will be in a "training
bubble" and tested regularly).

Anna Noyd-Dryver

On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.

I suspect a lot of the dodgier bits of that article are coming from the
newspaper, rather than the Chief Constable.

--
Arthur Figgis Surrey, UK

Arthur Figgis <afiggis@example.com.invalid> wrote:
> On 04/07/2021 19:42, Mark Goodge wrote:
>> Accoding to an article in the Sunday Times today, people who spend more
>> time on trains than is necessary simply in order to get from A to B are
>> perverts. At least, that's the opinion of the newly-appointed Chief
>> Constale of British Transport Police, Lucy D'Orsi.
>
> I suspect a lot of the dodgier bits of that article are coming from the
> newspaper, rather than the Chief Constable.
>

Yes, good point.

On 05/07/2021 09:37, MB wrote:
> Perhaps she should follow the example of airports where they see
> plane-spotters as people to make friends with because they are likely to
> be the first to spot any suspicious activity.

A year od three back, a bloke decided to investigate the contents of the
cars parked at Acton Bridge station. He seemed very surprised when a
large while car with blue flashing lights sneaked in beside him.The
unobservant bloke hadn't noticed the dozen blokes on the platfrom, all
with cameras and, of course, mobile phones

--
Dave,
Frodsham

In message <sbvf5j$5tf$2@dont-email.me>, at 17:22:59 on Mon, 5 Jul 2021,
Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:

>>>>> More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>>>>> seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>>>>> other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>>>>
>>>> They're not required to, are they?
>>>
>>> I thought every on stations (as well as trains) still were.
>>
>> For passengers, not police on duty.
>
>Railway staff on duty are supposed to wear them, at least on my TOC. Unless
>we're "at our workstation" which includes drivers in driving cabs.

I think in all the TV footage I see of policemen, they have masks.
Haven't seen a real policeman for months.

In any event, the mantra is about "something that [you thought] didn't
look right", not "something you know for sure isn't right".
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry <roland@perry.co.uk> wrote:
> In message <sbvf5j$5tf$2@dont-email.me>, at 17:22:59 on Mon, 5 Jul 2021,
> Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>
>>>>>> More seriously, on Saturday I should have followed the advice on "having
>>>>>> seen something that didn't look right", and reported it. Two BTP on the
>>>>>> other platform, neither wearing a mask.
>>>>>
>>>>> They're not required to, are they?
>>>>
>>>> I thought every on stations (as well as trains) still were.
>>>
>>> For passengers, not police on duty.
>>
>> Railway staff on duty are supposed to wear them, at least on my TOC. Unless
>> we're "at our workstation" which includes drivers in driving cabs.
>
> I think in all the TV footage I see of policemen, they have masks.
> Haven't seen a real policeman for months.

I have, and don't think they were masked. And they were entirely within
their rights not to be.

This is the official line:

<https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own/face-coverings-when-to-wear-one-and-how-to-make-your-own#exemptions>

When you do not need to wear a face covering

In settings where face coverings are required in England there are some
circumstances where people may not be able to wear a face covering.

Please be mindful and respectful of such circumstances. Some people are
less able to wear face coverings, and the reasons for this may not be
visible to others.

This includes (but is not limited to):

- children under the age of 11 (Public Health England does not recommend
face coverings for children under the age of 3 for health and safety
reasons)

- people who cannot put on, wear or remove a face covering because of a
physical or mental illness or impairment, or disability

- where putting on, wearing or removing a face covering will cause you
severe distress

- if you are speaking to or providing assistance to someone who relies on
lip reading, clear sound or facial expressions to communicate

- to avoid harm or injury, or the risk of harm or injury, to yourself or
others ‒ including if it would negatively impact on your ability to
exercise or participate in a strenuous activity

- police officers and other emergency workers, given that this may
interfere with their ability to serve the public

>
> In any event, the mantra is about "something that [you thought] didn't
> look right", not "something you know for sure isn't right".

Now you know.