| lesley153
|
Ooh so he was! It wasn't the same train though - McCartney was stuck for six hours on the way back to London (he'd been to his daughter's Paris Fashion Week show), and Jonathan was stuck for eight hours on the way to Paris, and a concert he never got to.
The news items say how he kept people's spirits up, chatting and joking and signing autographs - how very regal of him! - and that was in spite of vile conditions. Dark, snow, no food, no water to drink or wash in: I reckon "vile" is as good a word as any.
I also read that an overhead power cable snapped under the weight of five inches of snow. I guess the French are no better prepared for snow than we are. Tree branches don't break under the weight of snow. Are tree branches then stronger than SNCF power cables?
People involved in the fashion week are furious too. Eurostar apologised for "any inconvenience caused"!
Someone wrote on Twitter that her love affair with Eurostar was officially over. I imagine she speaks for thousands.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Yesterday someone said to me that I had let my Jag go so that other Jags might live. Isn't that nice? |
Reply #4581. Mar 07 12, 6:52 AM
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| lesley153
|
Jarvis Cocker was on one of the trains too, as were a large number of very angry fashion models.
I suspect that more people would recognise McCartney than Cocker. Not that that really matters. And it's rich since Cocker appeared in a Eurostar advert a few months ago.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=l1jwYgFARIE
Compensation is going to be the cost of the disrupted leg of the journey, plus a whole free return journey, plus a bit of cash. The best compensation would be turning the clock back, but this is an acceptable offer. It has to be reasonable, because they know how much custom they stand to lose, and Olympics year is not great timing.
I still can't get my head round the French power cable breaking under the weight of only five inches of snow. They'd be better off making their cables out of bits of tree. |
Reply #4582. Mar 07 12, 3:36 PM
|
satguru 
|
At least there isn't a fight on their hands, eight hours is well outside any potential exclusion clauses unlike the airlines who seem to get away with almost anything. Can you imagine if places could get held up in the air as well? God forbid.
Unfortunately it's stories like that that put me off travelling in the end. It was bad enough spending over 7 hours getting back from Chorleywood when the forecast got it right (my mum said don't go but as they don't usually and it was bright and sunny I just couldn't imagine it) and doing the same in a foreign train carriage where you can't even get out. I went to a toilet and then a pub en route so managed at least some peanuts as by then there was nothing else available. I've been in some similar brown creeks in assorted countries and the metaphor I use is being in a lift. It's fine when it's working but when it goes wrong most people suffer more than usual. Being abroad now makes me think that, even if something hasn't gone wrong I remember what can. So far America's managed to beat the radar as it feels far more like home regardless of the distance than France or Denmark. Besides the obvious ease of communication most people want to help and in over a month there haven't had a single problem. I just don't fancy the flight any more as I haven't the zitsfleish (over to you to translate Lesley!).
Reply #4583. Mar 07 12, 7:25 PM
|
satguru
|
I have an excuse, I am not using my index finger to type yet and that should mean planes not places. Swear word.
Reply #4584. Mar 07 12, 7:26 PM
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| veronikkamarrz
|
Raynauds Syndrome...or Raynauds Phenonomen...My nose is blue. I think this is the problem.Researched both, and I think I've discovered the 'Elephant in the room' hoping it's here.
Usually, the color, or lack of, is on fingers, but can be ears or noses...
Reply #4585. Mar 07 12, 8:56 PM
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| lesley153
|
David, it's OK, I saw places and read planes. I don't think I need to translate - do you?
He sounded perfectly cheerful about the compensation, and the prospect of a free return journey. He has yoof and energy on his side!
Bad luck, VM - I have Raynauds and it can be a nuisance. What prompted you to mention your blue nose?
Yes, it's normally in fingers, can be in toes, and can also be the worst place imaginable - the tongue! (OK, that's maybe not THE worst place imaginable.) If it's fingers, you can stick your hands in your pockets. I don't know what you do for a nose - hat? nose-muff? |
Reply #4586. Mar 07 12, 10:06 PM
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satguru
|
I don't know if you saw the related entry on my Facebook Lesley, but after mentioning dead fingers and muffs I am not going to soil your blog with my inevitable associations. I'm sure anyone inclined can do their own thought experiments...
Reply #4587. Mar 08 12, 9:16 PM
|
tobyone
|
I'm always captivated by those statements apologising for "any inconvenience", as though there's a possibility that no inconvenience at all was caused. Or, that some of the passengers might have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and longed to repeat it; while others, of a less patient disposition, tried to chew their way out.
Reply #4588. Mar 08 12, 11:23 PM
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| C30
|
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused", or to put it another way, "We are compelled to apologise, but really couldn't care less if mere customers are inconvenienced - is not me being inconvenienced, so tough"
Happens here too of course, I am sure Broxbourne is a very nice place, but after two hours onboard a train going nowhere, it got a bit boring.
Then there was the 7hrs it took to drive from Cambridge to Reading......the "Biggest Car Park" was full up, with everything on M25 at a standstill. As I was near the M4 turn off, quite entertaining watching the aircraft landing and taking off at Heathrow..........never DID find out why everything was at a standstill......it eventually moved but no obvious reason!
Reply #4589. Mar 09 12, 1:21 AM
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| lesley153
|
Thought experiments took seconds. :)
I think the police presence was to try to stop people chewing their way out. More than ten hours on a train with no open windows or doors, and no air-conditioning for about half an hour when it lost power, it's a tribute to them that there wasn't mayhem.
Years ago I was on a rush hour tube train that stopped in the tunnel. The woman next to me looked distinctly unhappy, and said she was claustrophobic. I made eye contact and kept her talking for half an hour till the train moved again. I think it helped - she didn't scream or anything... Ten hours would have been a bit harder.
"We apologise for any inconvenience caused"
I think that translates, roughly, as "We are compelled to apologise, because we know you might start thumping our staff if we don't, but we hope you notice that we are not admitting liability, or acknowledging that you might have been inconvenienced by, for instance, missing a concert, a meeting (business or romantic), a flight, a funeral... not our fault. No, of course we don't care - whatever made you even think that we might?"
Cambridge to Reading is less than 100 miles - get on the M4 and wait a bit, about two hours. Where on earth did the extra five hours go? Not nice! |
Reply #4590. Mar 09 12, 6:26 PM
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| C30
|
To cut down time on M25, I used to go A10 to Royston, A505 to Hitchin, then A1M. Even with plastic pig, journey time was about 1hr 30 mins. That particular day I left Cambridge at Midday and eventually reached destination at 1900.
Of course, whatever caused the M25 business, snowballed, so M4 was the same. Stopped for 20 minutes......move forward in bottom gear a few hundred yards.......stop for .......you get the picture!
Reply #4591. Mar 10 12, 10:03 AM
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| lesley153
|
Google maps say get on the motorway, stay on the motorway, and arrive in about two hours. You cut a quarter of the time off by staying away from most of the motorways. There's a moral in there.
Of course I get the picture - the M25 is the motorway that you join in the rush hour and can read a newspaper in the outside lane. |
Reply #4592. Mar 10 12, 4:32 PM
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satguru
|
Cambridge and Oxford have overtaken most of London now for gridlock. Last time I went to Cambridge I got to the station in an hour and then another hour from there to the football ground (two miles away). Oxford now has a jam from past St Giles to Abingdon Road as there are no other roads they allow traffic on. I'm glad I don't live there now.
Reply #4593. Mar 10 12, 4:53 PM
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| lesley153
|
| Thank you for the warning - I had no idea. Thinks: sounds like a good excuse to hit them with a congestion tax. A few more years like this, and we'll be back to living, working and dying in the same street, and only the rich can afford to travel. |
Reply #4594. Mar 10 12, 6:25 PM
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| C30
|
satguru.........now lets see.............Cambridge Station to football ground (United, City or Histon?). Presuming United....I'd go up Station Road, left out of town at roundabout, first left onto Cherry Hinton Road, left at bottom onto ring road. Park up by Coldhams Common and walk to ground!
Mind you, that is based upon 18 year old knowledge - I moved from Cambridge in 1994.
Reply #4595. Mar 11 12, 10:49 AM
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| lesley153
|
I think I've been to Cambridge twice. It deserves better!
A facebook friend found this for me:
http://jennifercopley.suite101.com/car-colour-and-personality-a171631
It's how car colour relates not only to personality but also to road safety. Apparently drivers of yellow and brown cars had the highest crash rates.
I can't help thinking, if I had a yellow or brown car, I might want to see the back of it too. Is that unkind? Sorry. |
Reply #4596. Mar 11 12, 11:08 AM
|
bloodandsand
|
According to that study, Lesley, I'm a fastidious, status seeking extrovert!
Reply #4597. Mar 11 12, 12:51 PM
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| C30
|
I think I've been to Cambridge twice. It deserves better!
No it doesn't! Lol
Well currently "Royal Blue" car, but previous one was Red and one before that white............what does that tell me?
I'm mixed up? Fine, now tell me something I don't know! Lol
Reply #4598. Mar 12 12, 2:00 AM
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| lesley153
|
Bev's a fastidious, status seeking extrovert - that's a good thing, isn't it? Sounds all right to me!
Ray, could it mean that you've grown up and settled down?
**runs and hides** |
Reply #4599. Mar 12 12, 6:15 AM
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| trojan11
|
Could it be that C30, like many others, doesn't give a toss about colour and just buys a car to get around in?
Reply #4600. Mar 12 12, 6:31 AM
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