JR Hokkaido another flub

[bikkuri bahn]

Hokkaido train conductor caught reading novel on duty

 

SAPPORO -- A Hokkaido train conductor is in hot water after a passenger spotted him reading a novel on a moving train and reported his actions to railway officials.

 

Hokkaido Railway Co. (JR Hokkaido) said a passenger spotted the 63-year-old conductor, whose name has been withheld, with his head buried in a book on a train on the JR Chitose Line on the morning of Nov. 12. The passenger phoned JR Hokkaido to report the incident after the conductor opened the book and read from it three times for approximately 10 minutes.

 

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111115p2a00m0na012000c.html

 

The Chitose Line also was where a driver was caught on camera nodding off while operating a train a few months back. The Chitose Line I believe is the busiest line in the JR Hokkaido network, and host to its profitable Airport Rapid service.

[westfalen]

Passengers with mobile phones are becoming a nuisance in Brisbane too. The passenger should find something better to pass his time than keep track of how long the conductor spends reading his book.

[Mr Frosty]

If all is going well and the tickets have been checked, whats wrong with reading a book?

 

Of course, the conductor should have said it was a "training manual". 

[Martijn Meerts]

Nothing quite like a person having a heated discussion on the phone in the train.. Happens all too often here :)

 

Not quite as annoying as wannabe-cool-kids playing loud crappy music on their crappy cellphones with really crappy built-in speakers though =)

[bikkuri bahn]

Should have put a cover on the book- "Railway safety manual".

[scott]

Would this guy have had any real safety-related duties that he was neglecting, or would he have just been waiting for the next station? Seems like if something out of the ordinary happened, he could have just dropped his book and dealt with it.

 

I know it sort of looks bad, but this doesn't sounds like a phone-call offense.

[bikkuri bahn]

I think there is a rule that while on duty, no personal leisure activities are permitted.  Much like how those manning cash registers are not allowed to do the same (this from my personal experience as a student). It's partly for show, of course, but in the railway case, maybe it's for safety reasons, as reading can be quite engrossing, and may cause one to miss a station announcement, or be late to open the doors.

[westfalen]

I saw a track gang's lookout man having a smoke while at his post this morning, I wonder if I should report him to JR West?

[scott]

I think there is a rule that while on duty, no personal leisure activities are permitted.  Much like how those manning cash registers are not allowed to do the same (this from my personal experience as a student).

 

You mean like all the people who are surprised to see me standing there waiting once they finally look up from their wireless devices? 

 

It's partly for show, of course, but in the railway case, maybe it's for safety reasons, as reading can be quite engrossing, and may cause one to miss a station announcement, or be late to open the doors.

 

Yeah, I can see that. Still, it seems like a subtle word might be better than jumping right to disciplinary action. But that's just me.

[bikkuri bahn]

With the proliferation of camera-equipped cellphones, what may have been ignored before may appear on YouTube by day's end, good or bad.  I have a feeling, purely conjecture and unsubstantiated, that some of this reporting is done by visitors from Honshu(this after all being the Chitose line that serves the airport), who are being self-righteous in reporting the country bumpkins.

[Guest ___]

Nothing quite like a person having a heated discussion on the phone in the train.. Happens all too often here :)

 

Not quite as annoying as wannabe-cool-kids playing loud crappy music on their crappy cellphones with really crappy built-in speakers though =)

 

Daily occurrence on MetroBus between the driver's and their "dawgs" and "peeps" Thankfully, I ride the Circulator, and they're usually too busy whining about other things to be on the phone.