Not content with taking up road space while avoiding cycle lanes, “cycling enthusiasts” have now taken up hogging seats on trains. A newspaper reports.
An ‘aggressive’ cyclist on an Auckland train has caused an uproar after he laid down on four priority seats, preventing a mum and baby from having a seat.
On Wednesday passenger Stuart Dawson boarded the Onehunga line to the CBD at 7.18am, but when he got on the packed train he came across a cyclist having a sleep across four seats.
At the very next station a mother with her baby and pram boarded the train and had nowhere to sit.
Dawson managed to discreetly get the train manager’s attention and point him to the situation unfolding.
But when the train manager approached the cyclist to move, he became aggressive, refusing to move and hurled abuse at the manager.
“He went up and asked the cyclist to move and the guy just said “get f****d”. He said that a couple of times. The manager then said, ‘if you continue doing that I’ll let you off at the next stop’.
“THE CYCLIST REPEATED WHAT HE SAID, SAYING ‘F**K OFF’ AND WENT BACK TO SLEEP. THE MANAGER THEN WALKED OFF AND DID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.”
Man, that slapping with a wet bus (train?) ticket must have hurt.
[…]According to Dawson, the mother and baby catch the same train as him most days, but he hasn’t seen them since the incident.
[…]HE HAS CALLED FOR MORE SECURITY AND STAFF ON TRAINS AND BELIEVES MANAGERS SHOULD BE ENFORCING RULES MORE OFTEN.
I use the train regularly. They already have enough onboard staff.
Transdev, who manage the trains on the Auckland Transport lines, told the Herald they were aware of the incident and believe staff handled it in a professional manner.
[…] However, Dawson says the manager should have done more to ensure passenger safety and believes there are too many incidents like these happening on our trains.
“I just don’t know why the train manager would threaten to kick him off but then do nothing about it.
I don’t know either. She could have at least asked to see his ticket. But you know, cyclist, special privileges. Who cares if you hog seats and force a mother and baby to stand. You’re saving the environment!