Facing in the opposite direction?

[whole diary]

[TonyK]

I don't doubt that there will be accusations of bias, however it was quite proper of Virgin to release the information & CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage, it is clearly in the public interest to expose someone who aspires to the highest office in the land if he tells lies or half truths to further or promote his own ideologies.

Yes, you are quite right. He is the author of his own misfortune.

I suspect a bit more thought will go into the next Corbyn PR^▸ (Public Relations) stunt.

I doubt it on past form.

[grahame]

From The BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page)

Who, What, Why: When can you sit in a reserved seat on a train?

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised after being filmed sitting on the floor on a Virgin train when there were apparently seats available. So, on a busy train, can you sit in reserved but empty seats?

You can sit in reserved seats on inter-city trains if the person who made the reservation doesn't turn up

But there's no signage that tells you to do this

etc

Long (magagize) article ... not sure I would agree all the facts - for example I thought that the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) had a 10 minute rule that you should take up your seat within that time of departure or forfeit the reservation.  I would also suggest that you can sit in a seat that states it's reserved at any time, provided you're prepared to move without fuss should the person who's reserved it turn up.  You can, of course, also sit in a reserved seat if it's your reservation  - obvious ...

[TonyK]

  I would also suggest that you can sit in a seat that states it's reserved at any time, provided you're prepared to move without fuss should the person who's reserved it turn up. 

A strategy I have used several times with mainly success.

[Oxonhutch]

A strategy I have used several times with mainly success.

And taught me by my father who used it regularly as a National Serviceman coming home on packed trains out of Euston in the late 1950's.

[Tim]

That one doesn't wash - they flew home on flight BA2016, in a British Airways Boeing 747-436, G-CIVA. Not a Virgin to be seen in any of the pictures, of which we have all been reminded following the attempt to help us forget. And whilst it is not the confessional, Virgin risks being accused of political bias by releasing such detailed information and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage.

That is my point, by generating their own story, the positive coverage of the BA^» (British Airways - about) Olympic flight is overshadowed.  I expect Virgin would have released the footage anyway (after all Branson and Corbyn have had run ins before over Branson being domiciled in a low tax Caribbean island), but they sat on the footage for a week, and the timing was perfectly co-ordinated with the Olympic story - I guess it depends if you believe in coincident. 

[Tim]

it was quite proper of Virgin to release the information & CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage

I disagree.  It was quite proper for Virgin to vigorously dispute Corbyn's story but CCTV is supposed to be used for public safety and crime prevention purposes.  Virgin used it for either political/commercial/entertainment ends and I happen to think that such a use is insufficient to justify the invasion of privacy that CCTV entails - we are told that we should accept CCTV to help defeat crime and terrorism and that is fair enough, but that is not what Virgin was doing here.

I'm no fan of Corbyn but I have to confess to a slightly irrational hatred of Richard Branson.  His business practices such as poor standards in rail franchises, his tax avoidance and tax evasion, his designs to get his claws on chunks of the NHS (Sirona Health in Bath for example) are no worse than many other businesses, but it is the fact that he combines it with a supposed social conscience and trendy lefty image that really grates with me.  Micheal O'Leary of Ryanair strikes me as fairly unlovable, but at least he doesn't pretend to be anything other than a ruthless businessman and I have a grudging respect for his honestly in that regard.  Branson on the other hand....

Never trust an ex-hippy.     

[TonyK]

Never trust an ex-hippy.     

Like, gee thanks, man!

[LiskeardRich]

it was quite proper of Virgin to release the information & CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision) footage

I disagree.  It was quite proper for Virgin to vigorously dispute Corbyn's story but CCTV is supposed to be used for public safety and crime prevention purposes.  Virgin used it for either political/commercial/entertainment ends and I happen to think that such a use is insufficient to justify the invasion of privacy that CCTV entails - we are told that we should accept CCTV to help defeat crime and terrorism and that is fair enough, but that is not what Virgin was doing here.

I'm no fan of Corbyn but I have to confess to a slightly irrational hatred of Richard Branson.  His business practices such as poor standards in rail franchises, his tax avoidance and tax evasion, his designs to get his claws on chunks of the NHS (Sirona Health in Bath for example) are no worse than many other businesses, but it is the fact that he combines it with a supposed social conscience and trendy lefty image that really grates with me.  Micheal O'Leary of Ryanair strikes me as fairly unlovable, but at least he doesn't pretend to be anything other than a ruthless businessman and I have a grudging respect for his honestly in that regard.  Branson on the other hand....

Never trust an ex-hippy.     

The ICO website suggests releasing CCTV footage clearly showing an individual to the media for entertainment purposes is a data protection breach. It goes on to say for crime purposes etc footage should only be released by the police.

The reason he didn't take a single seat was so that he could sit with his wife, who ironically isn't sitting with him on the floor in his video footage.

[TaplowGreen]

What are the rules regarding customers filming on trains without permission I wonder?

I know that filming on Network Rail property/stations requires an application and written permission.

[Adelante_CCT]

I know that filming on Network Rail property/stations requires an application and written permission.

I'm sure the dozens of peeps who film steam trains etc don't have (myself and others on this forum included)

[Red Squirrel]

"We have lots of chairs, but you can sit on the floor if you think it'll make people like you...":

http://www.bristol247.com/channel/news-comment/daily/news-wire/bedminster-chalk-board-sign-goes-viral

[TaplowGreen]

I know that filming on Network Rail property/stations requires an application and written permission.

I'm sure the dozens of peeps who film steam trains etc don't have (myself and others on this forum included)

I think it refers to actual crews filming at stations (ie making films) rather than trainspotter activity but I'm happy to be corrected.....there are of course security implications as well as H & S etc.

https://filming.networkrail.co.uk/faq.aspx

[grahame]

I'm headed for Scotland tomorrow and don't have a seat reservation.

Which train does the panel advise me to catch if I wish to get a seat? 

[LiskeardRich]

Travelling alone or with a companion who must sit with you except whilst you film yourself?

[grahame]

Travelling alone or with a companion who must sit with you except whilst you film yourself?

 

Travelling with my trusty laptop, and without a film crew or a wife in this instance.