Oh wheelie?
I must make it clear from the start I am not a cyclist. I didn’t get to be this shape by riding bicycles. Think motorcycles, cafe stops, bacon rolls, now you’re getting the idea. Anyway, I digress. I recently came across an article on a news site (you know the one, run by the Broken Biscuit Company) explaining how Eurostar have found a new way to save space on their trains. I should say at this point you will never find me on a Eurostar train…tunnels…water…who in their right mind is going to do that? Oh, I know, people say it’s perfectly safe. Really? Are you saying the tunnel is completely watertight? So why do the trains have windscreen wipers then?… just askin’.
But I do understand there are those who are not concerned about drowning in an underground tube, and one group in particular has been singled out for special treatment. From November 1st, anyone
who wishes to travel with a bicycle on Eurostar, will have to put it in a box. Yes, a box…. with the wheels removed (from the bicycle, not the box. Thought I should make that clear.) They claim by putting bicycles in a box they can save space and allow more bicycles or luggage per train.
Have you seen how they park the cars in their trains? I’m sure they can do better. To start with, if they remove the wheels after parking I’m certain they could get another level of cars above the first one. Admittedly, they would have to be sports cars, on account of the limited headroom, but it could work. And parking nose to tail, what’s going on here fellas? Anyone with the slightest bit of spatial awareness will tell you that is not the most efficient use of space. Park them across the train for heavens sake. Sorry? The train isn’t wide enough? Come on guys, think outside the box (you have to, there are bicycles in this one). Smart Cars only to be carried on all trains from now on. See, that wasn’t difficult was it? In one fell swoop your capacity has tripled.
Maybe you won’t take up my ideas because of customer resistance. I
mean, I wouldn’t be exchanging my nice big car for a Smart Car so I could get on a train (not that I’d get on it anyway. See earlier comment) Nor would I expect to take the wheels off it before or after boarding. So what makes you guys think it’s OK to make cyclists do it?
Inconveniencing or alienating one group of people is never the way forward in any business. Ever heard of customer satisfaction?….
Now, where’s my ferry ticket?