Fri 3 February 2006 - This looks different
I was engrossed in my book. The train stopped, and I opened the doors and hopped out. I walked along the platform. This looks different… where did the glass doors from the entrance go?
This is not my station. My station’s the next one.
The train doors were still open, so I hopped back on, and starting paying more attention to where I was.
February 3rd, 2006 at 9:11pm
Haha. Lack of concentration when using public transport only inconveniences yourself, unlike when driving. There must be tens of people every day who miss their station because they have dozed off.
February 3rd, 2006 at 10:10pm
This reminded me of the time (back around 1990) when I was on my way with some others to the Annual Melbourne High School end-of-year formal assembly thingy. I got off the train at South Yarra but everyone else stayed inside. They were looking at me strangely. I was telling them to get off the bloody train. Then the doors shut and I realised that the assembly was at the Melbourne Town Hall. When I got there everyone was laughing at me, including Daniel, if I recall correctly. So, Daniel, I have only one thing to say -
“What are ya? You’re a dork, mate, a complete and utter…”
Ah, that revenge felt nice and cold.
February 4th, 2006 at 8:07am
A service where it sends a vibrating sms to your phone when the train you’re in reaches your station might be the go.
Called SleepEasy Reminders, it allows you to get that extra 10 minutes deep shuteye without worrying that you’ll miss your station. Just set it up before you doze off.
Such a thing would depend on current passenger information systems which are frequently wrong, so it might not be workable after all!
February 4th, 2006 at 12:01pm
you know how you get in the same place of the train and see the same people every day but never say hi to them, but know them anyway. one afternoon a woman was fast asleep and i knew she was going to miss her station. so i gently woke her.
February 4th, 2006 at 10:09pm
Ohh i’ve done that. I’ve also slept through my stop and ended up in Katoomba!! Very, VERY far away from where i wanted to get off.
February 5th, 2006 at 12:14pm
I’ve done that. It’s amazing how similar Toorak and Armadale stations look when you’re depressed after a Tiger’s loss.
February 5th, 2006 at 6:38pm
aaaah … great series that one …
February 7th, 2006 at 5:02pm
To another extreme: I know someone, who happens to (coincidentally) live in Bentleigh. On one occasion, they fell asleep on a Frankston-bound train before it got to Bentleigh. They woke up, and saw the station sign. It was Parkdale. Being new to Melbourne at the time (this was 20yrs ago), they had to go to the ticket office and ask the man “Where the heck am I ?”.
February 11th, 2006 at 4:36pm
I bought a copy of your book today .. hope it engrosses me as much as it obviously engrossed you.