On my usual train from Waterloo East to Orpington last night, the guard enthusiastically announced that we should all wear masks. He reminded us how they should be worn (not hanging off our ears or strapped to our chins), to maintain 2m distance (specifically not 1m+ which was the best that could have been hoped for on my train), not to remove the masks until we left our destination stations and that we can all beat this together. We were treated this to this uplifting prose three times during the course of my 36 minute journey.
What the guard forgot to mention in his lengthy speeches is that some people are exempt. I was travelling without a mask because I am one of those people. I was the only passenger without a mask and I could feel the eyes of the other passengers bearing down on me. This was a dreadful experience.
This particular guard’s announcements are always flamboyant - he appears to have his own script. While I am in no doubt that his intentions are good, if he must do this then he should not alienate others in the process and get his advice right. Quite apart from the embarrassment, if he succeeds in shaming exempt people into wearing a mask then he might damage their health!
I would suggest a complaint to the train company and point out that by not making it clear some people are exempt from wearing masks, the guard is guilty of disability discrimination. That ought to get them worried!
I did complain saying exactly that. This is what they said:
Thank you for contacting us this morning with feedback about Ashley's announcement on your service last night, and how it impacted you.
I'd like to start with an apology that you felt the way you've described. As you've said, Ashley's announcements are usually fantastic, and he's received much praise for them over the years - before lockdown I commuted up to London Bridge from Tonbridge so experienced them myself. However, one minor omission about the exemptions led to embarrassment, and I can certainly understand your concern.
So, I will report this to our Conductor Depot Managers, so it can be fed back to Ashley. I'm sure he'll take it on board, and will adjust his otherwise fantastic announcements appropriately.
To finish off, if you're concerned about how others may perceive you not wearing a face covering because of your exemption, we have a card that may help:
Printable version (pdf download)
Mobile version (pdf download)
These aren't essential, but can help if you're ever asked as you can just show the card and we'll accept your exemption.
Ha!
