and in turn, i should have joined myspace just reminded me
On the subject of blind people. It wasn't intentional, but you'll probably find it funny.

I was on a train a few weeks ago. It was really full. Ridiculously full. Absolutely fucking rammed. Every seat full, people stood in the ends of the carriages and the bits between them, you know the score.

I was stood in the end of one of the carriages, by the sideways facing seats and a big pile of luggage, with about half a square foot of space to stand in. The aisle was crammed with bags as well, so every time someone came along trying to get on or off, me and the bloke next to me had to lift a few suitcases up and hold them in our arms, and sort of turn round, shuffle backwards and breathe in so there was enough space to get down the aisle. Every time, I had to shove my arse right in the face of this fairly hot teenage girl who was asleep on one of the sideways seats. We got quite good at it in the end, me and this random bloke, it was like some sort of choreographed dance move. But I digress.

After the endless amounts of old grannies trying to get past, came a bloke with a white stick. Fairly obviously blind, or visually impaired. We executed our little manoeuvre, making sure he had as much space as we could create. As he came up to us he asked us where the toilet was. I directed him to the next one, at the far end of the carriage he was passing into, and told him it was on his right.

We watched his slow progress down the aisle of the next carriage (well, there was nothing else to do!) until, about two thirds of the way there, he stumbled over a bag someone else had left in the aisle, stacked it, and faceplanted pretty much into someone's lap. I thought he'd knocked himself out at first, but he seemed to be alright once he was helped to his feet.

And the bad bit? I didn't notice until this poor bloke had been to the toilet, struggled back through the carriage, and our bottleneck of piles of luggage, and past us back to his seat, that the wall behind me I was crammed against was, unbeknownst to me, a door. To a toilet. About 5 yards from where this bloke was sat in the first place, and I'd made him traverse the whole length of a packed carriage, and fall over into the bargain.

I wondered why a few people gave me dirty looks as I was originally directing him to the toilet!
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 15:39, 5 replies)

Were you on my train?
I had to help a blind man get off a jam packed train a few weeks ago.

I suppose theres a few about...
(i should have joined myspace, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 15:46, closed)

Where were you going?
Was it your sleeping face I was sticking my arse in? I apologise if so, but you probably deserve it for your taste in music. You'll be deaf in 5 years if you keep listening to your iPod at that volume as well.
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 15:56, closed)

West coast train to Edinburgh
Started at Birmingham me thinks.I do listen to my ipod loud but I havnt had an arse in my face for some time.
(i should have joined myspace, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 15:58, closed)

It may actually have been the same train
I was going Ludlow - Crewe, which I think is the same one. Last Sunday in November or thereabouts.

Spooky...!
(Son of Sam-i-am We're all as mad as hatters here, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 16:09, closed)

The other people
Are going to hell. Why on earth would they stay quiet but giving you dirty looks for allowing a blind person to travel a tad further? They should have piped up and pointed the nearer toilet out to both of you. MORONS!
(redshoes, Thu 18 Dec 2008, 15:55, closed)