Six o clock in the morning and I am en route to work on the train.
It is raining outside and I am sitting on a wet floor, wedged in on all sides. Every time I doze off, someone keeps knocking me. As my anger grows, I ask myself the same question, over and over, "how can I make (insert name of train company) tackle overcrowding on my service?"
Yes, yes, I know there is a credit crunch and I only give (train company name) £3,500 a year to get me to work, I haven’t really got any cause to ask for a seat as well!
The thing is after 12 months I have just had enough and that evening I get going.
I decide to make a stand by asking Parliament's Transport Select Committee to call (train company) in for a grilling at their next meeting.
At my disposal will be my fellow commuters (fingers crossed), guile, a little humour and some digital tools – including a mobile, a laptop and a Bluetooth transmitter (USB sized), plus say £100.
On the way home, Day 1, I take a few photos on my phone to show the overcrowding we are all enjoying. Without getting reported, stopped or arrested, I head home for a night of photoshopping, MP research and to work on a name for my campaign. I end up with "Transport of Delight?"
Day 2 – Next morning I load photo and message into Bluetooth transmitter and plug it in to my laptop. This goes into my rucksack and I head for off another day’s work, merrily transmitting, no-one the wiser.
As I walk down the platform, I begin to hear the jingle of fellow commuters’ phones, asking if they will accept a message from "Sgt Overcrowd and Transport of Delight?"
I can see people looking confused, but many decide to open the message and see a photo of me sitting wedged in by the toilet door, on the floor of the train, my eyes covered "SAS style". This is accompanied by a simple message:
"The SAS wouldn’t put up with this! Join the fightback today against train overcrowding. Text your first name to 98700. Let’s make commuting a transport of delight. Sgt Overcrowd"
(Last night, I also signed up for an online SMS provider, who also gave me a short code and 4000 texts for £70 – jackpot!)
Throughout the journey up and back, I keep the transmitter on and by the end of the day have received 300 names – each of who receive a message from me as they sign up saying:
"Thanks for joining transport of delight – the campaign to get (train company) to tackle overcrowding. Shortly I will ask you to contact a key MP, stay tuned! Sgt Overcrowd"
By end of Day 3 – I have over a 1000 names. I decide to swing into action with a press release to the papers, asking "who is Sgt Overcrowd?" – and attach the photo. We get some media (and blog) pickup. More names come in.
Day 4 dawns. I head to an internet café and personally fax the MP chairman of the Transport select committee the picture, with a short message:
"This is the reality of overcrowding on (train company), and was taken two days ago. Some fellow commuters might be contacting you today, would be mightily obliged if you could help, Sgt Overcrowd."
I also add in my personal mobile number.
Same time, I text all the campaigners from my laptop, and ask them to call the MP chairman of the select committee with a simple ask:
"I am fed up with overcrowding on (train company). Will you please ask (train company) to come in for a chat?"
If I get even a 5% response rate, the MPs office is likely to be swamped.
Later, I reckon we get 10% and predictably I get a call from the MP’s irate researcher asking me to stop the messages. I say this is possible, but first would like to come in to present my dossier on the true scale of overcrowding, to which he agrees.
Day 5 – I text all the campaigners and tell them I am off to see the MP. I ask them to call the MP now and tell him how important this issue is. Even during the meeting, calls are still coming in.
With a promise to stop the calls, the MP agrees to call in (train company) to account for the overcrowding – RESULT
I thank the MP but tell him we will continue to watch how this unravels.
I text all the commuters the good news.
And then; just like the worst stories I ever wrote as a child, I realise this was all a dream. I am back sitting on a wet train floor, wedged in between some floppy fellow commuters. Now where did I leave that bluetooth transmitter?
The SAS wouldn’t put up with this….
Posted on 20th July 2010, by Patrick, under Campaigning, Technology
Tags: bluetooth, campaigning, mobile
by Ben on 23rd July 2010
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This story got me thinking about apathy, especially British apathy. As a nation we like to grumble a little moan makes us feel better, but then every now and then someone goes just a little too far, and we erupt, we stand up and start shouting and pointing until the rage has dispersed and we are left feeling a little exposed and self conscious.
It seems to me that generally it is the final straw that drives us over the edge, the focus of our rage is what ever is in front of us, the man who threw is cigarette butt on the floor rather than in the bin that was 3 feet away, the girl with the loud headphones on the tube. But these things by themselves are not enough to make us react, they are the culmination of events.
Anger can not be time boxed, we don’t schedule a rant for a specific time, however we will support another mans anger provided it is just. We will back up the old man that confronts the teenager that litters, or we will beep in support of a protest that we believe in.
I wonder as “charity people” do we need to get angry? To show our emotion, it seems that if we want to gain advocates and supports we need to be the one standing, shouting and pointing – not just providing the tools to allow other to do so.
by Chris Lorensson on 27th August 2010
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What a great read – even if it was only a dream (was it?), it makes for an inspirational story on how tech can aid our political power as consumers (or in this case, travellers), and above all, get stuff done,
Nice write up. I’ll definitely be sharing this.