Just can't get good service anymore...
This story I saw linked from NealeNews about a parapelegic woman who was left on an Air Canada plane until cleaning crews found her reminded me of an incident on a Via train a couple of years ago - my situation doesn't compare to hers but it is of the same vein.
I was going from Ottawa to Kitchener - scheduled to arrive in the evening. I had fallen asleep somewhere after Guelph and woke up to find the train completely empty and stopped.
I looked out the windows and only saw bushes. My bags were still at the front and the door was open. I grabbed my bags and jumped out of the train - it was a fairly large drop and anyone elderly would have had a very tough time of it.
I could see a street a little off in the distance behind the train so I started walking to it - the station was no where in sight, it was dark, and I wasn't sure what place I was in. The train started backing up with me.
When I got to the street I didn't recognize the name but saw a busier street a couple of blocks away and a road crew working. I went to the road and saw it was Victoria Ave and asked the crew which way Weber was - the Station is on the corner of Weber and Victoria. It took me about 20 minutes to get back to the station from there where my brother, not even realizing the train had come and gone since he was a little late, was waiting.
I ended up getting a free one-way trip from Via and an apology but it certainly made we wonder whether I would advise anyone elderly to use the train - a shame as it's one of the nicer/easier ways for them to travel.
I actually was a little more annoyed with the other passengers (might have been a dozen or so) who surely must have seen me sleeping and didn't let anyone from the crew know I was there. The woman on the Air Canada plane also didn't receive any help from other passengers though they might not have realized she needed assistance.
I was going from Ottawa to Kitchener - scheduled to arrive in the evening. I had fallen asleep somewhere after Guelph and woke up to find the train completely empty and stopped.
I looked out the windows and only saw bushes. My bags were still at the front and the door was open. I grabbed my bags and jumped out of the train - it was a fairly large drop and anyone elderly would have had a very tough time of it.
I could see a street a little off in the distance behind the train so I started walking to it - the station was no where in sight, it was dark, and I wasn't sure what place I was in. The train started backing up with me.
When I got to the street I didn't recognize the name but saw a busier street a couple of blocks away and a road crew working. I went to the road and saw it was Victoria Ave and asked the crew which way Weber was - the Station is on the corner of Weber and Victoria. It took me about 20 minutes to get back to the station from there where my brother, not even realizing the train had come and gone since he was a little late, was waiting.
I ended up getting a free one-way trip from Via and an apology but it certainly made we wonder whether I would advise anyone elderly to use the train - a shame as it's one of the nicer/easier ways for them to travel.
I actually was a little more annoyed with the other passengers (might have been a dozen or so) who surely must have seen me sleeping and didn't let anyone from the crew know I was there. The woman on the Air Canada plane also didn't receive any help from other passengers though they might not have realized she needed assistance.
