Tourist told by Translink Derry does not exsist!!

[Wasp]

So because some arsehole and jobsworth dictates rules to people with no manners at all etc, he deserves his head slapped off??? Nice to know there are still 'men' out there who are willing to travel to hit some jobsworth. Maybe the same jobsworth might have surprized you both.

But as for your mum she was 110% correct in telling you to cop on and go home. Mothers always know best.

[lochy]

wasp said:

I use the term Londonderry so am I an uneducated bigot also?

Depends. If you asked me the way to Londonderry, I would tell you. If I asked you they way to Derry and you refused to tell me, then yes. There are times and places for battles and this is not it I never said that anyone who uses Londonderry is an uneducated bigot, but this guy surely is. His actions cannot be defended on any level.

[Blue Angel]

what i'd say is where in setanta's example does his mum's friend show a lack of manners. I used to be a heavy smoker myself and I used to travel around a lot outside London. I remember one quiet country station in the home counties where the plaform is totally exposed and I lit up and the station attendant politely said 'pleasue could I not smoke' as it was forbidden on all areas of the station. Not wanting to make the man's life miserable I put it it out but then again he also approached it with manners. Let me say had someone whipped a cigarette out of my late mother's mouth while I was standing next to her and started giving that lecture I'd have given a thump to them instinctively. Setanta's mum is right in letting cooler heads prevail after the event but somone needed to find the station master and lodge a complaint as the bloke in question is an amadan. Also he should be aware touching anyone like that is considered assault under law and that as a representative of his company he is inviting future legal trouble for them if he uses this method to prevent smoking on platforms.

[Wasp]

lochy said:

wasp said:

I use the term Londonderry so am I an uneducated bigot also?

Depends. If you asked me the way to Londonderry, I would tell you. If I asked you they way to Derry and you refused to tell me, then yes. There are times and places for battles and this is not it I never said that anyone who uses Londonderry is an uneducated bigot, but this guy surely is. His actions cannot be defended on any level.

The same goes for me, some of my friends call it derry and they know I and others call it Londonderry. But in terms of discipline there is absolutely nothing they can do apart from issue all employees with guidelines concerning any town/city that can be shortened.

[Blue Angel]

not so - since you yourself point out that people use both terms he cannot reasonably justify not been aware of derry's exsistence or that the name of the city is debated. He does indeed come across as a petty minded little bigot who seems to think that the internal squabbles of NI should be known to all 6 billion inhabitants of planet Earth as obviously whatever happens up there is of such importance that imagining there might be people on Earth not aware of the situation regarding stroke cities name is beyond his powers of belief.

[Wasp]

It doesn't matter whether we know he knows the term derry or not, the fact remains that legally he did nothing wrong. At worst they could give him a talking too or rather the employer will use the word training to update him in names of places or counselling to address his lack of manners. If anything IMO they will go with the training as this prevents all kind of legal precedings that the employee could take under employment law.

An opinion of him being a bigot or an opinion of him being awkward would have no standing legally as he could argue he went by translinks own description.

Although as you said with 6 billion people in the world I don't think we should all be worried about something like this as it isn't really a big deal compared with other things we have to worry about.

[Jim]

Because he legally done nothing wrong does not make it right either, there are many things we can do wrong but is within the law. The guy was being a bollocks and there was no need for it. Derry is as valid as Londonderry and anyone who uses the name Derry are clearly referring to the same place. Its like going to America and wanting to get a bus from New Jersey to New York and the person behind the desk giving you a mouth-full because you didnt make a distinction between city and state. You would feel like they're making an arse out of you.

For a company that has a monopoly on the transport here its not on.

[Wasp]

It may not make it right in some peoples eyes but we were talking about discipline etc of this employee. Anyway shouldn't Londonderry suit everyone, London for those who wish to be British and Derry for those who call themselves Irish. Pretty fair and inclusive IMO so why do republicans rant on about changing the name of it when it represents both traditions in my opinion.

[Jim]

Because Londonderry reflects English paranoia. It was only called Londonderry so businessmen from London would feel better about investing there. Doire is the historic irish language name and the name it would have been referred to by irish speaking protestants, and derry is the anglisation of the name, the rightful name in my opinion for the english language. thats not as a republican thats as an irish and english language speaker.

What need is there to have the name of another city attatched? maybe we should change Belfast to Brightonfast, and while we're at it lets change Enniskillen to Edinskillen, Coleraine to Cardiffraine and Bangor to Birminghamgor.

[An Fear Dubh]

What! Are you saying Wasp works on the buses too!?!

[Harry]

It was out of order and the wrong thing to do. Worst of all it was a tourist who most likely had no idea of the issues surrounding the naming of our second city and they deserved to be treated better. I agree with WASP that legally the man could very well justify his actions but of course it would lack moral justification. I call it Londonderry and will continue to call it that and others should be free to call it whatever they like and be afforded the courtesy we would expect ourselves