Feet on our seats

Sep 10 2007 by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post

A TELEVISION presen-ter from the main channel in Toronto called me the other day. She wanted to interview Kathleen Jennings. Ms Jennings has seemingly generated global interest because she was taken to court for putting her feet up on one of Merseyrail’s seats.

The national newspapers and the broadcasting media had a field day with the case of the 19-year-old wannabe schoolteacher.

Ms Jennings wiped away the tears after JPs in Chester gave her an absolute discharge, making some sniffy comments about the draconian stance of Merseyrail.

The young undergraduate left court without a stain on her character. Yet the whole purpose of the zero-tolerance to feet-on-seats is because many people are left with stains on their clothes – caused by feet on seats.

People are divided on whether it was a heavy-handed approach or a sensible response to an issue that affects a lot of the travelling public.

Ms Jennings had moaned that a prosecution would have given her a criminal record that could have blighted her career prospects in the teaching world.

I’m not sure that such a fine on a summons would have constituted a criminal record. I doubt it.

Surely, though, teachers are in the front line of any hope we have of restoring a decent standard of behaviour among society. Putting your feet on a seat may seem trivial, but it is the thin edge of the wedge. If a wannabe teacher thinks it’s fine to plonk her feet on the seat in front, is she going to be willing, let alone capable, of playing her part in promoting social behaviour?

I have never put my feet on a seat, nor have I ever spat out chewing gum on the pavement, because they are disgusting anti-social acts.

If we are to encourage people to travel on public transport, we need – demand, even – clean, efficient and safe buses and trains. The price to pay for that may well mean a strict clampdown on even the smallest anti-social act and if Ms Jennings breaks the rules, she should be willing to pay the price.

What are Merseyrail staff supposed to do? Exercise social profiling so that only people wearing hoodies or those without a tie are nabbed. The “decent” folk with posh voices are excused?

One thing I do agree with is the need for such offences to be dealt with by way of fixed penalty tickets. Having to pay 50 quid or whatever for putting feet on seats will be a shock reminder to most that the law is in place. Dragging people through the courts is not necessary.

One can only ponder on what would be the response if Ms Jennings, later on in her adult life, finds somebody has placed their muddy feet on her designer settee at home. Maybe she will give them an absolute discharge and tell them not to do it again.

There is a lesson here for everybody – Merseyrail, the courts and the travelling public.