Getting On The Wrong Train
I have to start out with writing that I am an idiot. For someone who worries so much about getting on the wrong train or bus, you'd think I couldn't possibly end up getting on the wrong train or bus. I can assure you that this is not that case. I stress and worry about it because I know I'm such a big dork that I might just mistakenly get on the wrong thing. And I did it today.
To my defence, there were two trains leaving with 7-8 minutes difference and both heading to the same end city from the same platform. When the train pulled up to the platform, I just got in thinking that I was my train and it just a little early. I was stressing a bit, running up and down to try and find the car number with my seat in it but I thought that it was something that I could handle on the train if necessary.
I've gotten on in the wrong car before and had to wait to the next station until I could exit the train and get back in the right one. But this time I wasn't on the right train at all. I knew when the doors closed and the train took off at 14.08 instead of 14.15 that I probably wasn't on my train. It was a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach but it was too late to get off the train.
I realised my only option was to find the ticket man and try to explain the situation. Well, I still tried to hold onto the tiny hope that I was on the right train and just couldn't find the right car. So I approached him as soon as I spotted him and showed him my ticket and asked where I should go. He informed me, as I feared, that it was not the right bloody train.
Technically, he should have written me another ticket to that train, on the spot, which would probably be around 300 DKK or I think he could even fine me for traveling without valid ticked, which would have been 750 DKK. So sufficed to say, I was a bit gutted. However, he took pity on me and just told me to get out at Odense and wait for my train there.
I made a swift exit from the car, thankful for not having to pay any money for my idiotic mistake. I walked all the way up to the separation between first class and the regular seats and I stood in the empty connection. Slightly freaking out and definitely feeling like a huge idiot, I tried to make myself as small and invisible as possible.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised that I didn't start panicking. I knew it wouldn't have done me any good. The train didn't stop before I would have to exit anyway and I had escaped extra expenses. Slowly, the ticket man made his way up the train and he kept walking past me while I was holding my breath. I had an inkling that you weren't supposed to be standing there where there are no extra seats or toilets or exits, but I was honestly thankful for the solidarity to stand there and feel stupid.
But on the way back, he did take notice of me and said to walk into the regular seating area and grab a free seat. Not one to disobey the man who had just been so nice, I followed him and he made an old lady get up from her seat, so I could climb into the window seat and sit down for the remaining half hour journey.
I got out at Odense and I made a point to walk to the back end of the train to thank the ticket man for his help and apologise for my mistake. I felt like it was the least I could do. Then I waited roughly half an hour next to the tracks before the train I was supposed to be along form he beginning finally made it here. I'm now sat in my reserved seat and I've just showed my ticket to this train's ticket man. The other one scanned it as well but it did scan perfectly again, so I think I can finally say I'm out of trouble for good.
This turned out a lot better than I feared. But I did suffer a lot internal bashing for my stupidity. I will repeat what I said at the beginning of this post: I am an idiot. I'm big fucking idiot. I got on the wrong train because I was panicking as I couldn't find the right car and didn't want to miss my train. And it cost me my peaceful journey but at least not anymore money or angry outbursts. Whenever I do something wrong or make a mistake, I'm always trying to brace myself for any potential verbal blows that might come as a result of it. I hate being shouted at or even talked down to harshly. I'm glad it didn't come to that.
It would not have been a great way to start my little three day holiday at my grandmother's. Now at least, I have had time to calm down and write this and settle into the seat I should have been in all along, if I hadn't been impulsive and worried about missing my train.
It's a bit ironic I jumped on the wrong train because I was scared of missing my train and thus ended up missing my train. At least, it was in the right direction or things would have been a lot worse. I didn't mean to cause trouble for anyone. And when I tried to stand out of the way and be invisible I got ushered over to sit down.
Do I look fragile or something? Perhaps a tiny bit. And my make-up free face has made people believe I'm younger than 22 years old. I would argue that age has nothing to do with this as I'm sure I could have made the same stupid mistake ten years from now. But it probably did help that I was obviously lost, young-ish and travelling alone.
And I genuinely didn't have any interest in arriving at my destination half an hour earlier. The train I jumped on by mistake essentially take the same route except with fewer stops and I could have gotten me to the destination quicker. But I made a deal with my grandmother and I wasn't too keen on buying a new ticket. Once I was traveling with my friend for new years and by mistake, I had bought a cheaper ticket that I didn't qualify for. I was allowed to buy the difference on the train. Then it had also been a genuine mistake to buy the wrong ticket. I'm not too good friends with public transportation, which is one of the reasons that I love my scooter so damn much.
But this experience has restored my faith a bit. I was an idiot but I was treated nicely despite my stupid mistake and I'm so happy for that. I'll try my hardest not to do it again. For my own sanity.
To my defence, there were two trains leaving with 7-8 minutes difference and both heading to the same end city from the same platform. When the train pulled up to the platform, I just got in thinking that I was my train and it just a little early. I was stressing a bit, running up and down to try and find the car number with my seat in it but I thought that it was something that I could handle on the train if necessary.
I've gotten on in the wrong car before and had to wait to the next station until I could exit the train and get back in the right one. But this time I wasn't on the right train at all. I knew when the doors closed and the train took off at 14.08 instead of 14.15 that I probably wasn't on my train. It was a horrible sinking feeling in my stomach but it was too late to get off the train.
I realised my only option was to find the ticket man and try to explain the situation. Well, I still tried to hold onto the tiny hope that I was on the right train and just couldn't find the right car. So I approached him as soon as I spotted him and showed him my ticket and asked where I should go. He informed me, as I feared, that it was not the right bloody train.
Technically, he should have written me another ticket to that train, on the spot, which would probably be around 300 DKK or I think he could even fine me for traveling without valid ticked, which would have been 750 DKK. So sufficed to say, I was a bit gutted. However, he took pity on me and just told me to get out at Odense and wait for my train there.
I made a swift exit from the car, thankful for not having to pay any money for my idiotic mistake. I walked all the way up to the separation between first class and the regular seats and I stood in the empty connection. Slightly freaking out and definitely feeling like a huge idiot, I tried to make myself as small and invisible as possible.
I'm actually pleasantly surprised that I didn't start panicking. I knew it wouldn't have done me any good. The train didn't stop before I would have to exit anyway and I had escaped extra expenses. Slowly, the ticket man made his way up the train and he kept walking past me while I was holding my breath. I had an inkling that you weren't supposed to be standing there where there are no extra seats or toilets or exits, but I was honestly thankful for the solidarity to stand there and feel stupid.
But on the way back, he did take notice of me and said to walk into the regular seating area and grab a free seat. Not one to disobey the man who had just been so nice, I followed him and he made an old lady get up from her seat, so I could climb into the window seat and sit down for the remaining half hour journey.
I got out at Odense and I made a point to walk to the back end of the train to thank the ticket man for his help and apologise for my mistake. I felt like it was the least I could do. Then I waited roughly half an hour next to the tracks before the train I was supposed to be along form he beginning finally made it here. I'm now sat in my reserved seat and I've just showed my ticket to this train's ticket man. The other one scanned it as well but it did scan perfectly again, so I think I can finally say I'm out of trouble for good.
Me sat writing this post on the right train
This turned out a lot better than I feared. But I did suffer a lot internal bashing for my stupidity. I will repeat what I said at the beginning of this post: I am an idiot. I'm big fucking idiot. I got on the wrong train because I was panicking as I couldn't find the right car and didn't want to miss my train. And it cost me my peaceful journey but at least not anymore money or angry outbursts. Whenever I do something wrong or make a mistake, I'm always trying to brace myself for any potential verbal blows that might come as a result of it. I hate being shouted at or even talked down to harshly. I'm glad it didn't come to that.
It would not have been a great way to start my little three day holiday at my grandmother's. Now at least, I have had time to calm down and write this and settle into the seat I should have been in all along, if I hadn't been impulsive and worried about missing my train.
It's a bit ironic I jumped on the wrong train because I was scared of missing my train and thus ended up missing my train. At least, it was in the right direction or things would have been a lot worse. I didn't mean to cause trouble for anyone. And when I tried to stand out of the way and be invisible I got ushered over to sit down.
Do I look fragile or something? Perhaps a tiny bit. And my make-up free face has made people believe I'm younger than 22 years old. I would argue that age has nothing to do with this as I'm sure I could have made the same stupid mistake ten years from now. But it probably did help that I was obviously lost, young-ish and travelling alone.
And I genuinely didn't have any interest in arriving at my destination half an hour earlier. The train I jumped on by mistake essentially take the same route except with fewer stops and I could have gotten me to the destination quicker. But I made a deal with my grandmother and I wasn't too keen on buying a new ticket. Once I was traveling with my friend for new years and by mistake, I had bought a cheaper ticket that I didn't qualify for. I was allowed to buy the difference on the train. Then it had also been a genuine mistake to buy the wrong ticket. I'm not too good friends with public transportation, which is one of the reasons that I love my scooter so damn much.
But this experience has restored my faith a bit. I was an idiot but I was treated nicely despite my stupid mistake and I'm so happy for that. I'll try my hardest not to do it again. For my own sanity.
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