• Outburst: Tube man suspended for 'little git' rant at trapped passenger

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I was told by the conductor on the Docklands Light Railway today that holding doors open is illegal. It apparently carries a custodial sentence. Thats the slammer to all you door jamming idiots out there. Think aboutb that the next time you ignore the instruction to 'mind the doors'

- Emily Wyatt, London

I am proud to count Ian as a personal friend of four years. This entire episode has been blown up out of all proportion with people who have never even met Ian passing judgement on what is after all only the tail end of a situation. You can clearly hear that the film starts with Ian asking the man to come upstairs and speak to the police. Have any of you wondered what the man had done or said for Ian to feel the need to involve the police? Ian is despite all the hype a very quiet, laid back and likeable person who ordinarily is very good at his job. Unfortunately this day he lost his cool and I know that it would have taken a lot to wind Ian up to say what he did. There was NO swearing on the film and NO physical violence, just a few choice words in the heat of the moment.

- Lisa, London

His religion is 'jedi'?

What is he, 7 years old?

I guess you don't have to be very bright to work for the underground, just angry...

- Matthew, Cheshunt

I wonder if there are any witnesses to this - who can tell us the full story - because at the moment we are guessing what happened just before this video started rolling .

- S Filowski, Leytonstone E London

"'These people' are there to check everyone is on the train safely and the doors are secured before the train moves off." The driver can do that by looking in the big mirror. The platform staff never move more than a couple of feet so can check two doors at most.

"actually the TFL platform staff on the victoria line are very helpful" - you've obviously never been to Tottenham Hale or Seven Sisters.

Would I do the job? No, I prefer to do a job I have an aptitude for.

- Paul, London

They video only tells half the story.There must have been a reason why the station assistant said he was not going to let him travel and why he told him to get off the train and talk to the police.
And it is a shame that a lot of you get pleasure from someone about to lose their job, Or maybe it is because they work for London Underground that we stop seeing them as people with families.
Maybe the man who made this film should be filmed for a day and see how many people he swears at!

- Anne, London

@Micky
Perhaps they have been on more transport systems than you have. On some trains, the door systems are still manual. Others require you press a button for the door to unlock. Some transport systems used the emergency cord as a means of telling the driver, passengers want to get off at the next stop.

Though, having seen how some commuters will persistently rush to a train just as the doors are closing and jam their arms or baggage in through a closing door in order to stop the train from leaving and then get stuck, I can see how he could get angry.

- Michael, Edinburgh

The young man is unfortunately typical of his type. Those that support his actions are of his tribe There are plenty of unemployed to step into his shoes. But can he be held solely responsible for being a git? What has been his training. Pun intended!

- Cyrjames, Berwick UK

Amazing that anyone would try to defend the behaviour of this Customer Services Assistant. He is clearly does not possess the skills necessary for the job and has behaved appallingly. Dismissal is the only action to take.

- Chris, West Sussex, England

As I tube worker, I have experienced abuse from all type of customers that use the underground.
The undergound on occasions can be stressful for commuters to use and understand. vice versa as workers, the shift we do,the anti social hours we work can have an affect on us and our behaviour. This is the reason we have good benefits and long holidays so that we look after ourselves,provide a high quality customer service and be very alert and relaxed to deal with safety critical situation when they occure.
I am not defending Ian, he was totally wrong, although I dont know the other side of the story, the words he used agaist a custmer while on duties are not acceptable as an employee of TFL and LUL.
Our behavior is crucial in delivering a worl class service to a world class city. Being acoutable for our actions is one of the five behaviours we are required to deliver every time we are on duty.
Mr Morbin has let himself, he has let all of us down, he has let TfL down and above all he has let our customers down.

- M, London

according to other bloggs this idiot created for his 15 mins of fame, (jojn Macdonald)it is reported this LU worker was dug in the ribs by this poor old man.
This sounds about right, i would not be happy either if i got assaulted doing my job and obviously a LUL staff member getting assaulted would not interest anyone would it.

- Happy Gilmore, London

I suppose if this weirdo is sacked Crowe will bring out all the brothers, yet again.

- Michael, London, UK

I worked for LUL for 12 years mainly around the main stations in London,this was at the time when the height of the IRA bombing campaign had a huge effect on station closures almost on a daily basis.One time we had a security alert at Bond St and we began to start the evacuation of the station,along comes this "city gent" who instead of going out of the station like the rest of the public decided to go down the escalators because as he said at the time "Ive got no time for this nonsense!" Well it took some stren words by the station supervisor in his shell like to leave the station abruptly or enjoy an afternoon in premises courtesy of the BTP.The amount of times I and many of my colleagues at the time were sworn at,spat at,threatened verbally or otherwise is too many mention on here! Saying that a smile and a calm manner did wonders to the more irate members of the travelling public.It was heat of the moment comments lets just learn fromit and move on?

- Owen H, Prague, Czech Republic

I've actually met Ian Morbin, albeit briefly. I've only worked one shift with him, but I remember him as a really nice guy who was good at his job! We have far worse staff who don't get caught. This is definitely not good enough, and I think he'll get a warning and moved to a different station (for a fresh start where he is less likely to encounter the same customers), but it's not something he should get sacked over if it's a first offence. You get sacked for safety breaches. I'm confident that either something happened to rile him before the filming started, or the customer said something we don't get to hear because he's facing the other away. I know the female member of staff in the video as well, and it's out of character for her too.

- Another Member Of Staff, London

Why work with people if you dont like customer services? An elderly man at that..Disgusting.

- Jan, Tottenham, London

If the old guy had been dragged down the platform and smashed against the wall or dragged into the tunnel the staff member would probably have been sacked or prosecuted for neglect.
The facts are passengers dive onto trains or obstruct the doors in the misguided belief that the train cant move if the doors are not fully closed, it can and in some cases it has, killing people that were trapped in the doors in the most horrible way.
The platform guy was wrong to talk that way but if you keep seeing people doing the same idiotic stuff and take the abuse these people take on a daily basis then sooner or later you are going to snap for a moment.
He shouldnt be sacked but maybe given a break from platform work, and given a course on anger management.
The old guy who got his arm stuck, should be informed how dangerous that act is and how it inconveniences hundreds on that train, LUL have lots of trains there will be another along soon enough.

- Brian, Wiltshire

Sarah Bradshaw, yes we all of us have our "off" days but most of us say "sorry" when we realise we've done something wrong, don't you?

- Andreas Precoupoulos, London, England

I don't know why we need these people on the platform anyway. For instance, on the Victoria Line every day they tell us that the next train is going to whatever destination it says on the front calling at all stations via Euston and Kings Cross .... well, strangely enough, they ALL do that, we don't need to be told.

- Paul, London

Well paul you try getting onto a packed tube train amongst people who push and (like the 'frail old gentleman) try to block the train doors with their bodies or baggage, thus holding everyone else up. 'These people' are there to check everyone is on the train safely and the doors are secured before the train moves off. And actually the TFL platform staff on the victoria line are very helpful. And as Ben asks would you do the job? no i thought not! This guy lost it at a stubborn commuter who would not listen - big deal. All this needs is a formal warning to the worker and thats it. A lot of the commentators here are on their (very) high horses as if they are a cut above the lowly TFL worker - some of you really need to get a life.......................

- Kh, London UK

The guys just an ordinary Joe.

He has now been given a very public beating.

Time to move on for everyone.

- Amrit, London

Thank god noone's ever filmed me on an off day! Give him a warning and let him go back to work.

- Liz, Italy

i find it has all gone a bit to far to be honest.

I travel on the tube everyday and have been asked to leave a train due to defective doors or whatever. May i point out that the reason trains get taking out of service is because these idiots that done understand the terms "mind the doors deside to force the door open and there for get trapped and this then becomes defective due to them forcing them open. all other passengers leave the train quietly however who is the one that starts to kick off a fuss the numpty that forces the door open and they are the ones that take it out on the tube staff.
I feel sorry for the staff sometimes i have had to stand in and tell the passengers to calm down as at the end of the day the tube staff are only doing there jobs i for one would not like anyone to come into my office and start shouting at me and i am sure all you other workers go to work and dont expect to get abuse.
In this country its seems that a 3 minute wait is like a lifetime to people just be gratefull we have reliable staff to run a system that runs fine most of the time.
Mabey all you people out there criticising tube staff should try and do the work these people do working shifts as early as 0430am finishing well gone after 0100am i doubt you would be able to take the abuse and the shifts pattern.
As most of you are saying this guy has no repsect towards the public maby if we all respected the tube staff a bit more theu would show us great more respect

- Liam Walrick, London

Whilst I agree that this man's behaviour is completely unacceptable (from the video) I refuse to pass judgement on Mr Macdonald's claimed story about how the tube worker "is said" to of behaved prior to the incident.
However, however that customer supposedly made Ian feel, he should keep all his thoughts to himself and not soud off.
The customer should of been told that he should not attempt to board or alight from a train when doors are closing in the interest of his safety. Had he not ignored the a doors closing warning tone, he would not of got his arm caught.
That is exactly what I would of told the man!
In addition, customers that jam train doors for their own selfish gain, not only cause the trains to fall behind their sheduled timetable, can sometimes take them out of service for what is essentially causing damage to the train.

- A Customer Service Assistant, London

The pompous oaf who filmed this was taking to the airwaves stating how he won't be going to Holborn station because he doesn't want to be 'thrown under a train'. Give me a break- this charlatan was glorying in his 15 minutes of fame, and exaggerating to the hilt to get his 'story' across. Thrown under a train indeed. He loved the thought he had a 'scoop' with which to go to the press with. The bloke is a classic snitcher, and had he done that at my school against anyone would have been given a good hiding after school.

- Richard, London, UK

Nobody at all wins and everybody loses - and all down to ill-considered bad manners from whatever direction.
.
What are we turning into in this country ?

- J B Blackett, Hendon

I don't know why we need these people on the platform anyway. For instance, on the Victoria Line every day they tell us that the next train is going to whatever destination it says on the front calling at all stations via Euston and Kings Cross .... well, strangely enough, they ALL do that, we don't need to be told.

- Paul, London

Anyone here ready to swap their job for his? Thought not. You're not likely to get sensitive souls signing up for the thankless task of marshalling passengers, spending hours underground. OK he lost it a bit, but I saw no physical contact, little rap on the knuckles and then all back to work surely?

- Ben, Brussels (but once a Londoner)

I am not surprised if very, very occasionally a member of staff on the tube verbally lashes out. The vast majority of the time they are paragons of patience with the public and in my opinion deserve medals for what they put up with. I know I could not do it. As for Mr Morbin, everyone has their off days, how do we know he hadn't already been abused himself by a customer before this incident and just took it out on the wrong person?

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

This idiot should have been sacked on the spot.

- Nav Mish, London

The vast majority of London Underground staff are polite and courteous to passengers, there are however a few who need to be shown the door.
A few weeks ago whilst at KIngs Cross, I was boarding a train on the Westbound Piccadily line and became aware of a rude platform assistant who was ordering us around like cattle over the platform loudspeaker system. I said to him," a please or thank you would be nice - don't forget we are the customers here!". He glared at me and muttered under his breath "idiot", by then the doors were closing on my train and we were away. This man needs some serious help in the customer relations dept.!

- Mark Burton, St Ives, Cambs

Give the guy a break. We all have our off days. I've always been stunned at how polite tube staff seem to remain with the public. I would not last an hour in such a job. For all we know Mr Morbin might have been wound up by 10 different punters prior to this that day. It's not like he tried to chuck the bloke under a train. He definitely should not lose his job over it.

- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx

Well yes ofcourse he is suspended on full pay ! What a joke! Be prepared for the investigation to take a very long time. Why suspended on full pay when there is vido evidence of what happened.

- Maya - London, London

Uh has anyone noticed that the said Mr Morbin, has only gone and made things worse for himslef by posting on these comments that he doesn't care what he did and he would do agian if he had the chance?! I'm sorry Mr Morbin, we all get fed up sometimes but tirading at passengers when you are upholding a company name is unaccepatable behaviour.

- Chris, London

To those people here saying it was the elderly gentlemen's own fault for being a pushy, violent, middle aged, middle class (even worse!) old troublemaker. You are actually defending a big, bad tempered lardy bully against an obviously frail old man who had the temerity to complain mildly because he had his arm frighteningly trapped in a tube train door? I despair.

- Fantod, London UK

Looks a bit like General Custer,not your average underground worker.

- David Nigel Braham, Milan Italy

I am sorry to say it, but our Jedi friend here is not atypical of my experience in general of staff on the London Underground

- David J, London, UK

Jedi? He must have turned to the dark side

- Norbert, London

Im a bit sick of this to be honest, the old codger wouldnt do as he was told, so he got both barrels, i said it in his one good ear, as i could see his hearing aid in the other.

The power of the Jedi told me to stand up to the elderley, and i did with No regrets. Nothing will make me back down from my actions. If there was a bit more space i could have lazzed the fella between the carriages.

Next time maybe.

-n-

- Ian Morbin, Romford

Everyone can have a bad day.

Sure on reflection he would not have said what he did but some people can be mindless on the tube. Pushing others out of the way to grab a seat, not moving along to let others one. Placing bags/luggage on seat when the trains are crowded.

You need people like him to deal with people like this, but without the swearing.

- Mike, London

Crow is probably wanting to get the entire workforce out on strike over this suspension but will have to wait until "the Jedi" has finished speaking with Max Clifford.

- Steve, London

Was this tirade really necessary? This simply shows the frightening lack of respect that all youth show to their elders. For people to think that they can speak to anyone this way is quite sad and shows a breakdown in the social order.

- Af, London, UK

Jedi!? More like a complete space cadet! Silly man.

- Wallytader, London

As a daily traveller on the tube I never cease to be amazed at the stupidity and recklessness of passengers to try to force doors open, get on trains when they are asked not to, and abuse the staff who are trying to look after their safety.It is invariably middle, class middle aged and elderly people who are the worst. there are two sides to every story, and I see fom the video we don't hear what the "gent" had previously said to the other member of staff present.There are two sides to every story

- Micky, London N4

Even in his photograph on this page he looks a nasty sour-faced piece of work. I'm only surprised that the Crow man hasn't called all his brother members out on strike for the suspension of misery Morbin.

- Pandora, london

So Ian Morbin is described as a 'Customer Service Assistant'!! Not much recognition that passengers are customers and certainly no sign of assistance or service.

Looks like he is in the wrong job, what a sad insecure little man, perhaps he ought to go back to being a Jedi. PS I bet he still lives with his parents!

- John Bull, London

As a daily passenger on the Central Line, I feel this is blown out of proportion.

How often have we sat and stood on the tube for other passenger just to be ignorant and not listen to any messages from the staff. Yes I agree the worker may have stepped out of line but I think most people can have a moment, I have encountered passengers more threatening and abusive over how they wish to read the Metro. I quick training session is all that is needed.

- Mark, London

And daily we put our safety in the hands of people like this! I find it ironic that the tube is covered with warnings about 'not abusing our staff' and 'right to work without fear' - perhaps this will open the mayor's eyes as to why the system is such a mess.

- Hansel, London

Unfortunately I fear this person was at the top of the talent pool available for TFL employment. Royal Mail here he comes.

- Steve, London

Sometimes people are unaware, for all sorts of reasons, that they lack social skills. This man seems to be one of them. Another blogger complained he has received rude and unacceptable treatment from the same TfL staff member.

No doubt it's a stressful job. Herding vast numbers of the public onto and off trains and keeping the whole system moving. Unless staff are suitable in temperament to working with people, trained adequately and have the supervisory staff to ensure that they do the job properly, a bullying culture among staff themselves, and towards the public, will eventually become endemic and prevail.

Most notable among the comments here and elsewhare on this appalling incident, are many who say they are intimated by some TfL staff members attitudes. That whatever their behaviour and treatment, you never dare complain because the TfL security staff will always take the side of a staff member. Even to the extent of making a false trumped up charge against the complainant. This TfL bully seems to have lost his temper simply because the passenger dared to complain, however mildly.

Have long felt I ought to be using the public transport system, but think I'll stick with my car a while longer.

Transport for London. Sort yourselves out.
You see fit to charge the travelling passengers among the highest fares in the world. Now it's time to make sure that your services and the staff attitudes, match the fares that you ask people to pay.

- Andrew, London

An obnoxious weirdo - what an awful combination.

- Nowan King, London

Suspended on full pay?

What a joke.

- Joseph Yossarian, London

The customer service assistant writes: "My future will be in either the driving of Tube trains or trucks."

That would be in trucks now I guess!

- Paul B, London

Mr Morbin, as a soon to be ex-employee of London Underground, how do you reflect upon your behaviour?

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants

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