Guest essay by Eric Worrall
Deutsche Bahn apologised for allegedly making Greta Thunberg sit on the floor for part of her journey, while travelling on an overcrowded train in Germany.
Greta Thunberg in first-class Twitter spat with German rail firm
Deutsche Bahn says activist’s tweet implied she had not been offered a seat on journey home
Kate Connolly in Berlin
Mon 16 Dec 2019 05.51 AEDTSwedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has been criticised by a German rail firm for what it said was her implication that she had spent a journey without a seat on an overcrowded train.
The teenager tweeted a photograph of herself looking pensively out of the window of her German train on Saturday, writing: “Traveling (sic) on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I’m finally on my way home.”
Greta travelled by train from the COP25 UN climate conference in Madrid via a climate protest in Turin, Italy, on Friday. She is due home in Stockholm to celebrate Christmas with her family after a year travelling the world by rail, sea and road to highlight the threat of global heating.
Traveling on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I’m finally on my way home! pic.twitter.com/ssfLCPsR8o
— Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) December 14, 2019…
Greta later clarified her position, by suggesting she never said there was a problem, because overcrowding shows how popular trains are.
It could have been worse. If Greta was attempting to travel through France, they’re all on strike, though there has been some talk of interrupting the strike during the Christmas holiday period.
And if Greta was attempting to travel long distance by train in Britain, my personal experience there’s a good chance she would have been sitting in a puddle.
At least that German train floor looks clean.
Update (EW): Some people have suggested Greta travelling on the floor was a publicity stunt, perhaps there was a seat available.
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Is this the truth about Gretas train journey:-
https://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/tyska-tagbraket-reste-greta-thunberg-pa-golvet-eller-i-forsta-klass/
Checking the DB web site, you are asked to reserve a seat BEFORE they collect payment and there’s no additional fee for first class. So if she got parked in the aisle its the fault of the berk who booked the tickets…. or personal choice….
Here we go again! What will be the next media piece about this nice girl? Her triumphant entry in Stockholm, perhaps being received by King Gustav and Queen Silvia themselves? Her celebrated return to the school she hasn’t gone to since the end of the last school year? Her next historic speech at some world stage? Please, it’s high time that the media leave her alone with her opportunistic and unscrupulous handlers (beginning with her parents). Despite them, she is entitled to the “normal” life of a teenager with all her troubles, challenges, duties and responsibilities. Perhaps facing them will help her to mature and become a “normal” adult.
Imagine a world where everyone but the 1% travels the same way, if at all. That’s the goal of Sustainable Defilement, wrapped up in a pretty green package to fool the gullible, while scaring them into losing their minds as Greta has. An army of freaked out useful idiots. The shocking opening ceremony of the Gotthard tunnel, just weeks before Donald Trump gained control of the WH, more-than-hints at the Agenda…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDpJZRSqz0
BBC’s take: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-36423250
Jeez…
When I was 14, and my brother close, we went from Oakland CA to NYC NY by Amtrak to visit an old, crazy aunt. 71 hours. Very often I too was on the floor, sprawled out as the other passengers were willing to tolerate. I could color my coloring books, or read Mad magazine again, and again. Or talk with my bro. Or solve puzzles. It was way better than sitting in a seat.
So what was her complaint, exactly?
That she got to sprawl out in FIRST class, on a clean-looking (tho’ it wouldn’t have mattered to me or my bro) floor, on a temperature-controlled train, which she didn’t need to drive or advise? Ah, er… seems pretty cozy to me.
Just Saying,
-= GoatGuy ✓ =-
Yea. I’ve been traveling in Germany by train at least once a year for the past 9 years. That train wasn’t so crowded she couldn’t get a seat. If it were, there would have been a bunch of people in that area. That’s the passageway right next to the doors and when a train is packed, that’s where most of the overflow hangs out and there would have been a bunch of luggage stashed there, not just the little pile she’s sitting on in the picture.
Also, if you pay a couple of extra Euros, you can reserve a seat even in 2nd Class. I’ve never ridden First class so I don’t know how that works, but I’d assume you’d automatically have a reserved seat there.
That was definitely staged.
Yea. I’ve been traveling in Germany by train at least once a year for the past 9 years. That train wasn’t so crowded she couldn’t get a seat. If it were, there would have been a bunch of people in that area.
You mean like the guy sat on his suitcase in the corridor and the other people stood there?Phil.
She’s got a ticket to ride
But she don’t care
I don’t know why she’s ridin’ so high
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
Before she gets to saying goodbye
She ought to think twice
She ought to do right by me
She said that carbon O2
Is bringing her down, yeah
But she would never be free
When COP was around
Ah, she’s got a ticket to ride…
How did she get from Spain to Germany without going through France?
Some trains are running in France but not many.
Strange she seems to have just bypassed it all?
She went from Spain to Italy via France, and then I think via Switzerland to Germany. Basel was on her route from Turin to Hamburg.
Imagine what it will be like when trains are the only fast transport method over the oceans… At least she will not be one of the people suffering mal de mer.
/snark
Rail as eco is as honest as all other eco information. Think of the energy used in producing thousands of miles of track and wiring compared to that of a runway. Much of the track is not even used more than once a week.
The tracks, the rocks that needs to be extracted, moved and installed; the concrete.
The bridges, the tunnels.
Air travel is probably much more enviro friendly.
She should have mentioned the 5 pieces of luggage that she carried on board. Obviously travelling light is not a requirement for a low carbon lifestyle.
The truth about Gretas train journey:-
https://www.dn.se/nyheter/varlden/tyska-tagbraket-reste-greta-thunberg-pa-golvet-eller-i-forsta-klass/
I believe she is travelling with her father so the luggage will be for both of them. It will have included bulky warm clothing and waterproofs.
Just off topic a little. Is there any way to find out how many gallons of diesel that Greta yacht bought at various ports on its round trip across the Atlantic?
The train that Greta rode was probably pulled by either a diesel or electric locomotive. Even if it was an electric locomotive, the electricity to power it was generated by burning coal (Evil Fossil Fuel) or natural gas (Less Evil Fossil Fuel), since Germany shut down their nuclear power plants. How dare you, Greta?
From the point of view of emissions, it would be helpful if the train was crowded. A train full of people doesn’t consume much more energy than an empty train, so that the energy consumed (and CO2 emissions) per passenger is less for a crowded train than for a train with a few people on board. Be happy for your crowded train, Greta! For nearly the same emissions, lots of people benefited from the ride, not only you!
The train should be wind dependent and stop whenever there is no wind.
all that baggage.. Presents for mum and dad and handlers
A long time ago, I took a train from Southern France to Frankfurt. I got to try and sleep on a train that day. I ended up in about the same place she is right now. Sitting against a bulkhead in the companionway reading book because I didn’t want to disturb my bunk mates..
She is alone in the photo.
In a crowded train, many people would be visible. Yes, German trains area sometimes crowded. But it looks totally different.
She is a liar.