France appoints politeness police
2012-12-07 12:23
France's state-owned railway system, SNCF, is looking to deal with passengers' poor manners in a rather unconventional way: by employing politeness police.
Huffington Post reports that complaints about fellow passengers' rude behaviour increased by a staggering 25 percent this year, prompting the establishment of this new wing of law, or rather manner, enforcement.
Gripes include spitting on and insulting ticket inspectors, putting feet on seats, pulling emergency alarms without reason, speaking loudly on mobile phones, playing music and damaging train interiors.
Dubbed ‘conflict specialists,' hundreds of new employees will be brought in to patrol the system's trains and will be authorised to hand out fines for smoking, putting feet on seats or damaging property.
According to the Daily Mail n some cases they will also "engage people in a conversation about simply having respect for their fellow passengers."
