These days, with everything being hi-tech, turnstile duties are easy. There’s no coins or notes and a lot less maths in your head. And any fule kno that TLFs do words not numbers.
But easy though it is, there is general consensus that as it is her turnstile debut, TLF probably isn’t yet ready to don her big gown up turnstile operator pants and wield the card machine. Stick to the nursery slopes of scanning QR codes be they on paper or phones.
The debutant is confident, what could possibly go wrong? And it is very quiet. Julie goes to the shop, Michael goes to the loo.
Punters arrive.
With cards.
TLF carpe diems and by some act of God/no small stroke of luck, they get charged the right amount, the system doesn’t implode and all is well. Piece of cake…apart from when they need discounts and there’s more than one of them. Those I really do leave to the more experienced members of the squad.
Just as the young apprentice feels she can relax, there’s a bit more to learn. You see if you are operating the York Road, right hand turnstile (as you face the incoming hordes), the turnstile gate opens via a small but firm shove from punter. But if you are allocated to the left hand side turnstile (as you face the incoming hordes), you need to operate a pedal, PLUS the punter needs to give the gate a big and solid shove if they want to enter t’Park.
That feels like a lot for a TLF to remember…Greet punter, wave scanner at QR code, ask them to hold QR code closer/further away, give pedal good stomp and state, “give it a good shove…and enjoy the game.”
You have to get there early for this kind of duty and yet two hours flies by. In general people are friendly and chatty. We even get a well deserved beer delivered to us (Thanks Tom and Rachel!).
The downside of course is you cannot down tools/card machines at kick off. You stay to let in the stragglers and the people who clearly think kick off is at 3.30pm. That does live you with limited visibility of the pitch for part of the first half.
But to be honest, when your team loses 3-0 in the FA Trophy to visitors from the League below, it’s a shame we couldn’t look after those turnstiles for the full 90 minutes.
Scanning Fox
Master & apprentice