The story of train captain Huang Xiulan and deaf passengers: silent communication is better than sound

China.com, October 6, 2014 At 4:15 a.m. on October 2, 2014, Huang Xiulan, the train captain on the platform of Kaili Station of Chengdu Railway Bureau, demonstrated to two passengers with her hands, and then went through the handover procedures for two deaf and mute people to "report the loss and make up" tickets with the station staff.

On October 1, 2014, at 16:50, after the K1249 train from Chongqing to Shanghai South drove from Chongqing Station, Train Conductor Huang Xiulan found a passenger with a lost replacement ticket at Booth 21 of the Hard Sleeper 13 Car by querying the station car interaction system.

At first, Huang Xiulan did not care. Since the railway implemented the "report loss compensation" for real-name tickets in May 2012, every train has encountered such a situation, ranging from one or two to more than a dozen. According to the regulations, after the passenger takes the new ticket with the "report loss compensation", he should declare to the train staff that before arriving at the station, the conductor confirms that the seat is normally used, and the passenger transportation record is issued to the passenger. Within 24 hours after arrival at the station, passengers can go to the refund window to go through the refund procedures for the "report loss and replacement" new ticket with the passenger transport record, the new ticket and the original valid identity document used at the time of ticket purchase.

At 22:30, the train departed from Zunyi Station, and Huang Xiulan cleaned up the sleeper cars as usual, only to find that the passenger who held the lost ticket on the 21st of the hard sleeper 13 was called Dai Maozhen, and another passenger who was traveling with him was also deaf and mute. After the loss of the dai maozhen ticket, the station handled the loss of the replacement ticket for it and handled it, but because they did not understand the relevant regulations and procedures, and the language communication was inconvenient, they did not know that they could also go to the station to return the ticket price after the train confirmed the issuance of the "Passenger Record".

At this time, the sleeper car had turned off the lights, the surrounding passengers were already asleep, and Huang Xiulan took two deaf and mute people to the dining car. Although she could not communicate with words, Huang Xiulan tried her best to explain to him.

At first, Huang Xiulan showed them the electronic version of the relevant documents and let them know the relevant regulations on the railway's reporting of loss. But Huang Xiulan didn't know sign language, and they still didn't understand it just by saying it.

How can this be done? After thinking about it, Huang Xiulan took paper and pen, wrote to ask them, couldn't understand the words, and drew pictures to demonstrate and inform them, painted the station, train, and ticket, and then marked the program, so repeated demonstrations, they finally understood the process of "reporting the loss" ticket, and a satisfied smile appeared on their faces.

"Sometimes silent communication is better than audible communication, and as long as it helps passengers, that's what we should do." Huang Xiulan said. (Xu Kai, Shen Tianbao)