Penalty Fare Sting at Waterloo

Freols

tinkerbell84 wrote: »

sounds like you use SWT a lot/regularly

Indeed I do, or rather did - spent two horrendous and expensive years using their Stagecoach services to and from my 6th form college.

As with all 'public' transport, it was a government sanctioned monopoly sold to a private company that has absolutely no incentive to provide a good service due to a lack of competition and people who cannot afford cars not having another option.

Actually, you have. A penalty fare will go to court if you do not pay it.

Indeed. Although I still havn't broken the law, because I know when I've been shanked and I'm paying the fine - with a promise to reclaim the money when I've established my Reich

Anyway, like I said, thanks for the help, but it seems sometimes we are helpless when we are faced with "the man" :cool:
I'll just have to follow the great hippy tradition and "stick it to the man" at the next available opportunity.

Cheers again, learnt several lessons from the event at least, none of them to the benefit of SWT.

MrSmartprice

Given this sort of public transport mayhem and mismanagement, it is little wonder that most of us stay resolutely in our cars!:rolleyes:

Freols

MrSmartprice wrote: »

Given this sort of public transport mayhem and mismanagement, it is little wonder that most of us stay resolutely in our cars!:rolleyes:

Quite so, it is a great travesty that our public transport is in such a sorry state.

The system in France is a thousand times better and cheaper, and they have to deal with constant strikes.

Times will change hopefully, because the moment I have enough money to buy a car, they're going to have to really persuade me to use 'public transport' again.:D

mrbadexample

Freols wrote: »

What are my chances, surely if nothing else the fact that I didn't sign in the box makes the whole thing void?

I wouldn't count on it. If that was the case, then nobody would ever sign them. After all, if you refuse to sign, she can't exactly jam the pen in your hand and make you, can she? You might find that they say "passenger declined to sign". :eek:

olly300

You can only use an Oyster Travelcard on SWT. They are the only train francise in London who are refusing to allow Oyster PAYG to be used.

I've had many fights with the ticketing mafia on SWT over their ticketing policies over the years all due to the lack of ticket machines and working ticket machines at stations.

So I've learnt if you don't want a slagging match it's worth missing the train and getting the right ticket. Even if you get a ticket which they state you can refund or extend at your destination station if the mafia are in force they give you a grilling and will try and fine you if you are slightly weak.

The normal ticket conductors who stand at the barriers on the platforms are alright if you tell them the truth, are polite and they are not in clamp down mode, which unfortunately they are at the moment.

Also don't rely on the guards on the train to have ticket machines on them or have time to issue you with a ticket. If you do you are bound to be fined.

This happened to me and I got caught by the SWT mafia. When they issued the fine they told me that they could verify my name and address. I could over hear on the radio the ticket inspector used that he could not verify my name and address as I am not on the full electoral roll.

As knew they couldn't even though I give them the right details I never paid the fine as I returned all their letters return to sender as they came with the company name on the envelope.

I have put in many complaints since about their services which have included my name and address, and have even received vouchers from them for travel delays.

chuckley

is it me or does the point come down to, you had no money on ur oystercard?!

did u get trough the overhead barrier?! or just stopped @ the tube barrier?

Freols

It seemed to come down to not having enough money on my oyster card, but I need to investigate that further.

As for you Olly, I totally agree. It's typical of SWT. I try as hard as I can to believe they are trying to provide a decent customer service, but I just can't see it.

I've paid the fine anyway, courtesy of the tax payer until I pay my student loan back, I'm just going to avoid SWT like the plague, even if it means a longer walk. Suffice to say they have lost themselves a customer, even with their monopolised service, I will go out of my way and pay more to avoid their crap.

robt_2

It always amuses me when people say there is a monopoly... unlike when the whole country was run by British Rail...

Freols

robt wrote: »

It always amuses me when people say there is a monopoly... unlike when the whole country was run by British Rail...

At least then the government had total control over the monopoly.

At the moment, certain sections of the country are monopolies - run by private companies.

It's totally backwards economic logic. The only reason private companies have to be efficient and offer good services and even low prices is to out perform their competition and get more customers... you give a private company a captive market and a sector of the economy... well you are asking for trouble.

dzug1

Freols wrote: »

It seemed to come down to not having enough money on my oyster card, but I need to investigate that further.

As for you Olly, I totally agree. It's typical of SWT. I try as hard as I can to believe they are trying to provide a decent customer service, but I just can't see it.

I've paid the fine anyway, courtesy of the tax payer until I pay my student loan back, I'm just going to avoid SWT like the plague, even if it means a longer walk. Suffice to say they have lost themselves a customer, even with their monopolised service, I will go out of my way and pay more to avoid their crap.

Nothing to do with money on your Oyster card. PAYG Oyster is just not valid for the journey you took. However much money you had on it it would still not have worked. The barriers are not yet programmed to deal with it - they will be, but SWT are still arguing with TFL about who pays for the upgrade.

An Oyster with a travelcard on it (for the right zones) is valid.