MONEY MORAL DILEMMA. Would you contribute to a stranger’s train ticket?

animalambulanceman

I would certainly help the stranger out abroad as i've been helped out of deep doo doo myself many times when travelling abroad-like when 2 German chaps towed my car that had cooked the head gasket at 02.00 in the morning many miles from anywhere about 90 miles along the A4 in Poland.They even took some rope off their roof rack(where it was holding down their luggage) as I had no tow rope and refused to accept anything more than a single beer in payment even though it had meant there van using much more fuel and adding time onto their own journey.I now make a point of stopping to offer help whenever I'm driving my campervan(which carries a very comprehensive tool kit) across Europe to Poland and see a car with English number plates broken down.Although lately there are many more UK registered cars being driven round Europe by Poles who don't speak English so sometimes it is not possible to help out as we can't communicate very well.I at least make the effort and stop to try and help out as best I can even if it's only to make the stranded driver a cuppa and let them come in to warm up until the recovery people arrive as they are very cold because without a running engine their own car is like a fridge.I believe in Karma-what you give out you get back-and never know when i'll be in great need myself again next!!

Countertenor

Yes, probably. I doubt the ticket inspector can demand £10 cash to avoid a £50 fine, but if I were satisfied s/he could, and the woman provided ID info, I'd probably help out. The real fault is with the ticket issuing people who screwed up, so if that could be proved, the woman could just take the hit & appeal.

horsechestnut

I would pay for the ticket directly to the driver, if I had enough money. I have helped out in shops when people have been short of the money.
I don't have a great deal of money and fortunately, I have never been in that situation, but I do know other people who have been helped by strangers. As has been previously mentioned, I would sooner be had than miss a genuine person in need.

Just think of all the people on this forum who selflessly contribute their time to post information so that we can all benefit.

weehelen

Definitely I would give her the money, or at least as much as I had on me. It can be really distressing when you have made a genuine mistake and get confronted by an awkward ticket inspector on a power trip.

We went on holiday to Milan, and an hour after arriving we decided to take a tram into the city. As we don't speak Italian, we couldn't understand the signs at the tram stop and as there was no ticket machine we presumed we could buy one from the conductor (as can be done in some other cities). We approached the conductor for tickets, but he came down on us like a tonne of bricks, forced us off the tram and beckoned his colleagues, who swooped on us like vultures. They demanded that we pay 34 EUR each for what turned out to be a 2-minute journey, and there was no negotiating with them. Fair enough the blame was ours for not doing our research, but there was no compassion shown by them and the experience ruined our holiday.

So in short, whatever the woman's reason for having the wrong ticket, I would help her.

MrsGWoman

Yes, I would try and get a whip-round organised - if we all chucked in £1, then the traveller would be able to continue on the journey without the hefty fine. I would like to think that if it happened to me, other people would help me out. On the other hand, I if she is not living in this country, how the hell would they chase her for payment on her fine? Oooo - or I am being naughty by suggesting she gave a false address?:o

poirat

Countertenor wrote: »

Yes, probably. I doubt the ticket inspector can demand £10 cash to avoid a £50 fine, but if I were satisfied s/he could, and the woman provided ID info, I'd probably help out. The real fault is with the ticket issuing people who screwed up, so if that could be proved, the woman could just take the hit & appeal.

they can do this a lot of european coutries i had the same problem in italy because i had a railpass but hadnt made a seat reservation so either had to pay 26 euros on the train or 200 euros each when we got to rome.I would definitely help the lady out, i know how frustrating it can be when you feel like the train people are scamming you!

lilypea

If I had the money, I would help.

In fact I did once help a young girl out who had been kicked off the train at my station in Taunton, Somerset having lost part of her ticket (she had the receipt and the outbound bit but not the return), by lending her £60 to buy a new valid ticket to get back home to Falmouth, Cornwall!

I'm not rich or a saint and wouldn't necessarily do that for just anyone but she seemed really genuine and the station people were being jobsworths. She had people who could pay for a new ticket for her but the station could not accept payment over the phone without their cards, would not issue her with a ticket and basically refused to help.

I just felt it was bad that they would leave a young girl stranded at a station miles from home in a town she didn't know at 7pm at night. So I decided I'd rather risk losing £60 than turn my back on someone I felt was in a fairly vulnerable position.

My good actions were repaid and I received a cheque for the full amount and a thank you card within a couple of days ) so that meant warm fuzzy feelings and good karma all round! Good times!

hellywelly5

Hmmm, I'd try to work my feminine charms on the ticket inspector first (if he was a bloke of course!) and if that didn't work, I'd take his name and report him to the train company for being a heartless kn*b. Then I'd pay for her.

flowerofscotland

Yes if I thought she was genuine (and from the description in the scenario it seems she is as she has bought a ticket). I accept that I could be wrong and it could be a scam but on balance I would rather risk being conned out of a relatively small sum of money than stand by and do nothing when I am able to help a fellow human being. As has been mentioned by other posters I don't really understand what difference it makes if the person is English or not.

taudin

I have paid a bus fare for a young boy who didn't have enough money because my son was thrown off First Bus in Bristol after he had lost his money. He was upset and had no means of contacting me and was only 13 (pre mobile phones). Do it if you have the chance and the person seems honest.