Transport for London - EXCESSIVE FINE

solodanceparty

worried_jim wrote: »

the op stated it was at 6 am not pm. he had been to a party so had probalbly had a great amount of alcohol and what with being a student a lot of drugs as well, I can see why he was "stressed" and didn't swipe, he needed to get home quick as he was statring to get paranoid !:rotfl:

Why would you assume that because he's a student he's on drugs? Not every student is on drugs. :undecided

worried_jim

solodanceparty wrote: »

Why would you assume that because he's a student he's on drugs? Not every student is on drugs. :undecided

All the interesting ones are !

Norant

I used to use the Train very often travelling between Northampton and coventry whilst on my way to leamington spa.I used the service three times a week and that lasted for something like seven months.

The amount of people i saw dodging the ticket inspector between Northampton and Rugby was obscene,and they were usually young people.

you had the oppourtunity to swipe your card and you did not,yet when the consequences are dire you try to have it on your heels and look for a way out,you may be a young man in a twenty something body but responsibilty is paramount at any age.

Grow up,fess up,but most of all pay up.

Freddie_Snowbits

I loved it when I was at uni and I got tehre by train. Every now and then the ticket inspectors would flood the station and catch the dodgers, fine them and be done. They all complained everytime how unfair it was.

Some were the same as me, on an EU grant having been unemployed, where the Uni social fund paid for my season ticket. Those who spent their share on booze and fags, instead of the ticket, did not get another offering from the uni.

As for public transport, today I saw the bus opposite the Co-Op sit there for an age as teh people got on, each proffering the fare, when in fact we should do what they do in Europe, validate your pass when on the bus, that way the bus moves faster (hey an Oyster card would do that). And to ensure that people do so, have punitive fines such that those who do think a doge is good for the rest of us, are fined the equivelant of 2 years season ticket fare for the area or £1,500, which ever the greater.

And ignorance to me is no excuse.

BligBlag

Hmmmmmmmmmm... you were stressed getting onto a bendy bus at 6am in the morning (hardly rush hour)... and your stress meant you decided you couldn't be bothered to take the oyster card out of your pocket and plonk it on the yellow thing?

So if you had got on a non bendy bus you would have just walked straight past the driver?... No you wouldn't have... Just admit you chanced your luck like a lot of people do with bendy buses, and oops, you got caught.

And yes they were well in their rights to take the oyster card off you if the registered name isn't yours.

The fact you have been pursued suggests to me you:
A) Refused to pay the on the spot fare at the time.
Ignored all subsequent letters asking for payment.

I'm not surprised they've taken it further. This is TFL we're talking about, they don't let anyone off. You committed an offence, just pay up and realise you were very foolish and stupid not to pay the small fine at the time.

Polly_Esther

spikeycat wrote: »

Oh no!

TFL are awful like that. I can't believe they're trying to charge you over £500 now!

I am worried now because I am challenging a £20 fine which has now got added admin fees as I jumped on a train from a station in south london when the ticket machine wasn't working and the cashier wasn't there. I couldn't buy a ticket, so I thought I'd just get on the train anyway, it was only a couple of stops. When I got to my destination TFL inspectors were there and told me they had to charge me a fine, no way could I just buy a single there even though the ticket machine was broken (it wasn't fixed for 3 or 4 days after this incident) and advised me to challenge it by letter.

I got a letter saying that I did not qualify to challenge this as I could not provide proof of my oyster card record?! Which by the time they'd replied to my correct address, the oyster card records had been deleted (they only keep a couple of months records apparently!? and apparently mine is an expired student one and they can't access my records?!?!)

I'm currently awaiting a reply to my most recent refusal to pay the fine and admin fees - I wrote expressing my distress that they were fining me for a situation that was not my fault. I am worried that the next letter they send is going to be a court summons or something.

I'm not sure you can really appeal as you hadn't swiped your oyster card on a bendy bus - a fine a few of my friends have had. I'm sorry, but I really think that you should have paid the £20 fine when it was first issued to be frank. It's really rubbish they way they treat their customers, and very distressing to be issued with court summons without any warning. I really hope you get everything sorted, and know that you're not alone in dealing with TFL.

At least your mother wasn't murdered in your living room in front of you.

Spartacus_Mills

Chris_Willsher wrote: »

It is genuine by the way, im in dire need of advice..

Next time swipe your oyster card.

spike7451

Chris_Willsher wrote: »

I just do not know where to go next, to summarize, last summer at around 6-am after leaving a party in south london I jumped on a bendy bus with an oyster card i had borrowed off a friend, but this time I decided not to swipe it, I was in a stress and in a rush to get home,

Awww diddums.......Rushing home to bed after the party were we...
Try spending 6 months in Iraq or Afghanistan getting mortared & shot at every day,not knowing if you'll see your family again,counting the days on youe Gozome chart till you do..
THEN come & tell me about stress!
End of the day,YOU decided not to swipe your borrowed card after being to a party,no doubt you were liqured up then,YOU took a chance,YOU stole a bus fare,be it £1 or £10,you still stole it!
YOU got caught,ignored the summons,got done... TOUGH!
Dry your eye's princess!

Chris_Willsher

ok ok, im sorry for looking for some advice, im not a bad person, my friend suggested asking for help on here as she said that martin lewis guy always seemed realy helpful and friendly on tv and would always try and see the possitives in situations like this, so i just posted asking for some help, and as usual with forums im greeted with a torrent of hate by faceless cowards, like the chap who said "at least your mother wasnt murdered", charming..
i dont consider myself a criminal, ive always paid fairly through the whole time ive lived in london, it was just that day i wasnt feeling well and yes i wanted to get home to bed asap and like everone else who jumped on the back door of that bendy bus i didnt pay, and i got caught..im nieve i guess, i just never thought if i ignored the court summons that I would have to pay 540 pounds, there you go, lesson learnt..
thanks for the one or two nice people n here with actual advice!
chris

Pound

You need to get this sorted right now by contacting the Fines and Fees Department at the court (the number should be on the summons) and the Citizens Advice Bureau. If you're suffering from finanical hardship the court (not the debt collection agency) will almost certainly agree to a payment plan, payments of £3 a week isn't unusual.

If however you carry on ignoring the problem you will eventually end up being arrested to attend court. The court could even have you imprisoned if they believe you're deliberately refusing to pay the fine.

I'm sure you can see which is the better option.