A thread not often seen in these parts!

landmark

Stigy wrote: »

It's like with anything on the Railway Byelaw side of things, there are often penalties issued in order to keep the more trivial offences out of court. A PPC worker more than likely wont have been trained to a level whereby they are competant to report for offences, and would no doubt cost the TOC to have such training carried out.

That's a good point; is it really worth the expense to regulate PPC's, in order to avoid peoples getting scammed and harassed. Lets face it, we need regulation to protect unsuspecting citizens from these rogues who operate above civil law and in many cases, above criminal law!

Stigy wrote: »

It's strange actually, I was recently accused of bullying another member at this very forum, an accusation I refute still. Want to know what real hostility is?

Link please...

Stigy wrote: »

Just read a few of Driver8's posts! For somebody to wish ill health on people they don't know, and for all they know might be seriously ill already, is quite frankly dispicable, and they should be banned immediately. Absolutely astonishing behaviour!

I should suggest a polite warning from you for issuing ad homenims would be sufficient; including if it happens again, then you, and maybe others should be willing to hit the 'Abuse' button.

Coupon-mad

Stigy they are not Penalty Charges. You are not a Council CEO.

kwaks

Anyway, the point may become mute anyway.

With some stations charging for parking, coupled with massive fair increases as rail subsidies are reduced then I can see a dramatic fall in rail passengers if they don't start treating commuters as customers.

Those working in the industry who can't change their attitude (treat them like cattle and charge for the "priveledge at every chance") will soon find themselves watching a new breed of railwaymen from the outside, the current crop of highwaymen running the railways really need to try being a passenger themselves!

Never understood why they check the tickets on a train as it departs a barrier controlled station, everyone on the train passed the barrier to get on, so has a ticket.

In addition the train I take as I head to work (once a month) costs just under £50 return, yet is always overcrowded and seats are a premium, THEY KNOW THIS WILL BE THE CASE, add a couple of carriages !!!!!!!!!!

I have had my ticket checked minutes before arriving at a barrier controlled station, em why?

Like all jobs, you get good staff and bad, however the railways do seem to have lost the realisation that paying customers are a requirement for continuity and profit, scrapping or reducing their subsidies may remind them of that.

The_Unready

kwaks wrote: »

Anyway, the point may become mute anyway.

With some stations charging for parking, coupled with massive fair increases as rail subsidies are reduced...

I'm hoping that wasn't a Freudian Slip?

The Unready

doglover1

I just heard a horror story from a policeman friend of mine who said he went to incident last year where bailiffs were collecting a car from someones house because she did not pay a ppn issued by excel parking for overstaying in one of their 'free' car parks. I have also received an unfair and extortionate ppn from them which I refuse to pay.

can they do that? send bailiffs to collect your car?

trisontana

doglover1 wrote: »

I just heard a horror story from a policeman friend of mine who said he went to incident last year where bailiffs were collecting a car from someones house because she did not pay a ppn issued by excel parking for overstaying in one of their 'free' car parks. I have also received an unfair and extortionate ppn from them which I refuse to pay.

can they do that? send bailiffs to collect your car?

See my answer in the other thread!

Stigy

landmark wrote: »

Link please...

Clicky Post number 38

kwaks wrote: »

Never understood why they check the tickets on a train as it departs a barrier controlled station, everyone on the train passed the barrier to get on, so has a ticket.

At best that's a very naive way of looking at the situation. These good members of staff you speak of will be able to understand that unfortunately, where in an ideal world everybody pays their way, some people don't. What about the persistant fare evader that tailgates another passenger through the barriers on a daily basis in his attempt to evade his fare? What about the passenger that passes through the barriers with a completely valid ticket, but that know it's only valid for one stop down the line, of which this train doesn't stop at? What about the passenger that buys a child ticket to get half price travel, even though they're 25yrs old? On a lighter note, what about the traveller with a completely valid ticket to her destination, but the Guard doing his ticket check prompts her to get tomorrow's ticket to save queing up at the ticket office in the morning?

Although in theory this should be spotted at the barriers, it doesn't always work like that.

kwaks

Stigy wrote: »

Clicky Post number 38

At best that's a very naive way of looking at the situation. These good members of staff you speak of will be able to understand that unfortunately, where in an ideal world everybody pays their way, some people don't. What about the persistant fare evader that tailgates another passenger through the barriers on a daily basis in his attempt to evade his fare? What about the passenger that passes through the barriers with a completely valid ticket, but that know it's only valid for one stop down the line, of which this train doesn't stop at? What about the passenger that buys a child ticket to get half price travel, even though they're 25yrs old? On a lighter note, what about the traveller with a completely valid ticket to her destination, but the Guard doing his ticket check prompts her to get tomorrow's ticket to save queing up at the ticket office in the morning?

Although in theory this should be spotted at the barriers, it doesn't always work like that.

Naive maybe, however most of these situations are very unlikely to occur as you board a train in Scotland, where every barrier is manned. In fact Aberdeen (which I pass through twice a month) always has a minimum of 2 staff covering the 6 barriers.

Not many businesses are successful that treat all their customers as dishonest.....

Stigy

kwaks wrote: »

Naive maybe, however most of these situations are very unlikely to occur as you board a train in Scotland, where every barrier is manned. In fact Aberdeen (which I pass through twice a month) always has a minimum of 2 staff covering the 6 barriers.

Not many businesses are successful that treat all their customers as dishonest.....

I've worked at busy terminals in the past, as well as barriered through stations. All stations where barriers are present have to have at least one member of staff there for H&S reasons. The point I'm making is that it really doesn't matter how well the barriers are staffed, the situation is the same everywhere I'm afraid.

When a certain London terminal first had its ticket barriers go 'live' there was an increase of something like 800% of tickets bought for the next station down the line as well as Child Rate Tickets. I wonder why? It's often good to have a suspicious mind.

kwaks

I have nothing against the barriers, and have seen the miraculous uptake of tickets when fitted (also like the story of the late service in one area being withdrawn as no one ever used it , although the train was full every saturday night). However I do object to being disturbed as I read/sleep/pig out on chocolate 5 mins after passing through the barrier. Also invariably at that point I can't find my ticket anywhere, my mobile starts ringing and I drop my crisps!!