Would YOU pay £159 for a strangers train ticket?

fairy_lights

I've given strangers the odd 20p to make up their bus fare before, but £159? I doubt many people can afford to be that generous.
If I was a multi-millionaire I probably would.

hazyjo

I'm in London - you get everyone asking you for money for a bed for the night or a fiver for their fare home. They even knock on doors saying they live at door number whatever and say they've lost their Oyster card and would you give them £3 so they can get home. Trouble is, they knock at every bloody door in the neighbourhood and make a fortune. They're well dressed and very convincing.


I may have put a tenner in if there were several others giving her something, but I'd be suspicious. In this day and age, it's hard to believe she'd not have access to money or at least a phone to get picked up - she could have gone home and gone the next day, even if it had meant phoning in sick, or explaining to the Uni!


I'd def not be able to afford to risk/lose £159! Saying that, if she was near hysterical and hyperventilating, maybe I'd have judged it on the day. Who knows.


Jx

mattpaint

I'm really surprised at the lack of compassion and caring shown on here. Of course I would help someone in need if I were able to. We really are becoming such a selfish nation.

cashewnut

As another poster said, you can get some kind of advance ticket where you pay it back within two weeks. It shouldn't be up to strangers to fork out £159.

I found out the above by looking it up online after some shady (yet well dressed and well spoken) guy was wandering round Canada Water and brazenly asked for a £2 contribution for his fare to Tunbridge Wells because he'd "lost his wallet". Living and working in London I'm ALWAYS asked for money for train fares and now I have a good answer!

pogofish

Tipsntreats wrote: »

Why the Arms?:(

Because its the place for general discussion.

Brightonsbest_2

Hi

NO, I would not, but if I thought it was genuine, I'd take her to the police station

Several years ago, hospital carpark, cold dark night having visited mum in hspt, a lady walked up to me and the wife and said "my cars broken down, left my purse at home, need 5 pounds for a cab." She was dressed reasonably but I dont trust people easily, so I offered to see if I could repair her car, she just walked away, clearly a fraud.

hazyjo

mattpaint wrote: »

I'm really surprised at the lack of compassion and caring shown on here. Of course I would help someone in need if I were able to. We really are becoming such a selfish nation.

Perhaps you live in a lovely area where begging/fraud/scams are rare?

mattpaint

hazyjo wrote: »

Perhaps you live in a lovely area where begging/fraud/scams are rare?

I'm afraid not - I just try to do my best as this gentleman did.

It's good to see people like him are willing to step up and counteract this awful rise in selfishness. It's what led to Trump being 'elected' and the rise of hate crimes in the Western world - it's truly sad.

[Deleted User]

tesuhoha wrote: »

I think that the girl should make a complaint to British Rail about them refusing to reprint her lost ticket and she should make an effort to pay the man back.

Seeing that British Rail ceased to exist [STRIKE]10 [/STRIKE] 20 years ago in 1997, it seems probable that she will need to wait a long time for a reply.

hazyjo

mattpaint wrote: »

I'm afraid not - I just try to do my best as this gentleman did.

It's good to see people like him are willing to step up and counteract this awful rise in selfishness. It's what led to Trump being 'elected' and the rise of hate crimes in the Western world - it's truly sad.

I totally disagree but am not getting into a discussion on here! I think this girl's situation would have to have been judged on the day if I was there. I would certainly try to help if I felt she was genuine.


Unfortunately, nice or not, not all of us have money like that to risk losing.