Would YOU pay £159 for a strangers train ticket?

Grumpygit

Blimey - they couldn't even get where he lived right!

It was in our paper last week as he lives and works in Guernsey....(and no, we are still not a tax haven)

I think it was an incredibly generous thing to do, whilst I would help someone, it wouldn't be that amount.

Good on him and I hope that she repays him.

mgdavid

Grumpygit wrote: »

Blimey - they couldn't even get where he lived right!

........

That's odd; I went to Guernsey in 1959 and it was one of the Channel Islands then. I know it can't have been towed away so when and how did it change?

annandale

He was born in Liverpool apparently. Was reported in another paper

zagfles

Brightonsbest wrote: »

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.

When I was younger practically every time I went into the city centre someone would come up to me with "lost my wallet/keys, need £5 for a cab/£2 for a bus to get home" type scam. Happened to my son the other week, it seems they target younger people.

Once I was on my way to get a bus to Stockport when someone came up to me and asked for a bus fare, asked where he was going, he said Stockport. I said, OK come with me that's where I'm going. Sat at bus stop, waiting for bus, he kept asking me for the fare. I said I'd buy his ticket when the bus came. Guess what? He bu***ered off to find some other mug

dekaspace

17 years ago I missed my connection due to station staff telling me the wrong time for train (as it was different due to bank holiday) got to train to have it pull out as the doors had already closed.

Had to go to transport police who helped, was told could get multiple trains so a 4 hour journey became like a 11 hour journey, or wait around till like midnight (this was 2pm) and get sleeper train and get in at 8am

I just wanted to get home so chose the 1am thing.

A seperate thing 12 years ago was me and brother lost our tickets in London (I think we were mugged) transport police gave us a letter and stamped it to say let us on, the platform staff were fine but the driver on train was agressive and took our names and said we would get something like £100 fine for getting on without a ticket (ignoring how could we get past barriers without ticket)

The conductor just didn't believe us, maybe as cons are common on that route, funnily enough though we changed twice on way home and those conductors were fine even sympathetic.

Gavin83

Trying not to be cynical here but I wonder if he'd have been as helpful if it wasn't a young attractive girl. However fair play, that's a lot of money but I assume the majority wouldn't be able to spare that.

I can't say I've ever really seen anyone in trouble like this before. I've been asked for the rail/bus fair before but it's always been crack addicts. Never been asked by someone genuine.

annandale

He said in the article that he has daughters and wouldn't have wanted that to happen to his own daughters.

annandale

Do you mean you think someone stole your tickets? Just that if someone mugged you you probably wouldn't have had any doubt that you had been..

System

Person_one wrote: »

I'd love to be able to, but I've never been in a position where I could lose that much money on an impulse.

Same. I need every penny i can get right now

If i was in the position to, i probably would. That said there was a well known beggar here who used to frequent the train station asking for money for a ticket (she eventually got an ASBO banning her from the vicinity). But i'm a soft touch and if someone was in distress and i could help i'd try to.

FBaby

I can totally imagine the scene! Girl over dramatic on the phone, acting all distressed. Lovely man see distressed girl, and as part of his caring job, steps in. She explains, before he thinks it through, say he will pay for the cost of the fare, assuming it will be £20-30.

She is massively relieved and thankful and he feels good that he is helping someone he considers vulnerable. They go to the counter, she asks for the ticket, she is still saying 'thank you, thank you', he is smiling saying 'it's ok, don't worry, I'm happy to help', press the number of his pin without really looking at the amount.

She runs for the train, shouting again 'thank you, thank you' until she seats down and looks at the cost and think 'OMG'. He does the same and tells himself 'OMG, what have I just done'! On one hand still glad he helped someone, on the other, getting anxious about his bank balance. Then media gets in the way, and of course he can't admit that if he'd realised the price first, he would either ignored her, or give her help by other means!