Money Moral Dilemma: Someone forgot to take their train ticket - should I use it?

MSE_Kelvin

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

When I was buying my train ticket, I found someone had accidentally left theirs in the machine. The timestamp showed it was printed a good 20 minutes earlier, so it seemed unlikely they were coming back for it. As the ticket's still valid, would it be wrong to use it and save a bit of cash?

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Kite2010

Assuming the ticket is valid for the journey you are making and hasn't got any railcard discounts (and you don't hold the same railcard), then why not. They will just go to waste otherwise, passengers leaving tickets behind in the machines is nothing new if they are in a rush.



If the ticket isn't for the same journey you are making or has a railcard discount where you don't have one, hand it into the ticket office if such a thing exists at the station.

sillisteve

No! No!No!
Hand it in to the ticket office or first uniformed station employee you see. Firstly keeping or using "lost" property is theft (Theft by Finding) remember there is such a thing as CCTV if you haven't a conscience. Secondly, what if the owner does come back looking for the ticket? Thirdly, the owner if stopped for travelling without a ticket may base their defence or appeal against a fine on the fact that he had "lost" the ticket. If it is handed in it may help thier appeal. Finally, how would you feel if having abent mindedly left your ticket behind someone instead of handing it in had used it at your expense?
Do unto others as you would have don to yourself etc.

REJP

Use it and be a thief.
The person who left it in the machine may have had to deal with a difficult child or other person and simply forgot it. Hand it in to the ticket office where it can be claimed.
Are there no honest people around these days? Stealing by finding applies here.
Completely agree with Sillisteve, do as you would be done by.

benedictadams

The same thing happened to me

I handed it in at the ticket office, dunno if the poor person who forgot their ticket managed to get it back,

know that if i forgot my ticket i would hope someone else would be honest and hand it in

and hopefully if the person in the original thread also forgot their ticket someone would be similarly honest so they didn't have to pay twice for the same journey especially if they hadn't booked in advance and done the split ticket thing

happyinflorida

I don't know much about train tickets nowadays and personally I wouldn't risk it

Suppose there is a way of getting caught, the transport police could arrest you and take you to court

A criminal record would stop you being able to work or find any other job for the rest of your life

Is it worth it? I don't think so

geemac_one

Would you be stealing the ticket or the journey?

KeithP

happyinflorida wrote: »

A criminal record would stop you being able to work or find any other job for the rest of your life.

Good heavens.

It must be tough in Eastbourne - or Florida.

No rehabilitation of offenders there?

darleydame

Surely the ticket is out of date by the time you get these replies?

Gspree

If it's been left there a while just use the ticket, assuming it doesn't have a railcard tied to it. What does it matter? No one will be coming back for it and train tickets are crazily overpriced. How is this even a question? lol

jrmorton

This is the same puzzle as finding a £20 note. If the ticket is for a future journey, and has a high price, it might be nice to put a note in your local newspaper, if you have one. (That's two ifs in one sentence).
If the ticket is for an imminent journey there is very little chance of finding the owner.
I'd grab a coffee and watch the machine whilst I drank it. If anyone came and looked in the dispensing box I'd approach them, which would make me feel good.
After that it's fair game.