03 Travel beyond validity

kungfu_2

Hi all,
I am gutted by this fine I received last week. I find the fine unfair and bureaucratic. I live in a Zone 3 area. But it all started in a Zone 2 station.
I bought a off peak travelcard, with my young persons for £4.80 in East Dulwich (zone 2), from a machine. So, when I pressed the travelcard button, it came out with a Zone 1-2 choice, so I just accepted it as it is (I'm used to buying my ticket in Zone 3, which costs £4.80 too)

I travelled to Balham using my travelcard and was stopped behind the barrier and was given this penalty fare £20. My anger is that, I am not a thief, I have no intentions of skimping on my fare. I paid fully to get my travelcard. But the issuing guy gave me an analogy of stealing from a convenience store and gave me this fine.

So, my question is, what should I do? Do you think I have a case to appeal here? Thanks for listening!

dmg24

You bought the wrong ticket - therefore you are liable for a fine. I don't understand your issue?

kungfu_2

Sorry if I wasn't clear.
Zone 1-2 costs the same as Zone 1-3. I wasn't stealing.

anewman

Surely it should have been clear what card the machine should dispense - and it's not a lucky dip machine?

kungfu_2

anewman wrote: »

Surely it should have been clear what card the machine should dispense - and it's not a lucky dip machine?

I made a mistake by not checking it clearly
But, can't you see the other obvious thing? I am being fined for trying to steal, for which I have clearly not done.

Quentin

You didn't have the right ticket, that's why you had to buy the £20 ticket.

Although everyone knows you have to have a valid ticket, you seemingly didn't check.

You have the right to appeal, so why not have a go.

Mind - you need a better argument than the wrong ticket you had costs the same as the one you should have bought.

kungfu_2

haha
That's the best I have!
I was hoping readers could be sympathetic towards my being accused of stealing.

Alfie_E

kungfu wrote: »

I was hoping readers could be sympathetic towards my being accused of stealing.

Think of it as a penalty for your administrative mistake, if it helps. Punishment and revenue raising became a confused muddle in this country, some time ago. And, on that basis, keep reading Martin’s editorial pages and the forum. Exploit all and any legal loopholes and failings in any business or government system. You’ll soon get your £20 back.

ticketcollector

You have the right of appeal. Hell why not go ahead and waste every bodies time and appeal.
It will only cost you the price of a stamp and will cost the railway company £7.50. (Yep everytime someone appeals a Penalty Fare the railway company has to pay for the appeal.)

You will loose the appeal based on the fact your ticket said Z12 and you were in Z3. Simple your ticket was wrong. Regardless of the fact if the price of the Z3 ticket was the same price.

anewman

Cool good to know if you appeal you get more value for your £20 fine anyway, help increase level of self-satisfaction

Hintza

I took them on about 15 years ago. My argument was I had not passed through a ticket machine (Kings Cross after getting off train from Luton) and went to pay at Waterloo. They charged me £10 fine I fought and fought and fought .................and lost.

Still maintain I was correct, but it did teach me that you really do need to have a lot of willpower to follow something like this up and in most cases life is just too short.