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Don't fare dodge if you work in the City
Comments
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No. He did not use a "loophole".
I don't know if you're confused about the terminology, or confused about what he did, but either way, it's not even remotely a "loophole".
I don't disagree, but BBC news say it's a loophole too:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27011497
I suppose it's because he was getting daily tickets but I did wonder if the wider story was not commuting costs from Sussex totalling around £63000 over five years.0 -
weatherlobe wrote: »No sympathy but on the other hand it is monstrous that he should be 'banned for life to work in the financial services industry'. Its one thing punishment and quite another to take away a fellow's livelihood!! How dare they do this! I hope it gets overturned after his appeal.
Why? He's obviously dishonest. He was paid £20,000 per week and he still wanted to dodge fares? It's no different from any other professional being struck off for misbehaviour. He doesn't have a criminal record so, in theory, there's nothing to stop him getting an "ordinary" job when the fuss has died down.0 -
If you leave your wallet or handbag in a bar by mistake, I assume that you will have no objection to me taking it, pinching all the money and running up debts on your credit cards.
After all, it will be your fault for not checking you took it with you.
I would be annoyed, but I would be annoyed with myself for being careless and leaving my wallet in a bar.
Obviously I would cancel my cards as soon as possible but any debt I was forced to pay would only really be my fault.0 -
No. He did not use a "loophole".
I don't know if you're confused about the terminology, or confused about what he did, but either way, it's not even remotely a "loophole".
There are indeed many people on forums asking for advice on settling out of court, so, err... yes.
You might want to familiarise yourself with the Regulation of Railways Act (Section 5)
I just used the BBC terminology. I suggest you send these points to "points of view" asking them to be amended.
For every person caught another thousand will get away with it. I know many people who do similar things and have been for years.0 -
alanrowell wrote: »That's like arguing shoplifting is OK because the staff failed to stop the shoplifting
No it's nothing like that at all.
Thanks for your input though
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I don't disagree, but BBC news say it's a loophole too:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-27011497
I suppose it's because he was getting daily tickets but I did wonder if the wider story was not commuting costs from Sussex totalling around £63000 over five years.
The BBC report says that he was able to avoid tapping in with his Oyster card because Stonegate station had no barriers. No mention of the fact that it's well outside Oyster zones and he should have had a rail ticket. By the BBC's logic, anybody in the country should be able to travel to London and just use an Oyster card to get through the barrier at their destination!
An annual season ticket from Stonegate to Cannon Street is £4,548 or £22,740 for five years. A bit less than what the BBC claims it would have cost.No it's nothing like that at all.
Thanks for your input though
No, it's like using the self service checkout and only scanning half your shopping.0 -
The BBC report says that he was able to avoid tapping in with his Oyster card because Stonegate station had no barriers. No mention of the fact that it's well outside Oyster zones and he should have had a rail ticket. By the BBC's logic, anybody in the country should be able to travel to London and just use an Oyster card to get through the barrier at their destination!
An annual season ticket from Stonegate to Cannon Street is £4,548 or £22,740 for five years. A bit less that what the BBC claims it would have cost.
So his 'gain' in using this system is just under £3k a year. Not really worth it considering the risks and that he could easily afford to pay his way. There must be more efficient ways of dodging fares, for instance getting an annual paper ticket for the last bit of the journey and paying the difference if challenged, which he seemingly hardly ever was. It's a bit damning that he was able to get away with it for so long.0 -
So his 'gain' in using this system is just under £3k a year. Not really worth it considering the risks and that he could easily afford to pay his way. There must be more efficient ways of dodging fares, for instance getting an annual paper ticket for the last bit of the journey and paying the difference if challenged, which he seemingly hardly ever was. It's a bit damning that he was able to get away with it for so long.
It might not even be that much. If he used his Oyster both ways he would have been charged twice, or capped at the peak rate.
It would have been a lot cheaper for him to have bought an annual Oyster for Zone 1.
I used to work with a guy who commuted from Peterborough to London. He used to brag that paying the penalty fare was a lot cheaper than buying a ticket every day. He managed to avoid having his ticket checked most days.0 -
On LBC last night, Duncan Barkes was saying that this was one of those crimes that everyone would do, if they thought they could get away with it.
I tend to disagree with that, but it does raise the issue of whether everyone (potentially) has a list of crimes (or more likely minor misdemeanours) that they don't consider as crimes that must never be committed.
Speeding anyone? Parking illegally? Part of the art of law enforcement is to shift that perception, as has been achieved with Drink-driving.
I used to have a long-distance commute, and the penalty fare was simply the single fare (because it was so expensive). So not really a great disincentive to avoid paying.0 -
I suspect he may have 'saved' more than the quoted figure. I assume he would have had no scruples about sitting in first class.0
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