Barrier scam

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Johnstone0
Johnstone0 Posts: 1 Newbie
in Public transport & cycling
At train station or London underground barriers if you put your ticket in the machine immediately after someone else has the barrier instead of shutting will stay open a bit longer allowing you to quickly follow right behind the person in front.

At my destination train station someone in front of me put their ticket in, I did the same. But actually the person in front of me didn't put a valid ticket in and it flashed up "seek assistance". But because I'd put my ticket in, the barrier then opened and immediately closed leaving me without a ticket! I explained what happened to station staff who let me through.

A couple of days ago a guy was acting oddly around the barriers, instead of passing through seemed to just be hanging around. He pushed in front of me, perhaps seeing my ticket in hand. When it came to him going through the barrier I knew something wasn't right and sure enough he put some kind of ticket in which didn't open the barrier but flashed up "seek assistance". I felt like he was waiting for my ticket to go in but I was wise to this and waited for him to leave...

Second time this happened to me, I feel like it must be a scam people pull to take a train without paying and be able to pass through the ticket barriers.
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  • Nasqueron
    Nasqueron Posts: 8,823 Forumite
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    Suppose it's safer than this

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rM_9WmSzsNE
  • peachyprice
    peachyprice Posts: 22,346 Forumite
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    Yes, this kind of fare evasion is rife on London Underground and is only going to get worse.

    Staff have been told by TfL not to challenge fare evaders as it creates racial tension and leaves their staff open to abuse and assault.

    They're losing millions every year through fare evasion but are not addressing this huge problem they have.
    Accept your past without regret, handle your present with confidence and face your future without fear
  • elverson
    elverson Posts: 808 Forumite
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    Not sure that's true, I regularly see "plain clothes" revenue staff at my local tube station and they quite often pull people up once they've gone through the barriers.
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
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    peachyprice wrote: »
    Staff have been told by TfL not to challenge fare evaders as it creates racial tension and leaves their staff open to abuse and assault.

    The bit I've highlighted sounds like complete cobblers to me, unless you or they are suggesting that fare evasion is limited to certain races.
  • jon81uk
    jon81uk Posts: 3,773 Forumite
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    elverson wrote: »
    Not sure that's true, I regularly see "plain clothes" revenue staff at my local tube station and they quite often pull people up once they've gone through the barriers.

    I think the front line staff are maybe told not to get involved in case it gets violent, but the plain clothes revenue protection people have more training to resolve the problems calmly.
  • NBLondon
    NBLondon Posts: 5,530 Forumite
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    Given the flow of people at rush hour - that may well be a successful dodge that just needs an expired ticket to hand. I've seen it done the other way too - dodger dives in at the last minute behind a genuine ticket-holder and pushes both of them through in one go.
    Wash your Knobs and Knockers... Keep the Postie safe!
  • Nasqueron
    Nasqueron Posts: 8,823 Forumite
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    agrinnall wrote: »
    The bit I've highlighted sounds like complete cobblers to me, unless you or they are suggesting that fare evasion is limited to certain races.

    Sounds like a story from Britain First or the Daily Heil to be honest, fare dodgers who are spotted logically cannot claim race discrimination as they're being picked out for fare dodging, not for the skin colour
  • thebigstillmeister
    thebigstillmeister Posts: 188 Forumite
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    I travel on the underground 5 days a week,. seen loads of people without tickets, even seen a guy follow a women through the normal barriers by almost spooning her and she didn't even notice, quite amusing,

    I've actually followed a girl through the large barrier used for push chairs as occasionally my season ticket stops working and i have to get a guard to let me through every gate, one occasion I looked around and couldn't see anyone so just followed her through,
  • marlot
    marlot Posts: 4,934 Forumite
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    Johnstone0 wrote: »
    ...
    At my destination train station someone in front of me put their ticket in, I did the same. But actually the person in front of me didn't put a valid ticket in and it flashed up "seek assistance". But because I'd put my ticket in, the barrier then opened and immediately closed leaving me without a ticket! I explained what happened to station staff who let me through....
    I had something similar happen to me a few years ago. The ticket the scammer picked up on the other side was a £100 train ticket! I had to buy another one to get home.

    I'm much more careful now!
  • discat11
    discat11 Posts: 527 Forumite
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    It's called 'tailgating' and is very common at any of the normal ticket barrier systems used on mainline or underground rail in the UK and abroad.
    All barrier lines I am familiar with ( a few on GWR region as well as some LU) have CCTV and that is monitored to see if particular areas have an issue with this.
    If it is detected they have RPIs placed to do a sting operation and see if they can detect any serial offenders for prosecution.

    Many years ago I did a little research into the type of barriers when Reading was planning their own barrier line and IIRC there were some Japanese barriers that are like a double gate which prevent tailgating -sadly they take up too much room to make them viable in most locations and are also slower at processing entry/exit.
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