Your help please...

[Herr Tubthumper]

Well seeing as you didn't have a valid ticket you were breaking the law so your argument is pointless. It's not as though Railway companies try to hide the consequences of travelling without a valid ticket after all.

..but by running services with such an insufficient number seats they create an environment where, you could argue, they tempt people to sit in first class. It's hardly the crime of the century BUT I would still encourage people to fight the rail companies as opposed to just roll over and accept their shoddy service, pettiness and aggression.

 

[Mr Banana]

Bollocks no, people like me who have to use the train to go to work end up paying more because if cheats like you, why should I subsidise you ?

You sure about that one love?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

"We weren't sat there for long, about 10 minutes at most" - Supposing everyone did it? You knew you were wrong, you took the risk, you got caught - tough!

......but not everyone did do it. I've never fully understood this line of discussion in cases like this as there is no point hypothesising over past events.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Bollocks no, people like me who have to use the train to go to work end up paying more because if cheats like you, why should I subsidise you ?

Is it the case that after penalty fair revenues are considered 'cheats' still cost the rail company? I didnt think it was...i.e. this is the whole point behind the penalty fair.

 

[LABHA]

Funny thing is,they all get on a power trip early on in the day,but,coming home from where ever,and having beer monsters sitting in 1 st class,all of a sudden they cant be arsed,to ask 4-6 guys for tickets if train is packed and sitting in 1st class.

 

[raymondbriggs]

Originally Posted by bhaexpress
Bollocks no, people like me who have to use the train to go to work end up paying more because if cheats like you, why should I subsidise you ?

Commuters are subsidised by off peak passengers,all that rolling stock sitting idle on sidings most of the day and all weekend, that and the staff needed only for peak times is no way to run a railway.
Then there are the massive subsidies the rest of us Car Commuting tax payers hand over to keep the 07.32 to London Bridge running.
Get some flexi time into the demand on the system and then the cost to the public purse will fall.

 

[1066familyman]

I personally think you should kick up a fuss. Get some legal advice and fight it. A solicitor will find some way of arguing your case. Things like this are sometimes not as black and white as you think. The real crime is a train which did not have enough seats in my opinion.

Everything to do with the railways these days is geared against the public....the very people they are supposed to serve. And everything seems set up to protect the rail company as opposed to the punter. There is no avenue for the public to get money back when the advertised service does not come up to scratch. Trains are late, rarely seem to have enough seats on them, toliets dont work, you cant take cycles on them, railcards only seem to work for a small window on certain days and only if the fair is over a certain amount, through ticketing is a nightmare, buffet trolleys are not always on the train as advertised, return tickets are not available for destinations 'which are not far enough away' and above all it is bloody expensive. Dont roll over, kick up a fuss. If everyone questions the railways then maybe the services will improve.

Well said !

Don't take it lying down Conboy. Do your public duty - Declare class war and fight the money grabbing bastards all the way I say.

 

[bhaexpress]

Well that's a load of crap but at the end of the day if you don't want to pay the fare don't travel. I love it when I see fare dodgers getting caught, I have no sympathy as it's a crime and there's no excuse for it.

 

[Mr Banana]

Well that's a load of crap but at the end of the day if you don't want to pay the fare don't travel. I love it when I see fare dodgers getting caught, I have no sympathy as it's a crime and there's no excuse for it.

Tell you what, if you go and watch Tom Wrigglesworth's Open Letter to Richard Branson and send me the receipt I'll pay for your ticket, it would cheer you right up. He's on tour this month.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Bollocks no, people like me who have to use the train to go to work end up paying more because if cheats like you, why should I subsidise you ?

It is not really fare dodging, is it?

 

[Beach Hut]

It is not really fare dodging, is it?

Yes it is, avoiding paying a 1st class fare

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Yes it is, avoiding paying a 1st class fare

It was not a premeditated attempt to rip the rail company off. It was a measure born out of frustration.

But, a premeditated rip off is how I'd describe the manner in which the rail companies operate.

btw:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/03/first-1000-pound-train-fare

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Theoretically speaking. However, they paid their fare and occupied an empty area that was, clearly, going to be empty for the duration of the journey as 1st Class travel is effectively dead at the weekends. The rail companies would do well to remember this.

There seems to be little or no research into what would benefit the passenger and the spineless franchises are happy to fudge their little targets and rake in money from the tax payer, via tickets and govt. subsidies. A shameful network if ever I saw one.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

It is not really fare dodging, is it?

no, standing up for your rights with a bit of civil disobedience is how I'd describe it.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Theoretically speaking. However, they paid their fare and occupied an empty area that was, clearly, going to be empty for the duration of the journey as 1st Class travel is effectively dead at the weekends. The rail companies would do well to remember this.

There seems to be little or no research into what would benefit the passenger and the spineless franchises are happy to fudge their little targets and rake in money from the tax payer, via tickets and govt. subsidies. A shameful network if ever I saw one.

A fairly accurate description of things.

 

[1066familyman]

Amazing how many people see the train companies as charities that can provide a free service to all.

I don't think there's many who see it that way at all.

However, there are a very large number of people who believe that public transport should be owned and run for the benefit of, believe it or not, THE PUBLIC. Running any part of our infrastructure primarily for profit for private companies is wrong IMHO.

 

[1066familyman]

Theoretically speaking. However, they paid their fare and occupied an empty area that was, clearly, going to be empty for the duration of the journey as 1st Class travel is effectively dead at the weekends. The rail companies would do well to remember this.

There seems to be little or no research into what would benefit the passenger and the spineless franchises are happy to fudge their little targets and rake in money from the tax payer, via tickets and govt. subsidies. A shameful network if ever I saw one.

Spot on !

 

[KNC]

Conboy, first off, you were in the wrong. I used to work for that Thameslink, laterly FCC.
Yes, there are a lot of 'jobworths', working there. But equally, there are a lot of fair inspectors.
My advice? FCC are in the shit at the moment. Those damn drivers are being awkward.LOL.
Trains are being cancelled, therefore trains which are running are full.
Why don't you write to FCC, and explain your predicament, complaining that their trains are so crowded, you had no choice.
Worth a shot.

 

[Beach Hut]

You can argue the toss all you like about rail privatisation but the clock won't turn back.

The issue here is whether the law (on the railway) was broken and it was.

 

[hitony]

Theoretically speaking. However, they paid their fare and occupied an empty area that was, clearly, going to be empty for the duration of the journey as 1st Class travel is effectively dead at the weekends.

But surely until any laws / rules / regulations are legally changed, anyone travelling in a first class compartment should have the correct ticket?