Arrogant, rude & petty ticket inspectors - a solution

[chezsu]

As you will read on the various posts on this forum, many people feel aggrieved by unfair ticket inspectors on trains. Although I do think that fair evaders and should be punished, I also believe that most inspectors are rude, arrogant and very unfair. It appears they would rather fine you for an honest mistake rather than give you assistance whilst showing some common sense, humanity and compassion.

For me the final straw was when i was coming home from London Bridge late night on the last train. I tried to buy a ticket from the machines but they kept spitting out my final £1.00 coin. As I had no bank card and no ticket office was open that late, I was left with only one solution - to get on the train and hope for the best.

Unfortunately and typically as if it was planned, I got busted - and subsequently I was fined. My complaint and valid excuse fell on deaf, arrogant ears. How could I have been let down so badly??!!

Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a solution for scenarios like this one and many other what I would call 'fair play cases' So what I am about suggest is so childish and small minded that it even makes me wet the bed (sic). However since adopting this little annoying trick, I rarely get even asked for my ticket now, plus I get a small sense of satisfaction every time I mislead an inspector.

The look on their face as they know I wont be being part of their daily target is worth it alone.

Here is what I do.

When asked for my ticket, if the inspector I proceed to search my pockets and then my bag... if the inspector says something smart or arrogant I get the plan fully underway. I suggest you carry on searching for your ticket then admit defeat. When the inspector talks down to you about fare evading and ignores your pleas for sympathy for an honest mistake he will write you out a ticket. Let him fill in all the details etc and when he asks you to sign the penalty form, miraculously find your ticket. Yes, you could have spent that 10 minutes more constructively but for the inspector it will be far worse!

[edited]

Ha Ha! Revenge is sweet. If you don't like it, get a more respectable job.

Anybody else got any good methods of dealing with such plant life?

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[chezsu]

That is classic. Although generally I can tollerate the police, unless they are pulling you over for doing 32mph...

With the ticket inspectors, my favourite station to pull the stunt is at London Bridge because the National Rail stations in the the South East that L.Bridge connects too will not accept Oyster PAYG and they are alway looking to catch people out who don't know any better.

Don't let them do it! For every inspector that in employed you could have set up an Oyster terminal to allow people to travel on PAYG instead of effectively charging them twice by making them buy an expensive rail ticket.

When you get off the train, move to the ticket (penalty!) booth on platform 8 and tell one of the jobs worth that you were told to come over here for a ticket because "he/she told me I didn't have one". Watch as their eyes light up and glee smacks their face as they issue you with a fine. As you already know when they have taken the 30 mins it takes them to issue your fine produce your 'golden ticket', thank them for their help and walk away with dignity.

TFL, National Rail we have your number and you have been sussed. We will not make your job easy.

[chezsu]

I'm afraid you are both wrong. It should read 'Tottenham Supporter'.

[mc661]

Be Careful on this one.

There is an offence as "failure to show or present a valid ticket on demand to an authorised official".
If the inspector asks several times for your ticket and you play the game you are suggesting then he can still report you for breaking the bye-laws, ticket or no ticket.

also there is another offence.
"Failure to provide name and address on demand to an authorised official". This one can actually get you arrested.

I am myself one of these inspectors, now at the end of the day its a job, it pays the bills. I am one of the more relaxed ones and I do actually ask people what happened before making a decision. Ticket office closed? Let me make a phone call to confirm. Yep that's correct, single or return.
Machine broken okay, single or return.
But take the p**s and I will throw the book at you.

[mc661]

yes but a ticket will be produced... eventually.

so no laws or by-laws or any of that crap will be broken.

if your fellow ticket inspectors (including those here in glasgow) had a better attitude and did not act like wanna-be-cops who have sod all common sense and sympathy then people would maybe be a bit more helpful.

Maybe a ticket will be produced "eventually" but the offence has still been committed.
Its kinda the same as wasting police time.
Now I usually see the funny side as long as I haven't started to write out the paperwork. Normally I will just walk past check the rest of the train and come back with a copper.

Here's the official law on it.
Railway Regulation Act 1840
"If any person shall wilfully obstruct or impede any officer or agent of any railway company in the execution of his duty upon any railway, or upon or in any of the stations or other works or premises connected therewith, or if any person shall wilfully trespass upon any railway, or any of the stations or other works or premises connected therewith, and shall refuse to quit the same upon request to him made by any officer or agent of the said company, every such person so offending, and all others aiding or assisting therein, shall and may be seized and detained by any such officer or agent, or any person whom he may call to his assistance, until such offender or offenders can be conveniently taken before some justice of the peace for the county or place wherein such offence shall be committed, and when convicted, before such justice as aforesaid, (who is hereby authorized and required, upon complaint to him to take cognizance thereof, and to act summarily in the premises,) shall, in the discretion of such justice, upon conviction by a magistrates’ court, at the discretion of the court, forfeit to her Majesty any sum not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale, £200 level 3 on the standard scale, and in default of payment thereof shall or may be imprisoned] . . .



I know the inspectors in ScotRail area are arrogant ive even seen one of them try and take away a managers pass!