Reply to: Train eviction video: 'Big Man' is charged

[VectraMan]

I never need a ticket on the return trip from Oxford. And when I take the slow train home, there's usually a number of people that get on in the villages that I'm sure use the train as a free service in and out of town. In reality, it'd cost more to pay ticket inspectors than they lose by letting people ride for free. I'm sure they wouldn't publicly admit it, but I'd bet that's the unofficial official policy.

[Bunk]

Ah, he's from Polmont. Case closed

[d000hg]

I think you should just be allowed to give people you don't agree with a good right hander. That would sort out the world.

Do you often offer strangers a "right hander"?

[Joeman]

I'm sorry Sir, you can't use your railcard when you buy tickets on the train (so I have to pay extra to the overpaid thieving scum).

They've tried that on me, and i just told them i would buy my ticket from the "payments due" office at Cannon Street Station like i did last time my travel card expired and they were fine with that. Then the "payments due" office wont let you buy a travel card (only daily tickets) so you ask them to let you through the gate to get to the main ticket office. Great experiment in Social Engineering

[hugebrain]

I often travel into London Cannon street with no ticket and buy one on arrival. I've never been charged a fine or had to pay extra... what are you saying to these people to wind them up???

They are very polite, they say things like I'm afraid your bike will have to go in the guards' room (not mentioning that one side of it is locked, the side where I want to get out) or they say I'm sorry Sir, you can't use your railcard when you buy tickets on the train (so I have to pay extra to the overpaid thieving scum).

[Joeman]

I hope they put the thug in prison and the ticket inspector too for deliberately getting the other passengers angry with the kid.

Like all decent people I hate over-paid scum train workers - especially when they charge me extra because THEY decide to close the ticket office, or make me travel in the guards van because I have a bicycle when the doors on that carriage only open onto the track and not the platform...

I often tavel into London Cannon street with no ticket and buy one on arrival. Ive never been charged a fine or had to pay extra... what are you saying to these people to wind them up???

[hugebrain]

I hope they put the thug in prison and the ticket inspector too for deliberately getting the other passengers angry with the kid.

Like all decent people I hate over-paid scum train workers - especially when they charge me extra because THEY decide to close the ticket office, or make me travel in the guards van because I have a bicycle when the doors on that carriage only open onto the track and not the platform...

[Freamon]

There are some regional railway stations where there are no ticket machines at the unstaffed stations. The only time I've ever had to travel from one, there was a conductor selling tickets on the train. He sold tickets to a couple of people, then didn't bother with the rest of the carriage and wandered off. He came back a few more times during the journey to sell a few tickets to some of the people who got on, but at least 50% of the people who I saw on that train were never approached.

[Joeman]

As a regular commuter into London, i practice a "no seat, no ticket" rule. If i dont get a seat i politely refuse to show my ticket. Inspectors dont even bother to challenge me anymore...

In this case if the kid had taken the time to explain the situation clearly, and had the reciept etc to back up his argument, then the inspector would have likley left it alone and it wouldnt have come to this.

[conned tractor]

Wow.

I can't believe any of you support the ticket inspector or "the big man" in this.

The ticket inspector looked like he decided instantly the kid was lying and gave him no chance to explain and no quarter.

Then the big idiot steps in.

I hope the inspector is fired and the idiot gets a custodial sentence (of course he wont)

Agree.

I have had great arguments with rail staff over legitamately bought tickets, which dependant upon which inspector you got was either valid or invalid. I could even prove that I could buy the same ticket online via the ticket database they all use there and then. One even told me to get my money back for all the duplicate tickets bought previously immediately at the destination station. Others have forced me to buy another ticket there and then or be removed from the train.

It's almost as if the rail companies encourage ambiguity in their ticket sales.

And as for the dogooder - he should be bought before a court and appropraite sentence given, who TF is he to take this action on a young lad.

[Durbs]

Have to say i'm generally all for these cheeky scrotes that seem to be all over the place these days getting a slap to keep them in line.

BUT, in this instance, dunno, have watched the vid a few times and dont see the lad being overly aggresive (the conductor seems more so) and looking at his face afterwards seems he was lobbed face first onto the platform when he tries to explain his bag is still on his seat and he needs to get it.

So lamping chavs is ok in 99% of cases but not convinced it was warranted here.

[prozak]

Wow.

I can't believe any of you support the ticket inspector or "the big man" in this.

The ticket inspector looked like he decided instantly the kid was lying and gave him no chance to explain and no quarter.

Then the big idiot steps in.

I hope the inspector is fired and the idiot gets a custodial sentence (of course he wont)

[doodab]

Looks like a classic case of rail company customer service delivered by petty jobsworths under the presumption that passengers are basically criminals.

[BlasterBates]

It´s also quite disgraceful that the conductor helped in the assault, hopefully he´ll get disciplined as well. I have also been on the wrong end of a conductor having bought a valid ticket and it is incredibly difficult to hold your temper, especially after a long day and you´re tired. The date was printed really badly on the ticket, faded. The guy was just incredibly rude, and it is very difficult to justify yourself. In the end he conceded when another passenger suggested the machines were notoriously crap, but he didn´t apologise, he just muttered I should see a psychiatrist to deal with my temper.

[BrilloPad]

It is up to the conductor to handle it. The kid's point is that he was sold 2 outward tickets - I saw a letter to the DT suggesting this is a frequent occurence.