Help with taking action against metrolink officer

[Lucy002]

Hi, I could really do with a little advice.

Long story short, I was issued a 'standard fare' fine on the tram going from Navigation Road to Manchester Piccadilly last week. Being that I work a minimum wage job and live hundreds of miles from the rest of my family, I got really upset when the fine was issued and experienced a severe panic attack. I was having a lot of trouble breathing, couldn't stand, and was clearly not well.

The metrolink officer who issued the fine WALKED OFF when I was having the attack and I was subsequently picked up by two other metrolink officers who told me I should appeal the fine (one even gave me her badge number to reference) and called an ambulance which took me to hospital.

I have appealed the fine and been told I still need to pay it but that is not really the issue. I would like to know what action I can take against the metrolink officer who issued me the fine.

I mentioned in my appeal that I feel unsafe on the trams knowing that there are staff like that however my concerns were totally ignored and I was merely sent the standard rejected appeal letter.

I am extremely angry about this and never want to give any money to this company again. I can't believe that my money (that was the first time I had no ticket, but that's beside the point) actually goes to fund the wages of people like that.

What can I do? If possible, I would like to bypass metrolink as they obviously don't take the situation seriously.

 

[bb21]

Welcome.

On what grounds do you think the appeal should be upheld? Your account of the incident lacks details so I am unable to tell what actually happened. Why were you issued with a Standard Fare? What did the revenue inspector do that warrants actions to be taken against him?

 

[Greenback]

It reads to me as though you weren't in possession of a ticket, and are angry that you received a standard fare penalty payment?

I, too, am not at all sure what grounds you have for an appeal, so if you have any more information then please feel free to add it here. Also, please feel free to correct me on my first paragraph if that is not correct.

 

[Clip]

It reads to me as though you weren't in possession of a ticket, and are angry that you received a standard fare penalty payment?

.

Thisis how I read it and which led to the panic attack. Also how sure is the OP that the officer knew they were having a panic attack and did not think that you were just terribly angry at being issued with a standard fare? You say - clearly not well but Im afraid that in inflamed istuations where one party is angry then these attacks themselves can and do come across as manifestations of that anger.

 

[yorkie]

I have appealed the fine and been told I still need to pay it but that is not really the issue.

I agree that's not the issue; your complaint has nothing to do with the charge being made, and you accept the charge was correct, so pay it and move on from that.

I would like to know what action I can take against the metrolink officer who issued me the fine.

If you've made a complaint with Metrolink's proper procedure for staff complaints (it's not clear that you have though?), and you're still unhappy, seek legal advice if you feel really aggrieved.

I mentioned in my appeal that I feel unsafe on the trams knowing that there are staff like that ...

Most trams have no staff in the passenger accommodation, so in most cases there will be no-one available to immediately assist customers with medial difficulties, but that's no different to walking/driving/cycling yourself, so I don't see that having a member of staff allegedly ignoring a medical problem makes the tram any more 'unsafe' than other environments.

 

[ainsworth74]

This discussion is highly off-topic and of no use to the OP. Any further posts that do not offer constructive advice to Lucy002 will be deleted. Posts that have already been made on this thread are currently being reviewed and action, if necessary, will be taken.

I would remind everyone that the purpose of this section is to offer help and advice to those who post requesting it. If you do not feel you can do this then please refrain from posting. If you wish to discuss something raised on a thread in this section more generally then please feel free to start a new thread and link back to the thread that provoked the discussion. General discussion of topics and/or issues should not be made on threads posted by people looking for help.

Many thanks,
ainsworth74

 

[cuccir]

There are two separate issues here.

The first is the issuing standard fare. You've not given us any context for this so I presume that you're no longer contesting the fact that you had no ticket and that this was issued correctly?

The second is the response to a panic attack. If you feel that the officer did not respond appropriately to you having one, then I agree that it would be useful to raise this. However, I don't think you can consider this "taking action against" this person - frankly, you don't need to be so vindictive and combative. You also won't receive a lot of sympathy from people on here, or indeed I suspect within the company, if you take that approach.

If you genuinely feel that this officer failed in his/her duty, then a letter of complaint detailing the failure to respond to the panic attack (and praising those who did?) - and including a question about whether staff are trained - written to the company ought to suffice. I don't know what evidence you have that Metrolink don't take the situation seriously, given that 2 out 3 staff involved appear to have helped you. Even then, I would not expect 'action against' this member of staff - an investigation may nor may not be appropriate, and action would depend upon that member of staff's overall record. If nothing else, Metrolink I'm sure would also want to hear their side of the story and the way you portray yourself on this post does not make you seem a reliable narrator.

..how sure is the OP that the officer knew they were having a panic attack...

To be fair if the officer has been first aid trained then they ought to be able to identify this.

 

[bb21]

While we appreciate that threads can naturally drift, it is of vital importance that discussions remain focused on the topic in hand in this area of the forum so as not to introduce unnecessary information which could serve to confuse people whose main objection is to seek help for their predicaments.

Off-topic discussions have been removed to this separate thread so it would be appreciated if forum members could carry on the conversation there and refrain from speculation in this thread.

 

[185]

From the original post made, the only thing I can suggest would explain an 'officer' walking off mid incident is an attempt to calm down either an angry or distressed person, known to some of us as the switcharoo, where other staff take over. Many train companies use this technique in their Conflict Aversion training. If prosecutions unit have reviewed the appeal and complaint, I can assume the revenue side of the letter (appeal) has failed, and the standard fare is due in lieu of having no valid ticket, the complaint regarding customer service standards would also be considered.... and any action to be taken would have been mentioned in the email reply. I would look at the fifty pounds due as an silly error, and unlike the mainline railway which could be three hundred quid plus conviction .

 

[6Gman]

I'm finding it difficult to visualise exactly what happened here. I assume the OP was on the tram when she was asked for a ticket which she didn't have. The member of staff dealt with this in - I assume - the proper manner.

The OP then suffered a panic attack (still on the tram?), the member of staff walked away, but two other members of staff attended to her. Do revenue protection teams on Metrolink operate in 3s? (I've never encountered them) If so, then it seems entirely reasonable that the person who has issued the paperwork might hand over to someone else to assist the OP.

 

[LWB]

........ the only thing I can suggest would explain an 'officer' walking off mid incident is an attempt to calm down either an angry or distressed person, known to some of us as the switcharoo, where other staff take over. Many train companies use this technique in their Conflict Aversion training.

I can see how this could be a constructive tactic but can also see that this could come across to the OP as a 'good cop, bad cop' scenario. The express and contrasting helpfulness of the other two officers marks the neutral behaviour of the first as especially callous and indifferent. (Not saying it was)

 

[DelayRepay]

I am extremely angry about this and never want to give any money to this company again.

It was your unwillingness to give money to the company (in exchange for a ticket, before boarding the tram) that caused the problem in the first place.

I think if you decided not to use Metrolink's services again that might be the best outcome for all concerned.

 

[Greenback]

To be perfectly frank, in the absence of further information it does read as though nothing the RPI did caused the alleged panic attack. It appears that the OP feels that working for the minimum wage and living miles away from family was what upset them. There is no reference to any bullying, harassment, rudeness or unprofessionalism.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The express and contrasting helpfulness of the other two officers marks the neutral behaviour of the first as especially callous and indifferent.

I don't think so. Is the person who "caused" the panic attack the most appropriate person to attempt to treat the panic attack?

I guess the OP needs to be honest with themselves about why they are pushing it. It won't make any difference to the Standard Fare, which was correctly issued. My initial reading of the OP's post is that they are acting maliciously, trying to teach the RPI a lesson for daring to issue them with a Standard Fare.

I normally advise my clients who want to complain to start with a desired outcome and work backwards from there.

 

[Greenback]

The desired outcome in this case appears to be a successful appeal. I don't think this outcome will be easy to achieve, and based on the information we have so far, the complaint is groundless.

 

[Tetchytyke]

The desired outcome in this case appears to be a successful appeal. I don't think this outcome will be easy to achieve, and based on the information we have so far, the complaint is groundless.

Yep, that was pretty much my point, although I think there is definitely some malice involved ("I'll teach that RPI a lesson!")

 

[Greenback]

Quite possibly. It doesn't look like the OP is going to come back and give us any more details anyway.

Has anyone spotted a similar complaint elsewhere on the web which could be the same person?

 

[6Gman]

Quite possibly. It doesn't look like the OP is going to come back and give us any more details anyway.

Has anyone spotted a similar complaint elsewhere on the web which could be the same person?

Indeed. Without knowing further details it's very difficult to assess. But the OP doesn't seem to wish to participate further ......

 

[Flamingo]

Indeed. Without knowing further details it's very difficult to assess. But the OP doesn't seem to wish to participate further ......

Probably sitting hyperventilating at their computer screen because everybody didn't go "There there diddums" and offer a group hug...