I think you are in her debt!
This is what happens when you've been awake too long
What "behaviour" are you specifically referring to? All the OP has told us is that the gateline wouldn't just wave the kid through the barrier (which would have been poor safeguarding practice if they had done so, kids trying to travel without money being a potential red flag), and that they were quite busy. That is all of the detail the OP has told us, he says that he didn't ask his grandson for more info. We do not know whether the staff would have offered the use of a phone had they been asked, nor do we know if a referral had been made to BTP (naturally the kid wouldn't have been told of this lest he panic and get himself into danger). You are assuming that the staff refused to help, when we don't know what was actually said.
We are going round in circles; see posts #46 and #50. You didn't address the points in those posts.
You didn't actually address the post above with your response..
... which was robustly challenged by knowledgeable people, including those with relevant industry experience, again without you addressing the points.
Reminds me of the loveliest letter I received as crew after I aided a chap in getting home from Farnham to Leighton Buzzard after a rather unfortunate drive down with his late father's car - but no wallet! The UFN remains one of the most useful tools in my eyes (although a lovely controller arranging a taxi for the chap to make the last Leighton Buzzard service home from Euston was just as useful if you ask me!)
This response is at odds with what you said above in posts 43 and 45; in post 43 (quoted above multiple times) you were specifically responding to the suggestion that staff help with an alternative suggestion to ask a stranger. As stated above, this reads to me as a big red flag. But we've covered this earlier; you're not backing down, and therefore the impasse remains. I see no point in debating this further.
That's great, thank you so much for being among the many excellent railway staff out there. There is a huge gulf between the best and the worst of staff (as demonstrated in the aforementioned Dorchester to Wick thread); there is a lack of consistency and safeguards in place, and it's great to hear when staff go above and beyond to do the right thing.
I was simply suggesting possible alternative means of communication which might prove useful, particularly in the event that staff cannot be found (which is a possibility where there are remote barriers). I recall as a kid being told a list of options if I got lost - staff at wherever the venue was, police officers, mothers with kids etc.
It's not difficult at all. "My phone is dead, can you let me through?"
Yes, I shall stick to working with the known facts as stated by the OP, rather than allowing my imagination to go into a world of supposition and conjecture. You do you.
Haven’t read the whole thread. But
Nothing particularly specific but we have general training about how to spot vulnerable individuals. It all really falls upon the personality of the specific member of staff as we aren't shown procedures on what to do in cases with vulnerable people. I (gateline) can't actually authorise travel for someone, but I do try to get someone to allow it (usually a guard). If I think someone's being genuine and they have a problem with their ticket (not necessarily a dead phone), I tend to give them to benefit of the doubt but will warn them that they may be charged for a new ticket or given a penalty.
I try my best!
As busy as the gateline is, I wouldn't stop my conversation with someone like that. They obviously need help and they obviously can't solve it on their own. A good follow up would be something like "do you have any way to buy another ticket" or "is there someone who can buy you a ticket online". I tend to focus on one person and fully explain/solve their issue before answering anyone else. If the extra 3 minutes of waiting is enough to make someone miss their train because their ticket was rejected by the barrier then, frankly, it's their own fault for leaving it too late. The only times I will walk away from someone to help someone else is if I am having a casual conversation, or I hear a forced paddle alarm. Someone being trapped/potentially injured is more important than which tube line someone needs to take!
would your cousin have come along if she had realized it was that much of a journey before hand I wonder?
Ditto.
Just a suggestion, it might be worth editing the thread title to refer to "... whose phone is broken" (or similar), to try to discourage any more irrelevant suggestions about recharging options ...
Well at least that one might have the mould cleared when it’s replaced
I thought this was the case too which is another reason I didn’t use the collect at station option as I generally use Apple Pay which is I believe a different number from the physical card it is linked to.
What irks me is not being able to buy the cheapest available ticket for your journey on apps and TVMs. We are being ripped off daily!
Yeah, over the years I've found various ways to get the best value tickets. Often split ticketing websites, sometimes Trainline with that 10% cashback website, sometimes just creating my own split tickets and buying on Avanti to rack up the Club Avanti journeys towards a free 1st class ticket. It's frustrating knowing that the majority of the population are missing out because they don't have what seems to be PhD level knowledge of the fares system. But that's a topic for another thread really!Well at least that one might have the mould cleared when it’s replaced
I thought this was the case too which is another reason I didn’t use the collect at station option as I generally use Apple Pay which is I believe a different number from the physical card it is linked to.
Good to know it’s not an issue anymore although I’d always use counter staff where available.
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What irks me is not being able to buy the cheapest available ticket for your journey on apps and TVMs. We are being ripped off daily!
I guess we just accept the electronic ticketing on airlines as normal progress but we expect more of our railways for some reason. I can’t see Ryanair letting anyone call mum if their boarding card is inaccessible on a broken phone. Well having said that they might for a fee of £100 plus a new ticket! You are definitely more likely to get a sympathetic ear on the railway than the cutthroat airline industry but I fear there’s a low bar both are hurtling towards when it comes to customer service.
Funnily enough, Ryanair are planning on removing the ability to use even printed boarding passes. You will only be able to check in and board using a mobile device (except a couple of airports where this isn't supported). I think they've gone too far, and I say this as somebody who usually supports their low cost but additional charges for privileges model.
Well, some of them are strict liability offences, so legally speaking, they're in the right.
Yes it was the Ryanair changes that prompted me to mention them. I also think they’ve gone too far and the reliance of society on solely electronic methods of accessing every type of service is flawed and very fragile.
Electronic ticketing isn't fickle. Your phone might be unreliable, or you might be unreliable, but electronic tickets are fine. Tens of thousands of people use them every day without a problem.
Right but phones die of battery, or they have software failures.
