I had an incident on the Mildmay Line earlier where an RPI boarded and asked for tickets to be presented. I was first up.
I assume most people are going to assume that I was on the wrong train and had boarded a train that went outside of the contactless zones, but no. I was 100% on the Mildmay Line.
Instead of moving on after validating my Oyster, he asked to see a physical ticket as well. I explained to him that there are no tickets with Oyster cards and that they work by tapping the reader at your entry station and tapping another reader at your exit station. He wasn't buying this and insisted that without a physical ticket, I was travelling without valid documentation.
I continued trying to explain to him how Oyster Cards work and even showed him a page on Tfl's website where it states 'With pay as you go, you don't need to buy a ticket before you travel.', but this achieved nothing. He then changed his game to pretending I was saying things I had never said and kept talking over me whenever I spoke. At this point, I told him that I would not be engaging in any further conversation with him as it was pointless and I sat there in silence for the remainder of the journey as he berated me.
Upon reaching my destination, I tapped out and spoke to a member of staff on the barrier asking if I could raise a complaint against the inspector, who then appeared round the corner as he had followed me off the train. I asked to see his ID at this point, since nothing was on display and he refused to do so. He then asked for mine and said that I had to provide it when asked as he was going to have me fined for travelling without a ticket. I told him that, unless he identified himself I didn't have to provide him with anything as, for all I knew, he was a member of the public wearing a London Overground jumper.
He then took pictures of me, shoved his phone in my face and began filming me, shortly before BTP arrived (I assume he contacted them when I got off the train). They confirmed with the woman on the barrier that I had paid, had a quick chat with me (mainly taking my complaint) and I left.
I think it's pretty obvious that this was the RPI's first day on the job and hopefully his last.
I do have some questions though:
1. Would that have been his personal phone, or would he have been issued with a work phone?
2. I have asked Tfl to confirm what has been done with the pictures and videos he took in my complaint but, given his behaviour, I don't feel particularly comfortable with him having taken them. However, I assume that since there was no expectation of privacy, he had every right to record me?
3. Am I correct that, since he refused to identify himself, that I wasn't required to identify myself when he wanted to issue a penalty fare?
I assume most people are going to assume that I was on the wrong train and had boarded a train that went outside of the contactless zones, but no. I was 100% on the Mildmay Line.
Instead of moving on after validating my Oyster, he asked to see a physical ticket as well. I explained to him that there are no tickets with Oyster cards and that they work by tapping the reader at your entry station and tapping another reader at your exit station. He wasn't buying this and insisted that without a physical ticket, I was travelling without valid documentation.
I continued trying to explain to him how Oyster Cards work and even showed him a page on Tfl's website where it states 'With pay as you go, you don't need to buy a ticket before you travel.', but this achieved nothing. He then changed his game to pretending I was saying things I had never said and kept talking over me whenever I spoke. At this point, I told him that I would not be engaging in any further conversation with him as it was pointless and I sat there in silence for the remainder of the journey as he berated me.
Upon reaching my destination, I tapped out and spoke to a member of staff on the barrier asking if I could raise a complaint against the inspector, who then appeared round the corner as he had followed me off the train. I asked to see his ID at this point, since nothing was on display and he refused to do so. He then asked for mine and said that I had to provide it when asked as he was going to have me fined for travelling without a ticket. I told him that, unless he identified himself I didn't have to provide him with anything as, for all I knew, he was a member of the public wearing a London Overground jumper.
He then took pictures of me, shoved his phone in my face and began filming me, shortly before BTP arrived (I assume he contacted them when I got off the train). They confirmed with the woman on the barrier that I had paid, had a quick chat with me (mainly taking my complaint) and I left.
I think it's pretty obvious that this was the RPI's first day on the job and hopefully his last.
I do have some questions though:
1. Would that have been his personal phone, or would he have been issued with a work phone?
2. I have asked Tfl to confirm what has been done with the pictures and videos he took in my complaint but, given his behaviour, I don't feel particularly comfortable with him having taken them. However, I assume that since there was no expectation of privacy, he had every right to record me?
3. Am I correct that, since he refused to identify himself, that I wasn't required to identify myself when he wanted to issue a penalty fare?
