I always let the guard know of people who look like fare evaders whenever possible.
OK, but do you think these people were fare evaders? if so why?
That's another good point raised again; Just because a passenger
looks like a "Fare evader", doesn't mean that (s)he
is one!
I can still remember a journey that I took on a VWC service a few years ago. I'd bought a Weekend 1st upgrade for my journey, and happened to be dressed in full-length Bracers, spiked gauntlets, Bal-Sagoth shirt, black jeans and bovver boots...Which caused quite an unsettled stir amongst several "suits" elsewhere in the carriage!
Of course, the Guard comes along and many of these passengers speak to him as he passes, clearly asking him to inform me that I was sat in the "wrong" part of the train. Ye should've seen their faces after he checked my tickets, noted that I held a valid weekend 1st, and went back down to inform them that I did indeed have just as much right to be in that carriage as they did!
Gods...I
love scaring the crap out of stereotypical "First Class Executives"...
Has happened to me on occasion I sit down in the middle of the carriage and the guard (for example) goes right through the carriage by-passing me.
There's a couple of SWT Guards who always pass me by nowadays. I don't know if that's because they recognise me now (I'm easy to remember, and I always hold a valid ticket) or they can see from afar that I've got my ticket and railcard out ready for presentation, though.
NXEA you text 'dogder' to a text number, never used it but I assume you do it, and they contact you back asking for the train etc.
I dare say that if they have access to SMS routing data and pylon info, they could determine which train ye are on by comparing the mast ID from which the original message was received, along with the mast ID from which the SMS delivery confirmation of their reply was received.
In plain English: If they received a "Dodger" SMS from Mast_1234 (At, say, 234m 56c), they'd send a reply by SMS to say that the report was noted, to which would be attached a request for confirmation of receipt. If the reporters 'phone passed that message receipt back to the network via Mast_1239 (236m 10ch), EC would be able to tell that the train in question was a Northbounde service somewhere between 234 and 236 miles away from London.
A quick look at the standard timetable or a TOPS panel would show exactly which train was involved. Even if one service passes another at the time, the train can be identified by looking at the speed at which the sender travelled between the two masts.
Of course, EC trains could also have been fitted with a simple "eavesdropper" circuit which would alert the Guard to anyone sending a "Dodger" SMS, telling him which carriage the message had originated from.
Addendum: If anyone's interested, the EC reporting number is
60006, found - Ironically enough - Through
This interesting weblog article.
