Double gating

[Tibbs]

Let's hope common sense prevails. What would be achieved by prosecuting? There must be other more important issues to allocate resources to first.

If a ticket should be retained by the barrier or marked as consumed by the barrier then avoiding that would be evasion. In that scenario when challenged prosecution should be encouraged.

If this does not apply and there is no harm caused the why prosecute? If someone is detained unnecessarily and their time wasted because of cost cutting on staff or unfit equipment then that is a material harm to the customer. In general contracts supplier to customer a reasonableness test would apply.

I can understand that having to challenge people unecessarily is a waste of resource but one presumes the challenge to success rate justifies the challenges.

Profit > Common Sense every time.

 

[Paul Kelly]

If a ticket should be retained by the barrier or marked as consumed by the barrier then avoiding that would be evasion. In that scenario when challenged prosecution should be encouraged.

Surely only if done with the intention of using the ticket again? If somebody avoids putting their ticket in the barrier at their destination because they need it for a delay compensation claim, for example, I can't see how that would be fare evasion.

 

[sparks2000]

Surely only if done with the intention of using the ticket again? If somebody avoids putting their ticket in the barrier at their destination because they need it for a delay compensation claim, for example, I can't see how that would be fare evasion.

That's a good point - how can the company require you to produce a ticket as evidence if their system retains the ticket. To require you to exit via staff would be yet another waste of their customers time. Delay compensation wouldbe a good justification that would null (in my judgement) the ability of the company to claim intended evasion.

To put my whinging in context, I strongly support the company's right to be paid for the service delivered but will complain about practices that are unreasonable on the customer.

As there is often many ways to buy a ticket we can sometimes choose a method that is more convenient. If enough people support their favourite method then the less customer friendly methods will be competed off the market. Thats the market theory in any case.

Doesn't work for me as its seems the majority will choose price over service which will eventually put me into the minority and my favourite method of buying tickets will cease to be available. I personally will buy from the ticket office when I can because I appreciate the extra service one gets from good ticket office staff. I don't hate the machines - I prefer a machine to bad ticket office staff. Staff have usually been helpful to me so I choose that route first.

 

[Harbon 1]

But the speaker won't be doing anything while it's in your pocket next to your ticket, or at least it won't if you remember to lock the keypad! Or is there a permanent magnet that is powerful enough to do any damage?

It's a magnet that's magnetic all the time. I help out at my cousins phone repair shop and the speaker on a blackberry chassis is a good place to keep the screws going walkabout while the rest of the phone's being repaired

 

[michael769]

As mentiones most mobile speakers do not have magnets. However the touchscreens give off quite powerful magnetic fields when they are lit up. Another, and I suspect the one most likely to cause problems, is the magnets used in some cases to keep them closed.

The worst offenders seem to be e-ink readers. The e-ink panels use a very strong magnetic field to change the displays and I have personal experience of them wiping tickets. .

 

[Dormouse]

Just saw a man tailgating at Waterloo. Odd as he looks like a commuter type. The guy in front of him was oblivious...

 

[johnnychips]

"To follow closely behind (another person), as in gaining access to an area requiring the use of an electronic identification card."

See what you mean now.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Seen it happen lots on the tube. Even tried it myself after the barriers at Marylebone refused to accept my travelcard. Needless to say, it hurt.

 

[yorkie]

Just saw a man tailgating at Waterloo. Odd as he looks like a commuter type. The guy in front of him was oblivious...

perhaps he had a valid Travelcard routed Southern Only and didn't want to get unnecessarily delayed?

 

[Urban Gateline]

Just saw a man tailgating at Waterloo. Odd as he looks like a commuter type. The guy in front of him was oblivious...

Unfortunately, just because he is a commuter, doesn't mean he pays for travel. That's a lesson on not to judge, someone in a suit may well be a fare evader and the youngster with hoody and trainers may have a first class ticket!

Tailgating is rife everywhere with Barriers unfortunately, the barriers don't close quickly enough and have other weaknesses that can easily be exploited. Mind you, when I worked on the Gateline I nearly always challenged tailgaters and sent them back out if they were trying to tailgate into the station. If they tailgate out the staff can't do much due to "no touch" policy of most TOC's!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

I nobbled one at Blackfriars - apart from a good telling off - I told him the CCTV would be downloaded and he could expect a visit from the Police.

I hope it ruined his day(s) - of course he was a "suit" - some other commuters assisted with giving him some suitable advice.

 

[asylumxl]

perhaps he had a valid Travelcard routed Southern Only and didn't want to get unnecessarily delayed?

If it was Victoria I'd have said it would be Southern only on the Gatwick Express.

 

[table38]

that happens quite lot, where someone in front doesn't have their ticket read properly - or their Oyster isn't read - and neither they or you notice. You then tap out, the gate opens and they go through on your ticket.

There ought to be a word for this, but "Headgating" doesn't sound quite right!

 

[yorkie]

If it was Victoria I'd have said it would be Southern only on the Gatwick Express.

And at Leeds, a West Yorkshire Day Rover! Even Leeds platform tickets are rejected.

 

[island]

perhaps he had a valid Travelcard routed Southern Only and didn't want to get unnecessarily delayed?

It's an offence to tailgate even if you have a valid ticket.

 

[Polo Mint]

What happens if you arrive at a Station and you haven't been issued a ticket on the train? Do you just ask to buy one? Surely it would be easier to lie where you got on than simply trying to 'sneak through'.

 

[tsr]

What happens if you arrive at a Station and you haven't been issued a ticket on the train? Do you just ask to buy one?

You should do, yes. Buy at the first opportunity. You may be assisted by gateline staff (not all TOCs' gateline staff can sell tickets, though, I believe) or RPIs, or directed to an excess fares window - or even a TVM (in Southern/FCC land) or a usual ticket office.

Surely it would be easier to lie where you got on than simply trying to 'sneak through'.

Fare-dodgers might sometimes find that "easier", but of course it is illegal.

There are various methods in use of catching people out who do this. Some are easier than others!

 

[colchesterken]

I have had a problem a couple of times, at colchester we have a ticket office on each side of the tracks, the one on the down side is open all the time the other seems to close late mornings, so an inspector sells tickets from his/her portable machine
problem is the all zones will not work the ticket barrier gates so I had to find a person to open the gates would you believe on one at the gates at Stratford when I found someone he said short staffed.bit of a bind when you are on a day trainspotting tour..It will be even more fun when Boris closes all the ticket offices!!

 

[yorkie]

What happens if you arrive at a Station and you haven't been issued a ticket on the train? Do you just ask to buy one? Surely it would be easier to lie where you got on than simply trying to 'sneak through'.

Have you read our Disputes & Prosecutions forum?

Several people discovered that dealing with the consequences of lying is not a easy as the lying itself.