Is it worth appealing?

[bumblinleopard]

Hello I got stopped by an inspector the other day on Greater Anglia for carrying a ticket, and when he asked to see my 16-25 railcard I didn't have it on me. I felt really embarrassed because I normally have it on me in my wallet, but I had left it in another coat I had just bought a couple of days prior.

By coincidence, my phone had just died. So in my panic I lied to the inspector and said I had a digital railcard on my phone and I couldn't show it since my battery was dead. The inspector was then really nice and gave me a penalty notice with the reason 'no supporting document' and said if I uploaded proof of my railcard and appealed it I wouldn't have to pay the money.

However, now I'm thinking it was a stupid thing to say I had a digital railcard, as that is a separate thing to a physical one. I DO have a physical railcard, so I am eligible to the discount. However, my story I gave was false to the inspector, and by explaining that in the appeal surely that would make my case moot? Because my reason for not being able to show it was 'I left it at home' which I don't know is a valid excuse?

I'm wondering if it's worth appealing this, or just paying the £50 fine in case they reject it later on and I have to pay more?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I would appeal and send in a copy of your Railcard as proof (assuming this is your first time in 12 months). It's unlikely they will have noted specifically which type of Railcard you didn't have, and it would be easy to claim a misunderstanding.

You are entitled to do this once every 12 months at most. If it happens again within 12 months you would have to pay the PF unless there were technical grounds for appeal.

 

[WesternLancer]

Hello I got stopped by an inspector the other day on Greater Anglia for carrying a ticket, and when he asked to see my 16-25 railcard I didn't have it on me. I felt really embarrassed because I normally have it on me in my wallet, but I had left it in another coat I had just bought a couple of days prior.

By coincidence, my phone had just died. So in my panic I lied to the inspector and said I had a digital railcard on my phone and I couldn't show it since my battery was dead. The inspector was then really nice and gave me a penalty notice with the reason 'no supporting document' and said if I uploaded proof of my railcard and appealed it I wouldn't have to pay the money.

However, now I'm thinking it was a stupid thing to say I had a digital railcard, as that is a separate thing to a physical one. I DO have a physical railcard, so I am eligible to the discount. However, my story I gave was false to the inspector, and by explaining that in the appeal surely that would make my case moot? Because my reason for not being able to show it was 'I left it at home' which I don't know is a valid excuse?

I'm wondering if it's worth appealing this, or just paying the £50 fine in case they reject it later on and I have to pay more?

Just appeal with proof of railcard. The people dealing with that won’t care if it is physical or digital railcard so long as it’s in date and valid.

It’s important to do this to protect yourself against other unwanted follow up action from Greater Anglia which is probably unlikely but best avoided.

 

[jeremyjh]

They're quite used to people saying things that aren't true, most of them far more consequential than the format your railcard is in. They're used to people panicking. So long as the railcard exists, submitting the appeal should work. I'd then suggest making sure you're always carrying your railcard by default any time you're on the network, because as others have noted a repeat of this kind of appeal won't work for a year.

 

[AlterEgo]

Just appeal with proof of railcard. The people dealing with that won’t care if it is physical or digital railcard so long as it’s in date and valid.

It’s important to do this to protect yourself against other unwanted follow up action from Greater Anglia which is probably unlikely but best avoided.

This. Don’t mention any conversations because they were not recorded on the notice. All irrelevant. Just submit the railcard as per the forgotten railcard policy.