Name Calling & Fraud Allegation on GTR

[jon0844]

I don't get why the OP didn't show the season and be cooperative as refusing to answer some questions and withholding useful information has escalated the situation needlessly.

 

[matt_world2004]

I don't get why the OP didn't show the season and be cooperative as refusing to answer some questions and withholding useful information has escalated the situation needlessly.

Probably because both parties started becoming intransigent at each other and the op started stonewalling after being accused of a crime.

Or they could have been afraid of losing the season ticket.

Having being stopped and searched myself, there is notbing to gain with volunteering any information

 

[daisynova]

It's the CCTV from Blackfriars you need for this.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Sep 2024 ==


You should be scanning your eTicket on the barrier at Blackfriars. The scanners are there and they do work. Had you done that there would be no question to answer about where you boarded. Or, as has been said before, use contactless payment for that short journey.

Your comment about scanning my ticket doesn’t help. I often get an e-ticket for other journeys that my season ticket won’t cover but I don’t get off the train to scan the ticket (unless I have to change). I’ve never had an issue with that before. I had a valid ticket for the journey I made but the staff just decided I didn’t make that journey based on profiling - they refused to listen to my explanation and just made assumptions. Assumptions without proof will doubtfully stand up in court.

I know I should have scanned but was waved through when showing my ticket - that happens a lot and happened on the same day on my return journey. I made the guard get his machine to scan my ticket explaining what had happened in the morning and he rolled his eyes saying the enforcement people were power hungry. Either way I had a valid ticket and the stress they are putting me through is unfair.

 

[fandroid]

The OP hadn't used the season ticket that day, so it didn't seem relevant, in their mind, to the actual journey being discussed.

I don't get why the OP didn't show the season and be cooperative as refusing to answer some questions and withholding useful information has escalated the situation needlessly.

But it is very likely to be relevant to whatever offence GTR think has been committed. It's existence totally undermines any case they think they have for a prosecution for travelling without a valid ticket.

 

[daisynova]

I don't get why the OP didn't show the season and be cooperative as refusing to answer some questions and withholding useful information has escalated the situation needlessly.

Because the season ticket was irrelevant - I hadn’t used that for the journey I made. Also I refused to answer questions that had no relevance to the fraud I was being accused of - it’s none of their business where I was the night before outside of I entered my journey at Blackfriars. I was far from the biggest pain that day with two other men kicking off and shouting - I was calm and explained why I wasn’t answering some of their questions. I wasn’t rude in any way. They were rude from the start and accused me of something they couldn’t prove at the time. Continually calling me a liar was unnecessary even if I had committed fraud. All they had to say was we will check what you are saying but in the meantime we are issuing you with a caution.

 

[fandroid]

I’m inclined to agree with this. As the OP told them they had entered the system at Blackfriars, it is imperative to prove that now, rather than anything which looks like changing the story.

I travel from Blackfriars south entrance northwards almost every Friday at around 13.35. There are regular occasions when the gates are open, and I just walk through (with a valid ticket). I'm willing to given written confirmation of that if necessary.

 

[jon0844]

Because the season ticket was irrelevant - I hadn’t used that for the journey I made. Also I refused to answer questions that had no relevance to the fraud I was being accused of - it’s none of their business where I was the night before outside of I entered my journey at Blackfriars. I was far from the biggest pain that day with two other men kicking off and shouting - I was calm and explained why I wasn’t answering some of their questions. I wasn’t rude in any way. They were rude from the start and accused me of something they couldn’t prove at the time. Continually calling me a liar was unnecessary even if I had committed fraud. All they had to say was we will check what you are saying but in the meantime we are issuing you with a caution.

They assumed you'd short fared. You had a season so clearly couldn't have, even though on this occasion you say you started there. It would have sorted the situation there and then.

Also, while you didn't have to answer any questions other than name, address and date of birth, doing so could have sorted things quick. It's not like the staff were going to care about the details you refused to give. They'd just move on to someone else and let you get on with your day.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 8 Sep 2024 ==

I travel from Blackfriars south entrance northwards almost every Friday at around 13.35. There are regular occasions when the gates are open, and I just walk through (with a valid ticket). I'm willing to given written confirmation of that if necessary.

Yes the gates are often open but here is someone that was let through by someone, and so that implies the gates were presumably shut.

 

[fandroid]

I think we should focus on advice on what the OP should now, not on how the situation could have worked out differently on the day.

 

[Hadders]

I would keep the season ticket even if it expires as that would be proof you had a season ticket. And explain that when they send a letter. Although they shouldn't be accusing people of fare evasion on the grounds they started their journey at blackfriars and ending at Farringdon, alone even if the journey is apparently illogical.

Agreed. There isn't really anything more to add until @daisynova receives contact from GTR.

 

[bramling]

I don't get why the OP didn't show the season and be cooperative as refusing to answer some questions and withholding useful information has escalated the situation needlessly.

Personally, I’d have probably been awkward too if the situation was handled as abrasively as the OP describes.

If he had a perfectly valid ticket for the exact journey made, then it shouldn’t be necessary to have to prove innocence, and revenue should know that there’s a likelihood that people can be let in without scanning.

And, TBH, I wouldn’t take overly kindly to being chased out of a station and touched either.

 

[Hadders]

I'm locking this thread for now as there isn't anything more to add until @daisynova receives contact from GTR.

@daisynova - when you get a letter from GTR report this post by pressing the 'Report' button in the bottom left hand corner ad we will re-open the thread for you.