Renewing my ticket

[grace odijie]

hello all

Please, I hope I get my question answered. As I suffer a serious anxiety. Today I got on my train forgetting I needed to renew my weekly ticket, which ran out yesterday. On getting to Guildford I told the guard. He’d asked me to go to customer service, I was in a mad rush the counter had a cue, I opted for the machine. However I could’nt see the weekly option, I rushed off with the intention to renew on my way back. I was stopped by an inspector. He won’t even give me few min to explain myself. I was upset, as I had my previous four weeks ticket which I normally keep, to recoup expenses. However he won’t listen. He collected my ID. And said I will hear from them. I have never had anything recorded against me. I am very very scared of having anything criminal. Iam so anxious, I am beginning to feel like I could have a panic attack over not now what will happen. I have called national rail way more than 4 times today already. They couldn’t tell me what’s going to happen either. That’s left me in such a bad place. I need to know what could happen. I had bought my weekly return ticket back home now. But I am so anxious. I need help

 

[najaB]

I need to know what could happen. I had bought my weekly return ticket back home now. But I am so anxious. I need help

First things first - take a deep breath. Nothing is going to happen in a hurry so there isn't any point letting yourself get too worked up at the moment.

In terms of what will happen with your case, the most likely next step is that the Train Operating Company (TOC) will write to you asking for your version of events. If you write back in reply explaining exactly what happened and why and offer to make recompense for the costs they have incurred investigating your case so far there is a good chance that they'll settle the case without taking you to court.

 

[grace odijie]

Thank you very much for your quick response. how Long will I need to wait for this letter? I feel so horrible and in such a bad place. I can’t even think of anything else. Thanks

 

[najaB]

Thank you very much for your quick response. how Long will I need to wait for this letter?

In theory it could be up to six months, however it's more likely to be a week or two.

 

[grace odijie]

I know I should have been a bit more patient and go to customer services. For me, I was looking at it from the perspective that it will be same pay anyway. I will never intentionally cheat anyone or any system. It hurts so much cos I never did anything with any bad intentions and if only the inspector had given me just 2 min. I would have shown him my weekly ticket for the past 4 weeks. And I still had to pay the same amount this evening. This is genuinely the worst and most unfortunate thing that have happened to me. It’s left me in a complete state.

 

[grace odijie]

In theory it could be up to six months, however it's more likely to be a week or two.

I honestly won’t know what to do with myself. To be able to wait. I will have to try. I am not feeling good at all. Thank you very much, I am truly grateful for your reply, I wasn’t expecting anything anyone to reply this urgent. Thanks

 

[Darandio]

I know I should have been a bit more patient and go to customer services. For me, I was looking at it from the perspective that it will be same pay anyway. I will never intentionally cheat anyone or any system. It hurts so much cos I never did anything with any bad intentions and if only the inspector had given me just 2 min. I would have shown him my weekly ticket for the past 4 weeks. And I still had to pay the same amount this evening. This is genuinely the worst and most unfortunate thing that have happened to me. It’s left me in a complete state.

I'll point it out before someone else does. Regardless of the good faith of intending to pay later that evening, the requirement is to have a valid ticket before travel, not after.

As najaB has pointed out, just wait for the letter.

 

[najaB]

I honestly won’t know what to myself. To be able to wait. I will have to try. I am not feeling good at all.

I know it's not easy to wait but there really isn't any alternative - these things take a bit of time to be processed. If it's any comfort, it's highly likely that the TOC will settle by asking you to contribute to paying their costs (typically it would work out around £100) instead of taking you to court.

 

[grace odijie]

I'll point it out before someone else does. Regardless of the good faith of intending to pay later that evening, the requirement is to have a valid ticket before travel, not after.

As najaB has pointed out, just wait for the letter.

Thanks. I know. You run a huge risk of forgetting when you have weekly tickets. I normally renew every Monday. I was off few weeks back and it changed to Saturday and my brain had struggled to catch up with the change after having renewed Monday for a long time. Last week Saturday, the same thing
happened but I had enough time to renew when I got to Guildford. Obviously with this incident there is no way I am forgetting again. I am even exploring driving instead now..I would normally drive to north camp, as it’s close to my child minder. Drop the kids and get a train just to get away from the traffic Monstly in the week.

 

[grace odijie]

I know it's not easy to wait but there really isn't any alternative - these things take a bit of time to be processed. If it's any comfort, it's highly likely that the TOC will settle by asking you to contribute to paying their costs (typically it would work out around £100) instead of taking you to court.

Many thanks.

 

[grace odijie]

I know it's not easy to wait but there really isn't any alternative - these things take a bit of time to be processed. If it's any comfort, it's highly likely that the TOC will settle by asking you to contribute to paying their costs (typically it would work out around £100) instead of taking you to court.

Hello NajaB please is there any number I can call?

 

[najaB]

Hello NajaB please is there any number I can call?

Most TOC's prosecutions teams do have telephones, but I advise against calling for three reasons:

• They likely haven't received the paperwork yet, and even if they have they haven't had time to do the necessary - rushing them isn't going to make them more charitable towards you
• Verbal agreements are worth the paper they are written on - in other words, letters/emails leave a paper trail which is much easier to refer back to later if needs be
• You can re-draft a letter to get it wright... rite... right, but the word, once spoken can't be retrieved. It's easy to say something by mistake that gets you into more hot water than you already are

 

[grace odijie]

Most TOC's prosecutions teams do have telephones, but I advise against calling for three reasons:

• They likely haven't received the paperwork yet, and even if they have they haven't had time to do the necessary - rushing them isn't going to make them more charitable towards you
• Verbal agreements are worth the paper they are written on - in other words, letters/emails leave a paper trail which is much easier to refer back to later if needs be
• You can re-draft a letter to get it wright... rite... right, but the word, once spoken can't be retrieved. It's easy to say something by mistake that gets you into more hot water than you already are

Wow! I am really impressed at your quick and detail response. Thank you very much. God bless you.

 

[robbeech]

If you don’t mind us asking, what season ticket do you buy? Is Guildford the destination or do you change trains there?

 

[grace odijie]

If you don’t mind us asking, what season ticket do you buy? Is Guildford the destination or do you change trains there?

Rob beech thanks for your response. Yes Guildford is my final destination. I drop my kids off with a childminder in Frimley, as the older one goes to a school in frimley, the younger one is still too tittle for school, the frimley train is too slow so I drive to north camp pack my car and get on the train there. I have done this for years like a robot without even questioning myself for options. After this incidence, whenever I tell anyone they go... why don’t you just drive to Guildford? I know even if I am pardoned for this one time; if I ever make a mistake like this again it could cost me a lot. Even with this; I have been so anxious everything around me is beginning to suffer as I am loosing concentration. I have decided to start driving to Guildford. I have a weekly ticked now which runs out 02/03/2018. Yesterday I missed the train, something that’s never happened to me, the next train to north camp was 17:44 I had to pick up my kids form 6pm, I got on a taxi from Guildford to north camp station, I narrowly made it to my childminder. I am arranging to buy a monthly parking ticket at Farnham road parking in Guildford. It’s been a few difficult days for me

 

[grace odijie]

Just looking back to that day. So many thing lead to me getting to the ticket machine trying to pay and rushing, I was confused becos I had got on the train from a different location on that day. So when I clicked on north camp, my brain was like no but you got on Blackwater today, then I clicked on Blackwater I thought no if I buy a weekly Blackwater ticket it will be useless for the rest of the week as I use north camp.. I was very anxious to get to work, even whilst on the train. I was meant to get to work at a certain time, my manager will get to work at a certain time. I am still on probation, and I have struggled recently with the new time for the new job. When I looked at the time I thought I have got to run; I will go to the counter on my way back and sort it out but the unfortunate situation is, as the inspector stopped and was chatting with me; my manager walked pass. If I get a criminal record I will have to tell my manager and I will loose my job and my whole 10 years career. I have I will never intentionally cheat anyone. I would have gone to the counter after work, even the workers there know me very well. I would have explained to her and she will issue me a ticket accordingly. That’s a station I have used for 10 years. I know it’s my fault. I should have just taken I deep breath. Calm down and just choose to go to the counter and be late. Then deal with the lateness when I get to work

 

[grace odijie]

On occasions were I was going from another station to another like 3 weeks ago I had to go somewhere close to Gatwick. I always top up my weekly with the guard in the train. I never had to it through the machine. What my friends are saying I should have done is renew my weekly and top it up. I was to anxious at that moment to even think clearly. It’s simple cos I have done it several times but that moment I couldn’t think of a simple way.

 

[najaB]

After this incidence, whenever I tell anyone they go... why don’t you just drive to Guildford? I know even if I am pardoned for this one time; if I ever make a mistake like this again it could cost me a lot. Even with this; I have been so anxious everything around me is beginning to suffer as I am loosing concentration. I have decided to start driving to Guildford.

There's no need to change your routine that much - driving is likely to be just as, if not more, stressful in the long run. Mistakes happen and TOCs can generally tell if they are dealing with an honest person who made a mistake or a serial fraudster. From what you've posted and the way that you've said it I'm reasonably confident that you'll be able to settle this by paying the fare for that journey and a contribution to the costs - I'd be surprised if it was anything over £80-125 in total.

 

[robbeech]

So, on the day in question you boarded at Blackwater? If this is the case things are a little different but either way it’s important to remember not to worry yourself about any of it.

Blackwater has no ticket office and I’m not aware if you can buy a weekly season tickets from the machines there anyway.
It’s a tricky situation as if this is the case you were making a different (and importantly longer) journey than you normally would have done.
The guard did the right thing by telling you to go and purchase a ticket as on the day in question this would have been your first opportunity to purchase the ticket and for that you cannot be penalised. There is an argument that you should not have to delay your journey in order to purchase a ticket but I don’t think this is the right time to be trying any ideas like that.

There may be some more questions asked which are again, nothing to worry about but you need to make sure you can answer them accurately if you are asked and when you are asked for your version of events it’s important to get it right.

As North Camp has a ticket office that’s open when you caught the train, if you’d started the journey there you’d be expected to buy a ticket there. As Blackwater doesn’t have this then you are expected to buy from staff on board if the facilities exist or at your destination.
You were given the opportunity to pay at Guildford but unfortunately for your own reasons (likely valid in your mind) you didn’t do this, although you did at least try at the machine.
I appreciate you have since purchased a season ticket and if it was on that day it means that retrospectively you had a ticket that would have been valid that morning (from North Camp if that’s the ticket). This doesn’t mean the problem goes away but when you put your case forward to them in a letter you can show this as evidence and this will go in your favour. It’ll also help if you’ve got lots of old season tickets to prove you always have a ticket.
This doesn’t solve the problem of Blackwater though, if your ticket is North Camp to Guildford then you still haven’t paid for the Blackwater portion so there might be some issues there.

For now, the things you need to do (probably in order of priority) are
1) Don’t worry!
Mistakes happen, this may or may not end up costing you an annoying amount of money to put right a mistake you made from simply being human but worrying won’t change the outcome one bit. It’s incredibly unlikely you’ll get a criminal record from this, and unless your boss is particularly nasty they’d see that you were not unintentionally avoiding a fare and would likely ignore anything like that anyway. If you get on with your boss maybe you should tell them about it, ‘remember when you saw me talking to the inspector, I’d only gone and let my season ticket run out’ you could even laugh about it.
2) gather together some things of importance that are related to this now so you can keep a clear head and provide them with the information they need promptly. As many old season tickets as you have got, receipts for them. Any extra tickets to Blackwater might be handy too! Write down your exact journeys that day so you don’t forget, especially if it was different to what you normally do. Try and remember exactly what the guard said and exactly what the inspector said and what you said to them. For example did you say “I have just realised my season ticket ran out” or did you say “I got on at Blackwater” or “I am late for work but I need to buy a season ticket” or something else.
3) look again at your options for how to avoid it happening again. I appreciate its only a 15 minute train journey and you can drive and already drive part way but don’t rule the train out. If you were otherwise happy doing what you have been doing there is no reason to let a quite frankly minor mistake put you off it altogether.
4) sit back (still not worrying) and wait for them to write to you. Once you’ve done the other bits you can put it out of your mind for a while. When you get the letter, please come back and let us know what it says and people here will be able to help you write a reply, tell you what to include, and maybe give you a better indication of what to expect in the way of a financial penalty.

Did I mention not to worry? (I know that’s easier said than done)

 

[grace odijie]

So, on the day in question you boarded at Blackwater? If this is the case things are a little different but either way it’s important to remember not to worry yourself about any of it.

Blackwater has no ticket office and I’m not aware if you can buy a weekly season tickets from the machines there anyway.
It’s a tricky situation as if this is the case you were making a different (and importantly longer) journey than you normally would have done.
The guard did the right thing by telling you to go and purchase a ticket as on the day in question this would have been your first opportunity to purchase the ticket and for that you cannot be penalised. There is an argument that you should not have to delay your journey in order to purchase a ticket but I don’t think this is the right time to be trying any ideas like that.

There may be some more questions asked which are again, nothing to worry about but you need to make sure you can answer them accurately if you are asked and when you are asked for your version of events it’s important to get it right.

As North Camp has a ticket office that’s open when you caught the train, if you’d started the journey there you’d be expected to buy a ticket there. As Blackwater doesn’t have this then you are expected to buy from staff on board if the facilities exist or at your destination.
You were given the opportunity to pay at Guildford but unfortunately for your own reasons (likely valid in your mind) you didn’t do this, although you did at least try at the machine.
I appreciate you have since purchased a season ticket and if it was on that day it means that retrospectively you had a ticket that would have been valid that morning (from North Camp if that’s the ticket). This doesn’t mean the problem goes away but when you put your case forward to them in a letter you can show this as evidence and this will go in your favour. It’ll also help if you’ve got lots of old season tickets to prove you always have a ticket.
This doesn’t solve the problem of Blackwater though, if your ticket is North Camp to Guildford then you still haven’t paid for the Blackwater portion so there might be some issues there.

For now, the things you need to do (probably in order of priority) are
1) Don’t worry!
Mistakes happen, this may or may not end up costing you an annoying amount of money to put right a mistake you made from simply being human but worrying won’t change the outcome one bit. It’s incredibly unlikely you’ll get a criminal record from this, and unless your boss is particularly nasty they’d see that you were not unintentionally avoiding a fare and would likely ignore anything like that anyway. If you get on with your boss maybe you should tell them about it, ‘remember when you saw me talking to the inspector, I’d only gone and let my season ticket run out’ you could even laugh about it.
2) gather together some things of importance that are related to this now so you can keep a clear head and provide them with the information they need promptly. As many old season tickets as you have got, receipts for them. Any extra tickets to Blackwater might be handy too! Write down your exact journeys that day so you don’t forget, especially if it was different to what you normally do. Try and remember exactly what the guard said and exactly what the inspector said and what you said to them. For example did you say “I have just realised my season ticket ran out” or did you say “I got on at Blackwater” or “I am late for work but I need to buy a season ticket” or something else.
3) look again at your options for how to avoid it happening again. I appreciate its only a 15 minute train journey and you can drive and already drive part way but don’t rule the train out. If you were otherwise happy doing what you have been doing there is no reason to let a quite frankly minor mistake put you off it altogether.
4) sit back (still not worrying) and wait for them to write to you. Once you’ve done the other bits you can put it out of your mind for a while. When you get the letter, please come back and let us know what it says and people here will be able to help you write a reply, tell you what to include, and maybe give you a better indication of what to expect in the way of a financial penalty.

Did I mention not to worry? (I know that’s easier said than done)

Yes I got on from Blackwater. Cos my kids sometimes stay with their Dad. So I don’t use my child minder on such occasions. But for some reasons I couldn’t drive. Had to walk to black water. With my job I sometimes go to different places. I always top up my weekly on the train. On this day there was no guard and to be honest. I believed even if 2 guards had walked pass I won’t have seen them. I didn’t even realised I will need to renew until I got to Guildford. I was not myself at all. I can swear I had used the machine in Guildford to renew before. The problem is.. I had to renew and top up, Something I did not even realise until I started using the machine. Cos I had never used the machine for that. In therory I needed a top up from blackwater to north camp. I know I do it whilst on the train or at the counter but I don’t know how it’s done. I just pay. Keep my ticket cos i could recoup expenses back. And that’s it. I don’t check what exactly I have been issued . So when I tried to use the machine and realise it wasn’t that straight forward and then realise I didn’t have the time for counter as well cos of the queue. I thought I must have to get there before my boss.

The inspector didn’t say anything to me. I gave him my Id. He didnt want to listen. Thanks for taking out the time to reply and thanks for your kind words.

 

[grace odijie]

There's no need to change your routine that much - driving is likely to be just as, if not more, stressful in the long run. Mistakes happen and TOCs can generally tell if they are dealing with an honest person who made a mistake or a serial fraudster. From what you've posted and the way that you've said it I'm reasonably confident that you'll be able to settle this by paying the fare for that journey and a contribution to the costs - I'd be surprised if it was anything over £80-125 in total.

Thanks a lot. I have been in a bad place with everything for some weeks now. This just came at the wrong time. I know I am not thinking straight. Did try to drive to Guildford today though just for a try. It wasn’t as easy as I thought. I was almost late

 

[grace odijie]

Pardon all the typo errors. I have very limited time Typed in a rush. My phone auto correct is so bad.

 

[grace odijie]

So, on the day in question you boarded at Blackwater? If this is the case things are a little different but either way it’s important to remember not to worry yourself about any of it.

Blackwater has no ticket office and I’m not aware if you can buy a weekly season tickets from the machines there anyway.
It’s a tricky situation as if this is the case you were making a different (and importantly longer) journey than you normally would have done.
The guard did the right thing by telling you to go and purchase a ticket as on the day in question this would have been your first opportunity to purchase the ticket and for that you cannot be penalised. There is an argument that you should not have to delay your journey in order to purchase a ticket but I don’t think this is the right time to be trying any ideas like that.

There may be some more questions asked which are again, nothing to worry about but you need to make sure you can answer them accurately if you are asked and when you are asked for your version of events it’s important to get it right.

As North Camp has a ticket office that’s open when you caught the train, if you’d started the journey there you’d be expected to buy a ticket there. As Blackwater doesn’t have this then you are expected to buy from staff on board if the facilities exist or at your destination.
You were given the opportunity to pay at Guildford but unfortunately for your own reasons (likely valid in your mind) you didn’t do this, although you did at least try at the machine.
I appreciate you have since purchased a season ticket and if it was on that day it means that retrospectively you had a ticket that would have been valid that morning (from North Camp if that’s the ticket). This doesn’t mean the problem goes away but when you put your case forward to them in a letter you can show this as evidence and this will go in your favour. It’ll also help if you’ve got lots of old season tickets to prove you always have a ticket.
This doesn’t solve the problem of Blackwater though, if your ticket is North Camp to Guildford then you still haven’t paid for the Blackwater portion so there might be some issues there.

For now, the things you need to do (probably in order of priority) are
1) Don’t worry!
Mistakes happen, this may or may not end up costing you an annoying amount of money to put right a mistake you made from simply being human but worrying won’t change the outcome one bit. It’s incredibly unlikely you’ll get a criminal record from this, and unless your boss is particularly nasty they’d see that you were not unintentionally avoiding a fare and would likely ignore anything like that anyway. If you get on with your boss maybe you should tell them about it, ‘remember when you saw me talking to the inspector, I’d only gone and let my season ticket run out’ you could even laugh about it.
2) gather together some things of importance that are related to this now so you can keep a clear head and provide them with the information they need promptly. As many old season tickets as you have got, receipts for them. Any extra tickets to Blackwater might be handy too! Write down your exact journeys that day so you don’t forget, especially if it was different to what you normally do. Try and remember exactly what the guard said and exactly what the inspector said and what you said to them. For example did you say “I have just realised my season ticket ran out” or did you say “I got on at Blackwater” or “I am late for work but I need to buy a season ticket” or something else.
3) look again at your options for how to avoid it happening again. I appreciate its only a 15 minute train journey and you can drive and already drive part way but don’t rule the train out. If you were otherwise happy doing what you have been doing there is no reason to let a quite frankly minor mistake put you off it altogether.
4) sit back (still not worrying) and wait for them to write to you. Once you’ve done the other bits you can put it out of your mind for a while. When you get the letter, please come back and let us know what it says and people here will be able to help you write a reply, tell you what to include, and maybe give you a better indication of what to expect in the way of a financial penalty.

Did I mention not to worry? (I know that’s easier said than done)

Thanks. I have checked my wallet. I have got my weekly tickets from 09/02/2018 till date, and my top ups in between these days. On that Saturday I had bought a return ticket to Blackwater and then renew my north camp ticket. Which is now due to run out 02/03/2018 weekly as well. That was in the evening. With my manager he’s not said anything to me. I have told some of my colleagues. I know he’s aware now. We normally get an annual criminal record search done. I can’t find the Blackwater return. I am sure it’s in the bag my bag somewhere