Haywain
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It isn't allowed.
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Tesco checking tickets on Southeastern
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Intercity110
On Moderation
Why specifically an autistic enthusiast?
TT-ONR-NRN
Veteran Member
It's not the sort of thing someone would really do unless they were filming it for YouTube or something.
matt_world2004
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And how far foes pretending to be staff go? There have been a few incidents of people on the spectrum stealing buses or getting into dangerous areas of railway property
Secondly you often have graffiti artists and urban explorerers posing as staff to get into unauthorised areas
I am surprised that there is not a specific bylaw making it illegal to impersonate a railway official on railway property.
Secondly you often have graffiti artists and urban explorerers posing as staff to get into unauthorised areas
I am surprised that there is not a specific bylaw making it illegal to impersonate a railway official on railway property.
whoosh
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A 'Driver' route learning in North Kent back in the 1990's. Full uniform, and riding around in train cabs. Only got found out when one driver asked him what depot he was at, and he the location he replied with didn't actually have a train crew depot, but did have a messroom and crew changeovers took place there.
Ivor
Member
Yes correct. I lost count how many TTS (Ticketless Travel Surveys) I did over a period of years as agency staff on behalf of GTR to ensure passengers boarded with a ticket or in fact disembarked with a ticket, if trying to board without we were expected to ‘push back’ & record every hour figures.
We had to purchase our own uniform which was all black but white shirts with the agency supplying photo ID on a lanyard & a hi-viz with the agency name on the back & stating working on behalf of GTR
With that said I was often challenged with passengers wanting to take a photo of my ID many ranting they would contact & complain to the agency &/or GTR that they had been ‘challenged’ normally it was the ones who never had a ticket
Similar stories all over the place.
One I've heard from my area - signal at the end of the platform. Bloke in yellow hi-vis on the end of the platform. Knocks on the cab window and tells the driver "the signaller wants you to pass that signal at danger". Driver phoned the signaller to see what was happening and they had no idea there was someone attempting to authorise trains past signals on their behalf...
northwichcat
Veteran Member
A lot of supermarket workers aren't full time. I've seen someone in Sainsbury's monitoring the security station and then in the reception of a government building wearing a G4S badge on another day.
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A high vis jacket means nothing. Anyone who thinks it does should watch the episode of The Real Hustle at the car hire place. It shows how some people believe someone wearing one is an employee, so much so they will hand over the keys to the car they just hired without asking questions.
Class800
Established Member
I suppose allowing plain clothes inspectors is a concern given the fact there are impersonators around. It's not easy for a layman to distinguish real from fake ID
You actually saidI remember being lambasted on here by some for suggesting in another thread that I wouldn't hand over my ticket for inspection to someone not in uniform....
If someone shows you ID it's fairly reasonable to hand over a ticket for inspection, even if they aren't in uniform.
Class800
Established Member
How do we know the ID is not fake? Surely it is the uniform that reassures on this. I would be interested in what police advice would be on ensuring people don't fall foul of a scam here
How do you know they've not just stolen a uniform jacket and bought trousers to match?
Class800
Established Member
Less likely. I would say we need to be careful here, it's similar issue to scam phone calls, everyone is being careful. So, really it should move to uniform only and I'd hope police say something about this soon tbh. Police been really good in my view with advice to public on scams recently.
Haywain
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When they actually exist. This one is only in your imagination.
Ivor
Member
Earlier in the thread I said I’d covered many TTS & company supervisors would visit occasionally as would GTR fraud team & if reported back staff not in uniform & official printed hi-viz &/or without ID I have seen staff sacked on the spot, it is taken seriously.
Equally the GTR fraud team are in plain clothes but if approaching passengers will show their official ID.
If I was approached by someone in a normal viz with Tesco uniform on they wouldn’t be getting any information from me.
I would suggest if anyone in that situation feels ‘pressurised’ by someone they feel isn’t official call the BTP for advice & give them details, location etc. I’m sure they won’t attend but at least it will be logged & they should give you a reference number.
Or bought it on eBay... Wasn't there a few issues along the west coast a while back with some enthusiastic members of the public turning up in full Virgin uniform that they'd managed to purchase online?
Was at Peterborough or Doncaster I think. Was an enthusiast wearing am old Virgin XC uniform in the days of Virgin Eastcoast. Was told to leave the station.
Haywain
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It was Doncaster, I think. At Peterborough they'd have had to get past ticket barriers first.
The colour should have been a dead giveaway that something was not right...
py_megapixel
Established Member
Do you know what "autistic" means? It's nothing to do with YouTube!
Edit: sorry, I think I may have misinterpreted your post (see below)
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@TT-ONR-NRN will be very well aware of that; what they are referring to is the alternative possibility that it may have been done as a prank to go on Youtube to attract views. For example someone may 'challenge' someone to pretend to be a ticket inspector and see how many tickets they can check, or something along those lines. It's less likely but not implausible.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It's very common for yellow to be used for non trackgoing security staff.
py_megapixel
Established Member
The way I read their comment the first time appeared to convey an unhelpful implication that it is exclusively, or predominantly, autistic people who engage in that sort of behaviour. I appreciate that may not be the intention and apologise if I have misinterpreted!
But absolutely not for anyone who would be acting on the authority of the signaller. They would only ever wear orange.
Western Sunset
Established Member
Though I've never seen anyone working on the check-outs in Tesco, wearing a Southeastern uniform...
zwk500
Veteran Member
But a ticket inspector wouldn't be working on the authority of the signaller. Plenty of station staff wear yellow hi-vis.
Llanigraham
On Moderation
I don't think I have ever seen station staff in yellow hi-vis in the UK.
PG
Established Member
A ticket inspector isn't going to be acting as a go between for drivers and signallers... unless the modernisation thing gets taken too far
Ashley Hill
Established Member
There are many colours of HV clothing on the railway so that argument is invalid. If you think the person at a ticket barrier (or anywhere else) is suspicious then alert another member of staff,they should know who’s on their station. They can then take the appropriate action if needed. If there is nobody around to ask then on no account hand over anything. Inform them you want to see their ID and ask to see their supervisor if none shown. If they try to detain you call 999.
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