Wrong Refunds - extremely concerned

[Haywain]

Do you remember some years ago when there was a number of incidents of railway photographers being harassed and searched under anti terrorism laws?

Yes, and your point is...?

 

[Kilopylae]

No Not Really, unless you think it is normal to go around daily business arousing suspicion and acting generally 'weird'

Perhaps not normal—but it *absolutely* ought to be permissable. Being weird is not a crime nor does it give the authorities reasonable grounds to hassle someone.

Particularly not in a case like this one where someone is proactive in providing an explanation of their mistake and stands prepared to make good any losses.

 

[najaB]

For your benefit I've re-quoted the post I was replying to.

Still don't see the problem with @Haywain's advice - don't act in an apparently criminal manner if you don't want to attract the attention of the authorities.

Perhaps not normal—but it *absolutely* ought to be permissable. Being weird is not a crime nor does it give the authorities reasonable grounds to hassle someone.

Agreed on both counts. However nobody has claimed that being weird is a crime, nor suggested that people should be hassled for doing so. However an inevitable consequence of being weird is that you attract attention. If you don't want any attention from the authorities then don't act in an apparently criminal manner.

 

[357]

Yes, and your point is...?

I'm not going to change the way I act out of fear someone else might consider it could potentially be something criminal, and I don't think anyone else should either.

As an example, I've had security staff meet a train I was traveling pass on before after a member of the public reported me to BTP for entering and traveling in the middle cab. I'm not going to stop riding in middle cabs when I'm entitled to out of fear someone might think I'm a terrorist.

In the same way people shouldn't have been discouraged from taking photos or spotting at stations because someone might potentially think they are a terrorist.

It's the same situation as do-gooders harassing people who don't look disabled for parking in a blue badge space or using a disabled toilet. Just ignore them.

 

[Kilopylae]

I'm not going to change the way I act out of fear someone else might consider it could potentially be something criminal, and I don't think anyone else should either.

As an example, I've had security staff meet a train I was traveling pass on before after a member of the public reported me to BTP for entering and traveling in the middle cab. I'm not going to stop riding in middle cabs when I'm entitled to out of fear someone might think I'm a terrorist.

In the same way people shouldn't have been discouraged from taking photos or spotting at stations because someone might potentially think they are a terrorist.

It's the same situation as do-gooders harassing people who don't look disabled for parking in a blue badge space or using a disabled toilet. Just ignore them.

Hear hear.

 

[Haywain]

I'm not going to stop riding in middle cabs when I'm entitled to out of fear someone might think I'm a terrorist.

That's fine, but be aware that to those who don't know of your entitlement it may well look very suspicious. And, well, "See it, say it, sorted."

In the same way people shouldn't have been discouraged from taking photos or spotting at stations because someone might potentially think they are a terrorist.

Staff were encouraged to question things they didn't consider 'normal' behaviour. And to many staff, that isn't normal behaviour, even on a station.

 

[Kilopylae]

That's fine, but be aware that to those who don't know of your entitlement it may well look very suspicious. And, well, "See it, say it, sorted."

Staff were encouraged to question things they didn't consider 'normal' behaviour. And to many staff, that isn't normal behaviour, even on a station.

Both rolling announcements encouraging people to inform the police if they see something "that doesn't look right" and staff being encouraged to challenge behaviour simply for being abnormal are precisely the sort of thing to which I think 357 was referring with the allusion to China/NK. It's an unpleasantly suspicious mentality.

 

[najaB]

Both rolling announcements encouraging people to inform the police if they see something "that doesn't look right" and staff being encouraged to challenge behaviour simply for being abnormal are precisely the sort of thing to which I think 357 was referring with the allusion to China/NK. It's an unpleasantly suspicious mentality.

Your preference being that people "mind their business" and ignore everything that they see?

 

[357]

That's fine, but be aware that to those who don't know of your entitlement it may well look very suspicious. And, well, "See it, say it, sorted."

Staff were encouraged to question things they didn't consider 'normal' behaviour. And to many staff, that isn't normal behaviour, even on a station.

Yes, and via your original comment...

Let’s simplify that - don’t act in ways that might arouse suspicion of criminal behaviour. Not just online but all the time.

We do not live in a country where we should be expected to stop/disrupt our perfectly legal activities for fear of possibly being seen as a potential criminal.

Sure, you might need to explain something, but it doesn't mean you should stop doing it if it's totally legal.

 

[30907]

Sure, you might need to explain something, but it doesn't mean you should stop doing it if it's totally legal.

Agreed, but the OP's problem was doing something that wasn't "totally legal."

 

[Feuillesmortes]

it appears that Trainline is in fact a very flawed site unfortunately. It is always better going through a TOC

I think that they run half of the TOC sites anyway though, so it makes no difference for those TOCs

 

[357]

Agreed, but the OP's problem was doing something that wasn't "totally legal."

And my comment was replying to a later reply, quoted below (my bold)

Let’s simplify that - don’t act in ways that might arouse suspicion of criminal behaviour. Not just online but all the time.

 

[mangyiscute]

I think that they run half of the TOC sites anyway though, so it makes no difference for those TOCs

But from what I've found TOCs have much better customer support - whenever I message GWR/LNER/Cross Country i get a response within max an hour, whereas I had to message trainline recently and they got back to me after 3 days, and even that was simply a message saying to call/email them rather than actually sorting the issue. Fortunately I also posted on here and the wonderful people on here sorted the issue out within an hour

 

[greyman42]

That's fine, but be aware that to those who don't know of your entitlement it may well look very suspicious. And, well, "See it, say it, sorted."

Staff were encouraged to question things they didn't consider 'normal' behaviour. And to many staff, that isn't normal behaviour, even on a station.

Then the staff need to learn about the environment they work in because people taking pictures of trains in stations is "normal" behaviour.

 

[WizCastro197]

@Somo28, did you manage to contact Trainline through the means supplied?

 

[Cowley]

Ok, I think we’re starting to stray a little from helping @Somo28 at this point. Probably best to get back on topic if possible.
Thanks

 

[island]

I know many people who use lines such as the Falmouth branch, and if their ticket isn't checked on the train they will just refund it - something needs to be done about it, and unfortunately the most likely outcome is more charges for refunds

A return from Falmouth Docks to Truro is less than £10 so surely won't have any refund value after the admin fee? (And Truro is gated anyway so the tickets would probably need to be scanned.)

 

[skyhigh]

A return from Falmouth Docks to Truro is less than £10 so surely won't have any refund value after the admin fee? (And Truro is gated anyway so the tickets would probably need to be scanned.)

It depends - Trainline for example use a variable refund fee depending on the value of the ticket:

Ticket Value	Refund/Exchange Fee
Up to £1.99	No fee
£2 to £2.99	£1.00
£3 to £3.99	£1.50
£4 to £4.99	£2.00
£5 to £5.99	£3.00
£6 to £6.99	£4.00
£7 to £7.99	£5.00
£8 to £8.99	£6.00
£9 to £9.99	£7.00
£10 to £10.99	£7.50
£11 to £11.99	£8.00
£12 to £12.99	£9.00
£13 to £13.99	£10.00
£14 to £14.99	£10.00
£15 to £15.99	£10.00
£16 >	£10.00

Tiered refund and exchange fees

UK train tickets Depending on your ticket type, you may be eligible for a refund or an exchange on your ticket. We charge a fee, based on your ticket value to do this. Refund fees: Ticket Value Refund fees Up to £1.99 No fee £2 to £2...

support.thetrainline.com

 

[The exile]

Perhaps i have misunderstood the post. I have never used Trainline but surely you cannot click on something and expect a refund without Trainline making some checks? If this was the case, then lots of people would be at it and fraudulent claims would no doubt come to the attention of this forum.

Not to mention the fact that a click on an on-screen "button" can easily be accidental. I'm sure I'm not unique in having screens refresh and move buttons as I'm clicking the mouse. OK - having the same thing happen time after time would be a bit harder to explain - but any process for a refund that doesn't involve at the very least a two-stage click and confirm seems very flawed. Never tried it as I wouldn't touch Trainline with the proverbial barge pole....

 

[SuspectUsual]

Not to mention the fact that a click on an on-screen "button" can easily be accidental

I’ve never used Trainline, but surely any app or website worth its salt wouldn’t allow a refund to be requested with a single click? Surely there’s a “confirm” stage too?

 

[mangyiscute]

A return from Falmouth Docks to Truro is less than £10 so surely won't have any refund value after the admin fee? (And Truro is gated anyway so the tickets would probably need to be scanned.)

I think its usually uni students travelling from Falmouth to Penryn - plus when going to Truro the person checking/selling tickets will usually get around to you, whereas for this short of a journey they might not be able to get through the whole train

 

[Doubleplus]

I’ve never used Trainline, but surely any app or website worth its salt wouldn’t allow a refund to be requested with a single click? Surely there’s a “confirm” stage too?

From memory (I bought an e-ticket a few months ago which I was then unable to use) you certainly do pass some confirmation screens where you need to agree that you have not used, and will not use, the ticket.