ReverendFozz
Member
I am not actually in trouble, but want to ask about something that happened to me at Durham about 7 years ago.
Coming back from Newcastle one afternoon to Durham, I left my ticket on the train, my mate who was travelling on to Darlington and she had hold of my ticket and I forgot to get it off her as when I got to Durham I had to quick to the bus station.
I get off the train, knowing I had to be in a hurry, I attempted to jump the fence on the Southbound Platform, as I did, 2 BTP officers collared me asking why I attempted to jump the fence, told them I was in a rush for a bus, I was asked to produce my ticket, and obviously I could not show a ticket I did not have on me, obviously BTP and Platform Staff did not believe me, they probably hear things like that all the time. I guess I did not help myself by jumping a fence and it probably made me more likely to be guilty of something.
As talking went on between myself and BTP, they would not let me try and prove it and themselves make an attempt to prove it themselves, I suppose that would not really be an option as it could take quite some time.
In the end, I ended up paying for new ticket, and decided to buy a first class single from Newcastle to Durham to make up for the trouble and inconvenience I caused to BTP, I guess I was lucky that day not to get a Penalty Fare and accepted what I did was stupid, and made me look like I had fare evader written all over me...It was proved a few weeks later, my mate had kept hold of my ticket, and the next time I was in Durham I actually proved I was not lying and was 'let it be a lesson learnt'...Could TOCs not give the benefit of doubt and give the customer say 7 days to somehow proved there not lying, I dont know, hand a producer out, like Police do when a driver does not there licence handy, and give the customer the chance to clear there name, and if not, the prosecutions can commence.
Do the rules and regulations say you have to keep hold of a ticket till you leave the station. In the end, I accepted it and learnt a lesson, I have a guilty looking face most of the time, so jumping a fence is probably and idiotic thing to try.
At the end of the day, I know and fully understand the TOCs stance on fare evasion amd rightfully so, and doing things out of place is utterly stupid...
Over to you guys
Coming back from Newcastle one afternoon to Durham, I left my ticket on the train, my mate who was travelling on to Darlington and she had hold of my ticket and I forgot to get it off her as when I got to Durham I had to quick to the bus station.
I get off the train, knowing I had to be in a hurry, I attempted to jump the fence on the Southbound Platform, as I did, 2 BTP officers collared me asking why I attempted to jump the fence, told them I was in a rush for a bus, I was asked to produce my ticket, and obviously I could not show a ticket I did not have on me, obviously BTP and Platform Staff did not believe me, they probably hear things like that all the time. I guess I did not help myself by jumping a fence and it probably made me more likely to be guilty of something.
As talking went on between myself and BTP, they would not let me try and prove it and themselves make an attempt to prove it themselves, I suppose that would not really be an option as it could take quite some time.
In the end, I ended up paying for new ticket, and decided to buy a first class single from Newcastle to Durham to make up for the trouble and inconvenience I caused to BTP, I guess I was lucky that day not to get a Penalty Fare and accepted what I did was stupid, and made me look like I had fare evader written all over me...It was proved a few weeks later, my mate had kept hold of my ticket, and the next time I was in Durham I actually proved I was not lying and was 'let it be a lesson learnt'...Could TOCs not give the benefit of doubt and give the customer say 7 days to somehow proved there not lying, I dont know, hand a producer out, like Police do when a driver does not there licence handy, and give the customer the chance to clear there name, and if not, the prosecutions can commence.
Do the rules and regulations say you have to keep hold of a ticket till you leave the station. In the end, I accepted it and learnt a lesson, I have a guilty looking face most of the time, so jumping a fence is probably and idiotic thing to try.
At the end of the day, I know and fully understand the TOCs stance on fare evasion amd rightfully so, and doing things out of place is utterly stupid...
Over to you guys