BunnyLove25
New Member
- Joined
- 29 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 2
Hi All,
So, a bit of advice will be useful here.
Recently I got a job at Woking. Because I was short on cash and waiting to get paid on former job, my mother offered me a rail ticket for Zone 1-6. **I DID NOT LOOK AT THE TICKET. I JUST ASSUMED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL TRAIN TICKET WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION AS I WAS IN DESPERATE NEED** AM NEW TO THE UK TOO BY THE WAY AND ALL THE ZONES AND TRAIN USE IS ALSO NEW TO ME. I AM FROM IRELAND AND THERE WE DON'T USE PHOTOCARDS FOR MONTHLY TICKETS OR ANYTHING.
So I used it on the first day of my job. I noticed however that each time I got to the stop, It told me to seek assistance. All these times, the rail attendants did open the door for me.
Having said, on my way back, I went to the waterloo station to ask why the ticket isn't working at entrances so they asked me to take it back to my mum to change it wherever she bought it from. When I got home, I briefly mentioned this (I was really tired btw so it wasn't a lengthy discussion. All she said is; if you have time we can do that on friday) I never looked if it had a photocard with someone else name especially not my mum, I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE USED IT.
On the second day, the same seek assistance showed up. So on getting to Woking, I asked the lady to please check for me again and she referred me to her manager who then asked for a photocard. I told him the ticket is for my mum but then he says oh. Its a man's name on the ticket (this was in really small prints and I could not see it)
Fuming, I called my mum and she told me that the ticket had been found on a train and given to her by some person on the train as his and she could use that for the month!
I could not get my head around this and I was trying to explain to the train inspectors they called themselves. All they did was say to me "You are travelling on a ticket that is not yours for 7 stops more ! You and your mother are incriminating yourselves! This was such as show. They ran cautions upon cautions like I was under arrest. God I felt so bad. Giving that I have never ever ever ever had a criminal record or issue with trains this was just incredibly embarrassing.
Bit of Background. I am a graduate and currently active in financial services. Any criminal record now has a chance of reducing my self esteem and make employment unbearable.
I offered to pay the rail ticket there and then but they constantly refused. They took my details and my mother's details and said they will get back in touch in a few weeks time. Because I know how high my employment prospects have been, I cannot risk a criminal record on this one.
What can I do?
1) Wait to see if I get summoned to Court? and arrange an out of court settlement (TBH, the most I can shed is £80 plus send an apology letter to the train ticket holder and the rail company). If this goes to court, I cannot afford any solicitor fees. Plus my mum has been diagnosed with extreme pain on the leg so I am the only one working and I have 4 siblings.
Please help !!
So, a bit of advice will be useful here.
Recently I got a job at Woking. Because I was short on cash and waiting to get paid on former job, my mother offered me a rail ticket for Zone 1-6. **I DID NOT LOOK AT THE TICKET. I JUST ASSUMED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL TRAIN TICKET WITHOUT IDENTIFICATION AS I WAS IN DESPERATE NEED** AM NEW TO THE UK TOO BY THE WAY AND ALL THE ZONES AND TRAIN USE IS ALSO NEW TO ME. I AM FROM IRELAND AND THERE WE DON'T USE PHOTOCARDS FOR MONTHLY TICKETS OR ANYTHING.
So I used it on the first day of my job. I noticed however that each time I got to the stop, It told me to seek assistance. All these times, the rail attendants did open the door for me.
Having said, on my way back, I went to the waterloo station to ask why the ticket isn't working at entrances so they asked me to take it back to my mum to change it wherever she bought it from. When I got home, I briefly mentioned this (I was really tired btw so it wasn't a lengthy discussion. All she said is; if you have time we can do that on friday) I never looked if it had a photocard with someone else name especially not my mum, I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE USED IT.
On the second day, the same seek assistance showed up. So on getting to Woking, I asked the lady to please check for me again and she referred me to her manager who then asked for a photocard. I told him the ticket is for my mum but then he says oh. Its a man's name on the ticket (this was in really small prints and I could not see it)
Fuming, I called my mum and she told me that the ticket had been found on a train and given to her by some person on the train as his and she could use that for the month!
I could not get my head around this and I was trying to explain to the train inspectors they called themselves. All they did was say to me "You are travelling on a ticket that is not yours for 7 stops more ! You and your mother are incriminating yourselves! This was such as show. They ran cautions upon cautions like I was under arrest. God I felt so bad. Giving that I have never ever ever ever had a criminal record or issue with trains this was just incredibly embarrassing.
Bit of Background. I am a graduate and currently active in financial services. Any criminal record now has a chance of reducing my self esteem and make employment unbearable.
I offered to pay the rail ticket there and then but they constantly refused. They took my details and my mother's details and said they will get back in touch in a few weeks time. Because I know how high my employment prospects have been, I cannot risk a criminal record on this one.
What can I do?
1) Wait to see if I get summoned to Court? and arrange an out of court settlement (TBH, the most I can shed is £80 plus send an apology letter to the train ticket holder and the rail company). If this goes to court, I cannot afford any solicitor fees. Plus my mum has been diagnosed with extreme pain on the leg so I am the only one working and I have 4 siblings.
Please help !!