Hiya, I'd be very grateful if someone here could help me and advise me as to what would be the best option to proceed.
In late September I aboard a train from Bath Spa to Worcester Shrub Hill. I had a ticket from Bath Spa to Oldfield Park. I live in Keynsham but I don't normally travel by train. On that day I had arranged to meet a friend of mine at OLF (he is not local and only came to my area on business). We originally arranged to meet in the morning but because I don't normally travel by train, in the morning I went on a train which does not stop at OLF (a direct train travelling from Keynsham to Bath Spa) so I did not get to meet him.
In the evening he would be travelling on a train which was scheduled to arrive at OLF at around 6:03. I went to Bath Spa train station, checked with the officer there that the 1808 service would stop at OLF at around 1811, and bought the ticket for that journey.
When I was on the train, just before the train arrived at OLF, someone came up for ticket inspection. As the train was stopping, I stood up from my seat and made my way to the door. He stopped me and asked for ticket, I showed him the ticket, and got off the train.
However, I looked at my phone when I got off, and found a message from my friend, informing me that his train was delayed for over 20 minutes. His train had not arrived in Keynsham yet, and because I live in Keynsham and he was delayed, he had suggested to meet up in Keynsham.
Trains from Bath to Keynsham only run every hour and that time I did not really have much time to think about it. Either I get off the train and make alternative arrangements for meeting up, or I stay on the train and get off at the next stop (Keynsham) to meet my friend there as suggested.
Without giving it too much thought I jumped back on the train. The inspector was coming back for tickets again and I turned around, waiting for him knowing that I would need a ticket from OLF to Keynsham.
I did not walk towards him because a) he was coming in my direction and I knew he would reach me before the next stop (I was standing in the mid of the carriage) and b) there was something else in my head at that time (responding to my friends msg etc).
The Inspector reached the area where I stood, I asked for a ticket, he asked me to wait while a lady purchased a ticket from her.
Then he came to me, asked me for ticket, and obviously he remembered me as I just showed him a ticket to OLF. He asked why I only had a ticket to OLF. But he asked in a very aggressive way and interrupted me a couple of times, accusing me of fair dodging. I am not a native speaker and in that circumstances (I was nervous, never had anything like that before and he was really aggressive, I didn't have time to organize my language at all), I struggle a bit. I did explain that I only wanted to get to the first stop of the journey which was OLF so I only got the ticket for OLF. But he soon asked for my ID and asked me to write my name on a notepad he gave me.
After I gave him my driving licence and wrote down my name, my address and my phone number, he then showed me his badge and told me he was a police officer.
I was obviously very confused. He kept saying that I did not have a ticket. I said but I fully intended to buy one. He said "not until I asked you" which was not true because when I asked to buy a ticket from him he was dealing with another lady and asked me to wait. So I certainly asked him before he asked me.
The journey between OLF and Keynsham was only about 10 mins so I didn't get time to explain the situation while he was accusing me aggressively. He said he would get off the train with me at Keynsham. I thought I would then have a chance to explain myself better so I said yes.
However, when the train stopped at Keynsham, he jumped off with me, only to give me a caution without giving me any chance of explaining myself. He also told me to expect a letter.
On my way out of the station, the lady who bought her ticket ahead of me came to me to comfort me as she thought the officer was very rude. I was shocked and confused.
A couple of weeks later I got a phone call from him, accusing me of giving him the wrong name as he could not associate my name with my address. It turned out he had misread my name, but his accusation upset me a lot. His tone on the phone made me feel very uncomfortable. He had my driving licence on that day and he could have checked my name and address (and I think he did). The only thing which was not on my driving licence was my mobile number. If I were to give any wrong information why would I leave my true mobile number with him?? So by the time he reached me via that number, he should have know that I had no intention to conceal my ID from them or to cheat them. However, his tone was "you behaved badly and I caught you", exactly the same as his tone on the train on that day.
I then received a pre-court action letter, asking for a fine of 80 pounds plus the price for the ticket of my journey from OLF to Keynsham. I was not given any chance before this letter, to give my side of the story or my explanation for this incident. And I myself do not feel the treatment I've received in this case is fair and justified.
For one thing, I have not idea what the rules are but he asked for my ID before he showed me his badge (I gave it to him before I saw, as I had no similar experience and was confused). Is it acceptable (is he required to show me his badge/identify himself before asking for ID information)?
Secondly, in the letter I was only given two options: to pay the fine or not pay and go to the court. It does not say that I could dispute this decision. However, I'd like to send something in writing to discuss this with them. I'm not familiar with the legal system in the UK and I do not want to go to court and end up with all the court fees/costs. Shall I write to them/phone them up to explain?
Thirdly, on my journey on that day, there were plenty of people bought tickets from him and he had no problem with them. He picked me up and I felt it is unfair. My request was exactly the same as everyone else's - to buy a ticket for my journey. He did not accuse anyone else of fair dodging but did it to me. I was the only foreign-looking person there and, I'm not saying he is, but I felt discriminated. Is it something I should ask them to explain?
Fourthly, I felt the inspector's way of handling this very aggressive and rude. Is it something I could complain about?
Fifthly, given all the factors on that day, I don't think I did anything that deserves the 80 pounds fine. It is true that I extended my journey from OLF to Keynsham but that was due to the change of plan. I could not think of anything else I could do under those circumstances. I had the genuine intention to purchase another ticket but was refused. Is change of plan not an acceptable reason? OLF is a unmanned station and I couldn't have purchased a ticket before I jumped back on the train again (or couldn't have without affecting my arrangement on that day).
As I'm not a native citizen in the UK, I'm really not familiar with the system here. I have never had anything like this before and as you'll imagine I'm rather anxious about this letter. I've been in the UK for a while and things do happen here and there, but I always had a chance to explain myself.
I would therefore very much appreciate any advice as to what I should do here. Is it best that I accept the decision and pay the fine, or I should contact them to argue against it, or I should go to the court and explain everything to a judge?
Many thanks
In late September I aboard a train from Bath Spa to Worcester Shrub Hill. I had a ticket from Bath Spa to Oldfield Park. I live in Keynsham but I don't normally travel by train. On that day I had arranged to meet a friend of mine at OLF (he is not local and only came to my area on business). We originally arranged to meet in the morning but because I don't normally travel by train, in the morning I went on a train which does not stop at OLF (a direct train travelling from Keynsham to Bath Spa) so I did not get to meet him.
In the evening he would be travelling on a train which was scheduled to arrive at OLF at around 6:03. I went to Bath Spa train station, checked with the officer there that the 1808 service would stop at OLF at around 1811, and bought the ticket for that journey.
When I was on the train, just before the train arrived at OLF, someone came up for ticket inspection. As the train was stopping, I stood up from my seat and made my way to the door. He stopped me and asked for ticket, I showed him the ticket, and got off the train.
However, I looked at my phone when I got off, and found a message from my friend, informing me that his train was delayed for over 20 minutes. His train had not arrived in Keynsham yet, and because I live in Keynsham and he was delayed, he had suggested to meet up in Keynsham.
Trains from Bath to Keynsham only run every hour and that time I did not really have much time to think about it. Either I get off the train and make alternative arrangements for meeting up, or I stay on the train and get off at the next stop (Keynsham) to meet my friend there as suggested.
Without giving it too much thought I jumped back on the train. The inspector was coming back for tickets again and I turned around, waiting for him knowing that I would need a ticket from OLF to Keynsham.
I did not walk towards him because a) he was coming in my direction and I knew he would reach me before the next stop (I was standing in the mid of the carriage) and b) there was something else in my head at that time (responding to my friends msg etc).
The Inspector reached the area where I stood, I asked for a ticket, he asked me to wait while a lady purchased a ticket from her.
Then he came to me, asked me for ticket, and obviously he remembered me as I just showed him a ticket to OLF. He asked why I only had a ticket to OLF. But he asked in a very aggressive way and interrupted me a couple of times, accusing me of fair dodging. I am not a native speaker and in that circumstances (I was nervous, never had anything like that before and he was really aggressive, I didn't have time to organize my language at all), I struggle a bit. I did explain that I only wanted to get to the first stop of the journey which was OLF so I only got the ticket for OLF. But he soon asked for my ID and asked me to write my name on a notepad he gave me.
After I gave him my driving licence and wrote down my name, my address and my phone number, he then showed me his badge and told me he was a police officer.
I was obviously very confused. He kept saying that I did not have a ticket. I said but I fully intended to buy one. He said "not until I asked you" which was not true because when I asked to buy a ticket from him he was dealing with another lady and asked me to wait. So I certainly asked him before he asked me.
The journey between OLF and Keynsham was only about 10 mins so I didn't get time to explain the situation while he was accusing me aggressively. He said he would get off the train with me at Keynsham. I thought I would then have a chance to explain myself better so I said yes.
However, when the train stopped at Keynsham, he jumped off with me, only to give me a caution without giving me any chance of explaining myself. He also told me to expect a letter.
On my way out of the station, the lady who bought her ticket ahead of me came to me to comfort me as she thought the officer was very rude. I was shocked and confused.
A couple of weeks later I got a phone call from him, accusing me of giving him the wrong name as he could not associate my name with my address. It turned out he had misread my name, but his accusation upset me a lot. His tone on the phone made me feel very uncomfortable. He had my driving licence on that day and he could have checked my name and address (and I think he did). The only thing which was not on my driving licence was my mobile number. If I were to give any wrong information why would I leave my true mobile number with him?? So by the time he reached me via that number, he should have know that I had no intention to conceal my ID from them or to cheat them. However, his tone was "you behaved badly and I caught you", exactly the same as his tone on the train on that day.
I then received a pre-court action letter, asking for a fine of 80 pounds plus the price for the ticket of my journey from OLF to Keynsham. I was not given any chance before this letter, to give my side of the story or my explanation for this incident. And I myself do not feel the treatment I've received in this case is fair and justified.
For one thing, I have not idea what the rules are but he asked for my ID before he showed me his badge (I gave it to him before I saw, as I had no similar experience and was confused). Is it acceptable (is he required to show me his badge/identify himself before asking for ID information)?
Secondly, in the letter I was only given two options: to pay the fine or not pay and go to the court. It does not say that I could dispute this decision. However, I'd like to send something in writing to discuss this with them. I'm not familiar with the legal system in the UK and I do not want to go to court and end up with all the court fees/costs. Shall I write to them/phone them up to explain?
Thirdly, on my journey on that day, there were plenty of people bought tickets from him and he had no problem with them. He picked me up and I felt it is unfair. My request was exactly the same as everyone else's - to buy a ticket for my journey. He did not accuse anyone else of fair dodging but did it to me. I was the only foreign-looking person there and, I'm not saying he is, but I felt discriminated. Is it something I should ask them to explain?
Fourthly, I felt the inspector's way of handling this very aggressive and rude. Is it something I could complain about?
Fifthly, given all the factors on that day, I don't think I did anything that deserves the 80 pounds fine. It is true that I extended my journey from OLF to Keynsham but that was due to the change of plan. I could not think of anything else I could do under those circumstances. I had the genuine intention to purchase another ticket but was refused. Is change of plan not an acceptable reason? OLF is a unmanned station and I couldn't have purchased a ticket before I jumped back on the train again (or couldn't have without affecting my arrangement on that day).
As I'm not a native citizen in the UK, I'm really not familiar with the system here. I have never had anything like this before and as you'll imagine I'm rather anxious about this letter. I've been in the UK for a while and things do happen here and there, but I always had a chance to explain myself.
I would therefore very much appreciate any advice as to what I should do here. Is it best that I accept the decision and pay the fine, or I should contact them to argue against it, or I should go to the court and explain everything to a judge?
Many thanks