Most TOC's give RPI's 5% commission for every PF issued
Where did you get that from??
First Capital Connect don't, Southern don't, South West Trains don't, one don't, C2C don't, Thameslink didn't, WAGN didn't and First Great Eastern didn't. I don't know about Silverlink, Central etc etc
GUARDS are usually paid 5% commission to encourage them to work the train but giving RPI's commission encourages them to issue PFN's and any (if there are indeed any) TOC's that do it then they are a fool to themselves.
If the TOCs thought that someone was actually fare evading, then they'd take you to court, and make you pay a fine (PFs are not a fine - as Yorkie said), but to do that, you have to prove intent that they intended not to pay - a case last week, someone did a journey one stop outside of the Zone on their Travelcard, they approached a member of staff to pay the correct fare - ended up with a PF, but they intended to pay the correct fare.
It clearly says on the warning notice that you must have a valid ticket for your ENTIRE journey before you board the train otherwise you are liable to a Penalty Fare.
For example: You board a train at Kings Cross Tlk, you are going to Radlett and you have a Zone 1-2 travelcard so you should buy an extention from Boundary Zone 2 to Radlett but you just get on the train because the gates at Kings Cross would let you through, you have the money to buy the ticket but you didn't because you were running for the train.
You are now an inspector
You are surrounded by people who all have correct tickets, people who have taken the time to get to the booking office and buy a ticket.
Would you issue this person a Penalty Fare or sell him an extention?
The facts are that Kings Cross has a booking office with 2 windows, a booth next to the tunnel from the Underground which is usually staffed during the peaks but if it isn't the main booking office it at the top of the stairs (via moving staircase) and Inspectors on the barrier who would sell you a ticket if you actually asked. Radlett is a station without barriers and no revenue staff however there is a booking office. Do you know that this person would go to the window at Radlett and get his extention? Do you know this person? Ask yourself if YOU would go to the window and buy an extention knowing that you have finished your journey and you are now leaving the station. Now ask yourself is it your fault or the train companies fault that this person was late for his train?
Remember it is YOUR responsibility to have the correct ticket for your journey. In some cases as Yorkie keeps saying the inspector is incorrect or the information you have been given is incorrect, so let him/her report you to the company and at the end of the day if you are right then he or she will be made to look a fool.
We all know people that use anyway they can to avoid paying fares, should you subsidise them?
At the end of the day the penalty fares system was set up to encourage people to get tickets before getting on the train and whilst I totally disagree with DOO railways and the lack of permenant on train staff thats the way it is.
If an inspector believes that you are delibrately avoiding fare then the PFN would be disregarded and you would be reported to the company using a MG11 statement, then it is down to the company and ultimately the local JP's to decide whether you should be punished or not.
Also should point out that you DO NOT have to pay the full wack on the spot. You can pay the fare that you should have paid (FULL SDS) from A-B then you have 21 days to either pay the remainder or appeal against the penalty fare to the IPFAS (Independant Penalty Fares Appeal Service) who look at all cases on a one by one basis and then they decide whether you should be reimbursed. Also even if you pay the full amount you can still appeal against the penalty fare using the same system within 21 days of issue.
The NSE-style method of having no sign of staff 9 out of 10 journeys then someone PFing everyone in sight with a dodgy ticket on the basis that "they must do it every day" is flawed, and the SPT approach is far, far better IMO.
If they do it every day then they should be reported with a MG11 as it is long term fraud which goes out of the scope of the PFN so not quite sure what you mean.
ie, my mate had a concessionary season (as he has a GMPTE student pass), but he had forgotten the conc. card... and got a PF, which he refused to pay (as he had the pass at home)- even after the event when he proved he has a valid student conc card, they were not interested, and increased the penalty
This comes under "no supporting document"
If you have a ticket which uses a discount then it must be carried on every journey, if not then the ticket is invalid and you are liable to a penalty fare. Some TOC's have a Fail to Carry system whereby the matter will be reported to the company however you are given 14 days to submit a copy of your ticket and no further action will be taken however I don't know how far that stretches across the country however most do it down here.
and these people need to understand that their actions will bring a consequence.
100% correct