Disabled railcard question

[travellinglight]

My friend recently received a Disabled Adult Railcard. When she used it for the first time, she was asked at her local ticket office, "What is your disability?" (there is a genuine disability but it is not obvious to others).

Should she have been asked?

 

[Daniel]

Should she have been asked?

As far as I was taught, no - never. You should assume that because they have the card, they have a valid reason.

 

[bnm]

My friend recently received a Disabled Adult Railcard. When she used it for the first time, she was asked at her local ticket office, "What is your disability?" (there is a genuine disability but it is not obvious to others).

Should she have been asked?

It shouldn't happen but does just occasionally. I too am a DSB railcard holder and on one occasion at the gateline at Charing X I was struggling to locate it as I had pocketed it seperate to my tickets. Whilst doing the pocket dance the gateline assistant said "Are you sure you've got one? You don't look disabled." I replied, after locating it, "You don't look like a doctor."

 

[dan_atki]

Moved into a new thead .

 

[Railman01]

My friend recently received a Disabled Adult Railcard. When she used it for the first time, she was asked at her local ticket office, "What is your disability?" (there is a genuine disability but it is not obvious to others).

Should she have been asked?

The plain answer is No. It is none of the rail company's business. This is personal, private information which you supplied by letter to the issuing office as proof of your disability. If you are ever asked again, contact the train operating company's customer relations and let them know what has gone on.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

Personally, I'd be writing a nasty letter to the station manager :P but I like writing nasty letters...

As you have to prove your eligibility to buy the card, you should never be asked.

"return to London on a 16-25 railcard please"
"HOW OLD ARE YOU???"

having the card should be proof enough

 

[ainsworth74]

"return to London on a 16-25 railcard please"
"HOW OLD ARE YOU???"

having the card should be proof enough

However the 16-25 Railcard comes with a photocard that includes your date of birth, so if the member of staff is being vigilant they don't have to ask you.

But certainly in relation to the disabled railcard the card should be more than enough!

 

[bnm]

As you have to prove your eligibility to buy the card, you should never be asked.

"return to London on a 16-25 railcard please"
"HOW OLD ARE YOU???"

May not be an appropriate question, but you don't have to be 16-25 to have a 16-25 Railcard!

 

[ChrisTheRef]

May not be an appropriate question, but you don't have to be 16-25 to have a 16-25 Railcard!

I'll be quiet

 

[Oracle]

I have never been asked...I have long-term health problems though not requiring a wheelchair.

I would complain if I was asked..it is none of their business and I have to go through hoops with hard evidence of entitlement to get my cards. Unless of course I was being asked if I needed a wheelchair or help on board I suppose...

 

[faddy]

Of course the DSB railcard doesn't require a photocard (why not?), so I could understand staff being suspicious that the user isn't the legitimate card holder - and please don't shout, I have an invisible disability too. Haven't had my card challenged thus far....

 

[eos]

My understanding is that a question along the lines of ' Do you need any assistance at all with your journey' is as far any questions of disabilty should go.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I hold a DSB through being rather deaf; never been challenged about it - but I do carry a photocard ( admittedly rather an old picture on it now, but still recognisable! ) with it.

However, in my case the sight of a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant above the other probably makes it obvious anyway.


My wife is also a holder ( partially sighted and epileptic ); in her case she carries a collapsible white stick on her wrist, though as we are travelling together 99% of the time we have never had any problems with the cards.

 

[Daniel]

Although I've already replied to the OP's question, I would like to point out that there are people who mis-use facilities for the disabled...

Myself and my colleagues have discovered a number of passengers pretending to be blind in order to get assistance, (seeing as you don't require to pre-book or have evidence of a disability etc (to book assistance) on LU)

 

[Ticket Man]

As far as asking about the customers disability, no they should not have been asked. If i asked a customer about the disability i would expect my P45 to arrive home before i did.
That said I did ask one customer whom I suspected was not the name holder of the railcard. The main clue came from the fact that the real owner had taken the time to write railcard on the front in braille (sorry if i spelt that wrong), when i asked her what the markings were she indicated that it was marking made by her keys in her pocket. And so very uniformed markings as well

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Although I've already replied to the OP's question, I would like to point out that there are people who mis-use facilities for the disabled...

Myself and my colleagues have discovered a number of passengers pretending to be blind in order to get assistance, (seeing as you don't require to pre-book or have evidence of a disability etc (to book assistance) on LU)

That is very disgustingly selfish behaviour from those people; perhaps there should be an on the spot fine of £50 for anyone found doing this? These people could well be preventing a member of staff from being immediately available to assist a genuinely blind person couldn't they?

 

[Daniel]

These people could well be preventing a member of staff from being immediately available to assist a genuinely blind person couldn't they?

Yes, this sort of thing can, (and has), prevented assistance being given to those genuinely in need.

That is very disgustingly selfish behaviour from those people; perhaps there should be an on the spot fine of £50 for anyone found doing this?

I agree that there should be some form of punishment; however it would be hard to prove in a court of law etc that a person was lying in order to gain assistance, (as they don't have to pre-book), and also it wanders back into the realm that those members of staff who encounter the problems, (CSA's), can't issue fines etc.

 

[wintonian]

I have never been asked what my diability is either in 5 years of having a railcard and I would also complain if I was.

However In those 5 years I have only been asked to produce it 4 times, why is this, why do they not get checked? I am also intrested to know why you don't need a photocard?

 

[Solent&Wessex]

I have never asked about anyones disability. I have very occasionally, asked someone for further id, normally along the lines of "do you have anything which shows your name on?". The DSB railcards are named, but have no photocard, which I believe they should. Once - and only once - have I found someone with someone elses card.

 

[travellinglight]

Thank you all for your helpful replies - and to Moderator dan_atki for moving the thread.

Just by way of further question, can a Disabled Adult Railcard be bought from a ticket machine on a station platform, and/or online?

 

[eos]

A DSB railcard can only be obtained by post with written proof of disability.
Renewals are only obtainable from the same office , but can be done by telephone and with a credit/debit card, as well as post. There is NO renewals etc at stations ( to the best of my knowledge)
For more info
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disable...nsport/PublicAndCommunityTransport/DG_4001063

 

[bnm]

Your first Disabled Persons Railcard must be applied for by post.

http://www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk/buying-your-railcard

You can subsequently renew a Disabled Persons Railcard online, although the right is reserved to ask for evidence of continued entitlement.

As proof of eligibility is required a ticket machine is out of the question for any Railcard. As a Disabled Persons Railcard often requires medical evidence you cannot apply at a ticket office either as rail staff are not trained to assess the eligibility.

 

[travellinglight]

Sorry!!! my stupid mistake <looks for "embarrassed" smiley>
What I meant to write was:
can a Disabled Adult ticket be bought from a ticket machine on a station platform, and/or online?

 

[bnm]

Sorry!!! my stupid mistake <looks for "embarrassed" smiley>
What I meant to write was:
can a Disabled Adult ticket be bought from a ticket machine on a station platform, and/or online?

Yes of course. TVM's give the option to select railcard and type. As do all online retailers.

 

[travellinglight]

A message from my friend on whose behalf I posted:

"Re the "disability" question: some of those who replied might be wondering what, if anything, I intend to do about the trip to London. We don't need to explain all the relevant circumstances, as this is an open forum that anyone can read. I don't mind people knowing that I have cancer, but this incident concerns another human being who possibly made a genuine mistake - there was no malice or rudeness in his question. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt... but I also want to travel by train again free from unnecessary questioning, and to make sure that others don't have the same problem.

I live in a suburban area with good community spirit. Through a community organization (not disability-related) I hope to find someone who knows the ticket issuer socially, so they can have a quiet word in his ear."

 

[Daniel]

It's nice to have a customer take that viewpoint - in that, although you have been wronged, you'd rather that the member of staff concerned is spoken to quietly than have a formal complaint put in.

Although I apologise to your friend for the problems caused, I'd like to thank them for taking that unusual viewpoint. It's not often that someone is as nice as that!

Again, apologies to your friend for the problems they have encountered!

 

[Oracle]

I have a son who receives DLA..he has a disability in his left leg etc. He may take up a job offer which means that he would need to travel by train. It seems that you can't get a season with a DRC reduction, and therefore have to buy five Anytime returns instead. I assume that is the case and I am not missing something?

Oh, like myself you would not think that he had a disability. I have to say that no-one has ever queried me when I have used a DRC in the past. I would love to give chapter & verse if someone queried...they might regret asking though!

 

[ainsworth74]

It seems that you can't get a season with a DRC reduction

Railcard discounts are not available on Season Tickets, as these tickets are already heavily discounted.

Source: http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/season_tickets/season_ticket_ojp.html

From the section about 2/3 of the way down titled Railcards.

You may find that even without the discount the season ticket is still cheaper than 5 anytime returns.

 

[thefab444]

As proof of eligibility is required a ticket machine is out of the question for any Railcard.

What proof of eligibility is required for a Network Railcard? Certainly renewals, and even new purchases where the user already has a photocard, should be be possible? One problem, of course, is the fact no TVMs would have the ticket stock available.

 

[CarterUSM]

Some years ago, during my commercial training, i was told that in some circumstances, specifically someone travelling in a wheelchair who did not hold a valid disabled railcard, or a person holding a recognised card for the visually impaired, that you could grant them a 'discount authority 0001' or something similar, does anyone have any recollection of this? I think i issued one years ago, but not since, not sure if it still exists. Off topic, i also remember issuing inter-rail 70 discounts to foreign students occasionally too.