Asian Demon
Member
- Joined
- 15 Apr 2011
- Messages
- 155
I like the first 2 paragraphs of this post. A simple policy that is consistent and accountable (i.e. its only applying the guidance as issued to TOCs' staff) leads to the minimum risk of consequential difficulties.
But I'm a little surprised to learn that SRC holders tend to argue more than YPRC holders (or should I say holders plus possible non-holders in both cases?). The reports I receive, including requests for help on here, are more often from YPRC (non-)holders.
I will agree, though, that Guards that I encounter are more likely to say that they don't want to see a SRC than to ask for a YPRC. Whilst it maybe demonstrates some welcome comradarie between a Guard who may be approaching or have passed 60 themselves, and a passenger clearly their elder, (and I really do welcome such supportive relations between staff and passenger), it does completely overlook the fundamental question of whether the passenger, who is eligible by age for one card or the other, has actually bothered to buy / renew and carry their card.
I don't mind a Guard who recognises a regular passenger saying "Its OK, I trust you", though even that approach is opening the possibility for abuses, but one day, that trusted and familiar passenger's RC will expire. Will it be renewed promptly if it is never required for inspection? Perhaps not. We shouldn't assume anything!
My last point relates to the frequent conflation of eligibility for a SRC with being a pensioner, being more forgetfull than average, being more cantankerous than most, and being more likely to play some age-related upmanship game when challenged. As some of the best educated minds, best informed minds, most respected minds, most trusted minds and most analytic minds are those of over 60's, then I struggle to understand that conflation. I will agree that there are some regular aged abusers of the system, travelling without tickets as well as RCs, but I suspect that the correspondence is specious - older people may be forgetful, some might not be, and some younger people might be forgetful. We all may be guilty of travelling with a Discounted ticket and no Railcard.
I guess the last paragraph is more my personal experience based on checking tickets on a day to day basis. It's a reflection on what i've experienced so far. It's not to say that this is a fact for all seniors with rail cards. I've had positive reactions as well as negative reactions from all people when it comes to being asked for a rail card, regardless of age or eligibility.