People coming here for prosecution advice

[Flamingo]

Some of the posters seem to want an answer that will give them a technicality they can get off on,and never come back after the first post. The ones I find intriguing are those who seem to want to use the queries made by members to "tighten up" their excuses, or point out the failures in their stories before they write off. These I have a difficulty with, as they are trying to portray themselves as genuine to the TOC, even though their posts on here may lead them to reveal they are not. But the "trial run" on here stops them having inconsistencies in their story.

As I said earlier, when they come on here, we get the prepared reflected story, not the first draft with holes in it. When dealing with a certain type of fare-dodger face to face, we have an advantage.- we know when they are lying, because their lips are moving!

 

[Tomonthetrain]

That analogy is true for all sorts of folks, parking violators, those that the police catch etc

 

[dave6023]

Unfortunately it does seem very easy to dodge paying. On a recent 200 mile round trip which involved 3 TOC's my ticket was only checked ONCE on train and that was when I had got up from my seat at the end of my return journey as I was standing by the door as the train pulled into the station. My home station is also unstaffed and it is very easy for people to dodge a fare to the next station which does not have barriers. I have made this journey several times myself without any ticket checks being made.

 

[Greenback]

I've found on train ticket checking to be variable across different parts of the country. I think this may depend on the type and length of trains being operated. For example, I found that my tickets have been throoguhyl checked on the DMU's in Cornwall, both main line and branches, but less so on the HST's.

 

[gswindale]

Indeed. It was reasonably uncommon when I was commuting into London a few years back. Think I saw a ticket inspector twice in 6 months.

Funny thing was they caught the same woman both times!

 

[WelshBluebird]

It certainly is something the railway could do a lot more with.
It has been said many times that there are many journeys where it is almost impossible to buy a ticket as the stations are unstaffed with no ticket machines and the guard often does not pass through the train.