Msduvet1703
New Member
- Joined
- 20 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 3
Hi all hope you can help (not sure if this is the right place)
I mentioned to my dad last week that I was going to London on Saturday 15th for a day trip and he offered to lend me his Oyster card that gets him on the tube for 'free'. Thanks dad. Readers, I'm sure you can see where this ends up. I travelled from Birmingham to London and got off at Euston train station with a view to heading to Old Spitalfields market. Euston-Kings Cross-Liverpool Street. Went to leave the station at Liverpool Street, the barrier beeped and said seek assistance. Having just been at Kings Cross I noticed they had ticket booths and machines all over the place so I figured it must be the same at Liverpool St, I'd just go to a booth and buy a full day ticket to get out and not bother with the so called Oyster card faff. That to me was seeking assistance. Anyway, I turned round to walk towards the way I'd come from and check out the signs only to be chased by 2 guys asking to check my Oyster card.
I said sure it's my dad's. The main guy took it from me, pulled a note pad out of his bag and asked where I was going. Then asked if my dad knew I had his card, to which I answered as above. He asked did I know why he'd stopped me, where I was from, how long I'd been using the card and how it came to be that my dad had given it to me. I explained just for that journey and reiterated he'd given it to me. He scanned the card then asked why I'd walked away from the barrier so I told him it said seek assistance so I wanted to find a ticket booth. Then he asked for my ID and started writing his Qs and my As and said I looked to young to be married which I found a bit odd, but said I was 29 - even though he had my D/L. Asked if I lived with my dad (no) and where he lived (Coventry).
Then he cautioned me and said the card allows my dad free travel on the tube. It was at this point the penny dropped that I was in big trouble. Throughout the whole thing I didn't see any ID and they didn't tell me who they were so it was all a bit odd. He asked if I was entitled to any freebies and I said not that I'm aware. Did I agree that I had evaded a fare by using dad's card. Yes I did agree. How could I not. He confiscated the card and said if dad wanted another he'd have to apply for one saying he'd lost his. He asked me if I wanted him to read the notes back and I said no I've been watching him write it. Then he asked me to sign so that he wouldn't be able to write anything underneath after I'd gone and I can expect a letter. So here I am.
I'm absolutely not blaming my dad, I take full responsibility for using the card without thinking about it. I'm not sure what his card was, I assumed it was a benefit he got being ex-military as he's previously offered for me to use his friends and family discount on a certain website he uses. Having said that he's 67 so it could be a senior citizen card. Either way I realise that by using it it's meant that TfL haven't received my fare and someone else was paying for me to use dad's card which isn't right. I wouldn't walk into a shop and stand there using a product without paying, but that's essentially what I've done here and I'm mortified.
I've recieved a letter asking for my version of events as he facts are under investigation and I've written a response but yet to send it off. Would anyone mind advising if it looks ok? If do I will post it here.
Thank you
I mentioned to my dad last week that I was going to London on Saturday 15th for a day trip and he offered to lend me his Oyster card that gets him on the tube for 'free'. Thanks dad. Readers, I'm sure you can see where this ends up. I travelled from Birmingham to London and got off at Euston train station with a view to heading to Old Spitalfields market. Euston-Kings Cross-Liverpool Street. Went to leave the station at Liverpool Street, the barrier beeped and said seek assistance. Having just been at Kings Cross I noticed they had ticket booths and machines all over the place so I figured it must be the same at Liverpool St, I'd just go to a booth and buy a full day ticket to get out and not bother with the so called Oyster card faff. That to me was seeking assistance. Anyway, I turned round to walk towards the way I'd come from and check out the signs only to be chased by 2 guys asking to check my Oyster card.
I said sure it's my dad's. The main guy took it from me, pulled a note pad out of his bag and asked where I was going. Then asked if my dad knew I had his card, to which I answered as above. He asked did I know why he'd stopped me, where I was from, how long I'd been using the card and how it came to be that my dad had given it to me. I explained just for that journey and reiterated he'd given it to me. He scanned the card then asked why I'd walked away from the barrier so I told him it said seek assistance so I wanted to find a ticket booth. Then he asked for my ID and started writing his Qs and my As and said I looked to young to be married which I found a bit odd, but said I was 29 - even though he had my D/L. Asked if I lived with my dad (no) and where he lived (Coventry).
Then he cautioned me and said the card allows my dad free travel on the tube. It was at this point the penny dropped that I was in big trouble. Throughout the whole thing I didn't see any ID and they didn't tell me who they were so it was all a bit odd. He asked if I was entitled to any freebies and I said not that I'm aware. Did I agree that I had evaded a fare by using dad's card. Yes I did agree. How could I not. He confiscated the card and said if dad wanted another he'd have to apply for one saying he'd lost his. He asked me if I wanted him to read the notes back and I said no I've been watching him write it. Then he asked me to sign so that he wouldn't be able to write anything underneath after I'd gone and I can expect a letter. So here I am.
I'm absolutely not blaming my dad, I take full responsibility for using the card without thinking about it. I'm not sure what his card was, I assumed it was a benefit he got being ex-military as he's previously offered for me to use his friends and family discount on a certain website he uses. Having said that he's 67 so it could be a senior citizen card. Either way I realise that by using it it's meant that TfL haven't received my fare and someone else was paying for me to use dad's card which isn't right. I wouldn't walk into a shop and stand there using a product without paying, but that's essentially what I've done here and I'm mortified.
I've recieved a letter asking for my version of events as he facts are under investigation and I've written a response but yet to send it off. Would anyone mind advising if it looks ok? If do I will post it here.
Thank you