Will you let me off a few pence?

[Qwerty133]

Bus related, but it's always annoying when you get asked by a kid to get let off because they've only got 80p, despite the bags from Topman, River Island, Foot Asylum etc and the McMilkshake in their hand.

A lot of teenagers accidentally forget that they need to pay for the bus back home when out shopping. In fact when I was shopping with my twin sister in the summer (14) she didn't have enough money for the bus fair home after she had finished fortunately in this situation I had the money to pay for her bus fare. But would you rather have your kid asking for money to the others about or walking home instead of asking the driver for them to be let off a bit of the (normally extortionate) bus fare.

 

[Lrd]

A lot of teenagers accidentally forget that they need to pay for the bus back home when out shopping. In fact when I was shopping with my twin sister in the summer (14) she didn't have enough money for the bus fair home after she had finished fortunately in this situation I had the money to pay for her bus fare. But would you rather have your kid asking for money to the others about or walking home instead of asking the driver for them to be let off a bit of the (normally extortionate) bus fare.

I would expect the kid to use their mobile phone (or even a payphone) to phone mummy or daddy.

 

[Goatboy]

A lot of teenagers accidentally forget that they need to pay for the bus back home when out shopping. In fact when I was shopping with my twin sister in the summer (14) she didn't have enough money for the bus fair home after she had finished fortunately in this situation I had the money to pay for her bus fare. But would you rather have your kid asking for money to the others about or walking home instead of asking the driver for them to be let off a bit of the (normally extortionate) bus fare.

Maybe they should ask the guy in McDonalds to let them off some of the milkshake? Perhaps negotiate a discount on the trainers from Foot Asylum?

 

[Qwerty133]

Maybe they should ask the guy in McDonalds to let them off some of the milkshake? Perhaps negotiate a discount on the trainers from Foot Asylum?

But the case often is they don't realise until AFTER they've bought everything do you think McDonald's would refund a half drank milkshake when they realise or something
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I would expect the kid to use their mobile phone (or even a payphone) to phone mummy or daddy.

Admitting it to parents is the last thing the average teenager would want to do. And do you think parents can just drop what they are doing to pick there child up

 

[maniacmartin]

And do you think parents can just drop what they are doing to pick there child up

Yes they most probably can. If not, the teenager can wait for them to do so

 

[RJ]

When I was in the ticket office, it was £5 leeway each way a day, same with when I was on board. As a London bus driver, there is zero tolerance for any surplus/loss.

People can ask to be let off, it's a free country, but they should not take offence if their plea is declined and they're advised to ask someone else for money to make up the shortfall.

 

[maniacmartin]

I assume no rail staff here would put in their own personal money to make up a passenger's shortfall?

 

[GadgetMan]

I assume no rail staff here would put in their own personal money to make up a passenger's shortfall?

I wouldn't.

It is one of the basic rules we were taught; you don't put money in if you're short and you don't take money out if there is a surplus. Pay it in as it is.

 

[Lewisham2221]

I assume no rail staff here would put in their own personal money to make up a passenger's shortfall?

Again, I would imagine this depends on the attitude of the passenger. One who greets you with a blunt "I haven't got enough money" is much less likely to get a favourable response to one who (genuinely) searches for the correct fare only to find out that they a 10p short.

 

[Goatboy]

And do you think parents can just drop what they are doing to pick there child up

If they are stranded miles from home with no money, then yes, they probably can.

Why is this the railways problem? It's a service not a charity.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Perhaps if they had to call their parents, wait an extra half an hour or so (preferably in the cold and rain) and then got a right good telling off in the car on the way home, a greater proportion of young people would actually have some grasp on the value of money and the importance of looking after it.

 

[hairyhandedfool]

But the case often is they don't realise until AFTER they've bought everything do you think McDonald's would refund a half drank milkshake when they realise or something....

That should be learning a valuable lesson in personal finance for them then, nothing like walking home to get the grey cells working.

I assume no rail staff here would put in their own personal money to make up a passenger's shortfall?

I could name a few members of staff who have (not members of the forum AFAIK), but the rule is not to do it.

 

[island]

I got let off 10p once without asking when I had £1.45 for a £1.55 fare (an excess, before you ask where the fares are so low) and a £10 note.

 

[Qwerty133]

Perhaps if they had to call their parents, wait an extra half an hour or so (preferably in the cold and rain) and then got a right good telling off in the car on the way home, a greater proportion of young people would actually have some grasp on the value of money and the importance of looking after it.

Or they wouldn't go out to get their equipment for the new school year without their parents causing the whole family inconvienience

 

[Goatboy]

Or they wouldn't go out to get their equipment for the new school year without their parents causing the whole family inconvienience

Oh no, what a shame.

 

[Lewisham2221]

Or they wouldn't go out to get their equipment for the new school year without their parents causing the whole family inconvienience

From my observations, most teenagers seem to make school stationery/uniform shopping trips with parents anyway. Probably a good job, if their memories are as bad as you suggest, they'd all be forgetting to buy trousers or pencil cases.

 

[142056]

Similar topic, I was short changed on the bus the other day by 5p as the driver didn't have enough change. I wasnt bothered by 5p, but I doubt he'd be sympathetic if I was short of 5p!! He was probably quite a lot over as he had to say to a few people he didnt have enough change, I wonder if Wessex Connect have the same policies as the railways.

 

[jon0844]

I got short changed at a kiosk at Shoreditch High Street station. She apologised when handing me my change and said she didn't have enough, in a way that suggested it was a perfectly normal and acceptable practice.

It was 1p so I didn't complain (or care) but I wonder if she did that a lot and pocketed each penny. Imagine how much she'll make over a few weeks. 20 or 30p perhaps!

 

[richw]

Can't remember the last time I even saw one, always preferred the Cavalier myself!

there is a h reg sierra for sale near to myself. The dreamer wants £995 for it.

 

[jon0844]

Unless it's a sporty model, I can't see how an old Sierra could be worth anything.

 

[richw]

No its a normal 1.8 sapphires

 

[222007]

No i never let people off a few pence. they either have there fare or they dont. Regardless of if its 5p or £5 short i will issues a UPFN if i believe there genuine if not MG11 for me its not being heartless or a jobsworth is about me doing my job correctly and in this day and age i need my job i dont want my manager watching my taking because im short

 

[causton]

I work in a shop where people often say 'keep the penny' more often than they ask for one, so we have some spare pennies on the till for those occasions. However one time we didn't have any pennies for a whole day and we were a whole pound up at the end!

 

[dvboy]

When I was in the ticket office, it was £5 leeway each way a day, same with when I was on board. As a London bus driver, there is zero tolerance for any surplus/loss.

People can ask to be let off, it's a free country, but they should not take offence if their plea is declined and they're advised to ask someone else for money to make up the shortfall.

Passengers shouldn't be encouraged to go begging as that's illegal.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Similar topic, I was short changed on the bus the other day by 5p as the driver didn't have enough change. I wasnt bothered by 5p, but I doubt he'd be sympathetic if I was short of 5p!! He was probably quite a lot over as he had to say to a few people he didnt have enough change, I wonder if Wessex Connect have the same policies as the railways.

You're lucky your buses give change. I wonder how many people overpay 10p here because they don't have £1.90 in change (soon to be £2 anyway).
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I work in a shop where people often say 'keep the penny' more often than they ask for one, so we have some spare pennies on the till for those occasions. However one time we didn't have any pennies for a whole day and we were a whole pound up at the end!

Having worked in a petrol station in the past, the number of "keep the penny" peoples usually evens out the number of people who fill up £20.01's worth and don't have the penny change.

 

[A0wen]

I don’t know if all TOC’s accept Visa type credit cards for ticket purchase but if they do then for a majority of tickets I would have thought the train company would actually MAKE MORE MONEY by “discounting a few coppers” rather than loose seeing that the card companies charge commission for the use of cards, typically 3 – 4 %. I know what I would do – take the cash every time.

I suspect you're overstating the card commission charges quite substantially.

Major organisations are usually charged about 1% by Visa and Mastercard - Amex tend to charge more though.

Smaller companies might attract higher transaction charges, but I suspect the TOCs obtain terms similar to the major retailers.

 

[transmanche]

Smaller companies might attract higher transaction charges, but I suspect the TOCs obtain terms similar to the major retailers.

Exactly. And if TfL think it's worthwhile to pay the transaction charge on £1.35 bus fares rather than deal with cash,* I'm sure TOCs do too.

* They now accept contactless credit/debit cards on buses

 

[A0wen]

I assume no rail staff here would put in their own personal money to make up a passenger's shortfall?

My late grandfather used to drive buses back in the 70s and early 80s - he wouldn't have put his own money in, but if a passenger got on the bus and was short of the change, but had an 'alternative' e.g. postage stamps, he'd accept those at their face value towards the fare, and then replace them with cash from his own pocket before cashing up - his reasoning was that he needed the stamps anyway and everything balanced. Nobody gained and nobody lost.

 

[transmanche]

Having worked in a petrol station in the past, the number of "keep the penny" peoples usually evens out the number of people who fill up £20.01's worth and don't have the penny change.

I've seen a number of petrol stations where they have a 'penny plate' exactly for this purpose.

 

[wintonian]

I've seen a number of petrol stations where they have a 'penny plate' exactly for this purpose.

Sounds like a logical conclusion - if only SWT would do a similar thing so passengers weren't virtually forced into paying to spend one. :-x

 

[Lrd]

I work in a shop where people often say 'keep the penny' more often than they ask for one, so we have some spare pennies on the till for those occasions. However one time we didn't have any pennies for a whole day and we were a whole pound up at the end!

Whatever change gets left behind by a customer always goes straight in to the till and I forget about it. Doesn't change the fact that it is always right money from everyone else though.