Amending train tickets online - be warned!

[Vile Consort]

I have friends who work in revenue protection on the railways and the tales they tell are quite interesting. One fare-dodger told him the same ingenious sob story two weeks running, having failed to recognise him. The first time made her buy a ticket. The second time he handed her over to the police for prosecution.

He comes across people travelling on child fares who can't remember their date of birth, people with forged and altered passes of various descriptions, people who simply claim to have lost their tickets, people locking themselves in the toilets, you name it.

I really don't see how anybody can expect staff who have seen all that to fall for the "lost my ticket" sob story. And you wouldn't expect any other retailer to replace at their own expense goods that you had lost. It's tough, but that's life.

[MrGongGong]

Whose pedantry? There is more scope for fraudulent travel if discretion is used to allow someone to travel with no ticket (despite evidence of purchase) because someone else may be attempting to travel with that ticket. You may consider that travel fraud is a trivial offence (which of course it is, in comparison to murder, etc) but it is not victimless because the lost income has to be recovered by increasing the price of all tickets, or by cutting services.

(I DO buy train tickets all the time just to let you know!)

"It's more than my jobs worth to have a modulation at bar 27"

I think that people's attitudes to various crimes is a defining characteristic of them. "oh, well, I didn't mean to run over that pedestrian / Knock that cyclist off his bike / etc. I just didn't see them..."

"I didn't mean to invade Iraq, a big boy made me do it?"

My question was

Does pedantry increase the amount of goodwill and happiness in the world ?

Assuming that everyone is trying to trick you, get one over you, a "criminal" waiting for their chance to strike and so on just makes people unhappy, scared and the world a hostile place. It's like the posters about not assaulting staff on transport. YES, people don't need to be assaulted at work BUT creating an environment where people feel comfortable and safe isn't helped by constantly reminding everyone of what happens if someone is violent, a bit like the armed police at stations we get these days NOT helpful at all.

[Beef Oven!]

what is the point of having a so called "quiet coach" when it's fine for people with noisy children to sit there ?
Don't get me wrong, i like children (couldn't eat a whole one though ), i work with them, have some etc
but i want to be able to travel in peace
no phones
no noise
without earplugs

Nimby. Why aint I surprised?

[teamsaint]

(I DO buy train tickets all the time just to let you know!)

"It's more than my jobs worth to have a modulation at bar 27"






"I didn't mean to invade Iraq, a big boy made me do it?"

My question was

Does pedantry increase the amount of goodwill and happiness in the world ?

Assuming that everyone is trying to trick you, get one over you, a "criminal" waiting for their chance to strike and so on just makes people unhappy, scared and the world a hostile place. It's like the posters about not assaulting staff on transport. YES, people don't need to be assaulted at work BUT creating an environment where people feel comfortable and safe isn't helped by constantly reminding everyone of what happens if someone is violent, a bit like the armed police at stations we get these days NOT helpful at all.

Absolutely right about the atmospheres created.

At Rural Grateley Station, there is an announcement about reporting suspicious packages to staff about every five minutes. (And for good measure they often announce trains as "approaching platform 1 " after they have left. Honestly.)
Similarly, I would love to know what having police armed with automatic weapons at places like Waterloo is supposed to achieve. The main effect is to create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, in my opinion.

Back to tickets, hands up anybody who has seen an actual fare dodger produce credit card receipts,the outward ticket, or a seat reservation. Anybody?

Fare dodging is bad for the rest of us. Given that it can be tricky to deal with, perhaps those with the power to do something might start by bringing in some sane ticketing policies, to deal with some of the problem at source.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I really don't see how anybody can expect staff who have seen all that to fall for the "lost my ticket" sob story. And you wouldn't expect any other retailer to replace at their own expense goods that you had lost. It's tough, but that's life.

Indeed - but having proof of purchase is not exactly a "sob story", and someone hiring a place on a train is not in the same position as a retailer selling "goods". If "staff" cannot see that, then they have a very poor idea of business protocol. (In fact "Tough" sums up the attitude to their customers very well). But then they don't need particularly good public relations, do they? Their customers cannot change their "supplier" when it comes to rail travel.

[Sir Velo]

Going back to the OP: the simplest approach to any online order is to check your emails to see whether you have received an acknowlegement of an order. If no email has been received, you are probably safe to assume that you have been able to amend your booking without duplication. OTOH, most booking systems will take you through a checkout process and force you to confirm a booking. If you've already got to this stage I would advise you look to cancel the transaction before making a replacement. Amazon, for example, allows you a few minutes to review your order and cancel before the order is irrevocable.

[Honoured Guest]

Back to tickets, hands up anybody who has seen an actual fare dodger produce credit card receipts,the outward ticket, or a seat reservation. Anybody?

Fare dodging is bad for the rest of us. Given that it can be tricky to deal with, perhaps those with the power to do something might start by bringing in some sane ticketing policies, to deal with some of the problem at source.

The fare dodge in this case would have been for you to have given your ticket to your travelling companion for them to travel with it at no charge (not sitting next to you, obviously!), apologising profusely for having "accidentally lost" their ticket reservation, if they were challenged.

Your disgruntlement is because you know that you genuinely lost the ticket which, as you imply, is almost certain to remain forever unused, But that truth cannot be proved, which is why a ticket is required, and not just evidence of purchase. I know that you understand this really, because you've explained how you always take care to retain all your tickets, etc. in a certain order.

I suppose that you could argue that it should be the responsibility of the train company to offer you a lie detector test, but this would add to their costs and increase everyone's ticket prices ...

[french frank]

I purchased two tickets to London from East Coast. Mrs Flay then suggested we get an earlier train

It isn't always bad. I arrived back in Portsmouth from France and got to the station a lot earlier than I'd calculated - time to get an earlier train. I went to the ticket office and they said they couldn't change it but 'Go and find the guard for the earlier train'. I did, I explained, he said that was absolutely fine with him. I felt a bit nervous once on the train in case he didn't remember me or had magically transformed into someone else; but, no. All was well. So not all of them are Jobsworths. (Though I was once threatened with the police by the stationmaster at Temple Meads but he backed down )

[amateur51]

It isn't always bad. I arrived back in Portsmouth from France and got to the station a lot earlier than I'd calculated - time to get an earlier train. I went to the ticket office and they said they couldn't change it but 'Go and find the guard for the earlier train'. I did, I explained, he said that was absolutely fine with him. I felt a bit nervous once on the train in case he didn't remember me or had magically transformed into someone else; but, no. All was well. So not all of them are Jobsworths. (Though I was once threatened with the police by the stationmaster at Temple Meads but he backed down )

I've checked youtube for the possibility of CCTV recordings of this incident ... but to no avail

[teamsaint]

The fare dodge in this case would have been for you to have given your ticket to your travelling companion for them to travel with it at no charge (not sitting next to you, obviously!), apologising profusely for having "accidentally lost" their ticket reservation, if they were challenged.

Your disgruntlement is because you know that you genuinely lost the ticket which, as you imply, is almost certain to remain forever unused, But that truth cannot be proved, which is why a ticket is required, and not just evidence of purchase. I know that you understand this really, because you've explained how you always take care to retain all your tickets, etc. in a certain order.

I suppose that you could argue that it should be the responsibility of the train company to offer you a lie detector test, but this would add to their costs and increase everyone's ticket prices ...

'Twas Petrushka, not me !!

If this was a commonly used scam, I would have more sympathy with the TOC.

RE FFs post, the guard who was dealing with the fare dodgers that I sat opposite reccently was a model of professionalism, and d dealt with the situation calmly and fairly.
But the TOC clearly didnt have resources to deal with the situation in terms of imposing a penalty, or whatever.

[gradus]

Just travelled on a train from Copenhagen to Skanderborg, quiet means quiet and is rigorously observed but with the possibility of quiet conversation if everyone else in the compartment agrees - how Scandinavian. By the way tickets are for standing only, seats cost extra but you get free tea, coffee and water in first class.

[french frank]

I've checked youtube for the possibility of CCTV recordings of this incident ... but to no avail

January 2005, if that helps.

[MrGongGong]

Similarly, I would love to know what having police armed with automatic weapons at places like Waterloo is supposed to achieve. The main effect is to create an atmosphere of fear and suspicion, in my opinion.
.

I think the phrase is "security theatre"

[teamsaint]

I think the phrase is "security theatre"

well I have to thank you for that, Gongers, a phrase completely new to me, to add to my lexicon.

with the emphasis on con.

( I think you should stop reading newspapers, if you are , and they have that kind of stuff in. With all due respect.)

[Don Petter]

( I think you should stop reading newspapers, if you are , and they have that kind of stuff in. With all due respect.)

Indeed. A load of Heckler and Koch?