• Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

I've got to travel, I have a family member taken ill

Status
Not open for further replies.

bb21

Emeritus Moderator
Joined
4 Feb 2010
Messages
24,168
this thread has just taken me back to sunday morning when hoards of footy fans used the same excuse to try and get home after a certain 3-1 defeat the night before.
I was informed of no less than 11 sick/injured MOP's that desperately needed hung over relatives to attend to them.

I found it hard to sympathise with bright red eyes and stella breath :lol:

Manu fans? I say charge all of them double! ;)
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Asian Demon

Member
Joined
15 Apr 2011
Messages
155
I'll be honest when I say I was glad to not be working that day at Euston. Being in rainy Scarborough instead of dealing with drunks and hungover footy fans was a delight.

As for the excuses that some people give, it really does come down to chance. I always feel taking the 'rules are rules' approach works best (maybe not in the eyes of passengers) since you have to look after number one aka yourself. I always have the feeling that the one passenger you show the discretion to will end up telling his or her mates about it and it becomes a perpetual problem going forward.
 

Ticket Man

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2009
Messages
297
Location
The Concrete Box
As for the excuses that some people give, it really does come down to chance. I always feel taking the 'rules are rules' approach works best (maybe not in the eyes of passengers) since you have to look after number one aka yourself.

I'm not so sure that that approach works all the time

I've only been in the job for 3 years now but I learnt pretty quickly that sometimes you bite and some times you let go.
I know people who run by the book and chase everything and as flamingo mentioned earlier, they receive the greatest number of complaints which tends to make their position a little wobbly at times.

To keep the pay checks rolling you have to strike a balance.
 

cuccir

Established Member
Joined
18 Nov 2009
Messages
3,673
This almost happened to me yesterday. Was travelling from Durham to Newark, in order to visit my granny in Southwell (20 min bus from Newark). Anyway she fell ill and we had to call an ambulance. She got taken to Mansfield hospital. She was going to be OK but in for a while, so me hanging around was of no use. Long story short I was able to get back to Newark in time for my train thanks to a taxi, a very prompt bus and some running, but it goes to show that these circumstances can crop up! I'd deliberately kept the bus ticket to help prove my story if I had missed train. I'd have paid on a later train if I'd been made to, but it would have irritated me!
 

island

Veteran Member
Joined
30 Dec 2010
Messages
17,497
Location
0036
I expect the level of proactivity shown by the passenger will speak volumes in establishing his/her good faith. A passenger with a genuine reason or problem will, in my expectation, be more likely to go and find a member of staff to regularize his/her situation. Now as long as it's not "the bloke on the platform", then it'll be fine :D
 

Asian Demon

Member
Joined
15 Apr 2011
Messages
155
I'm not so sure that that approach works all the time

I've only been in the job for 3 years now but I learnt pretty quickly that sometimes you bite and some times you let go.
I know people who run by the book and chase everything and as flamingo mentioned earlier, they receive the greatest number of complaints which tends to make their position a little wobbly at times.

To keep the pay checks rolling you have to strike a balance.

Don't get me wrong, I've shown some discretion from time to time, but it has to be one of those things where you can guarantee you are being told the truth. Too many times where people have lied and it only takes one to cause you and your job more hassle than it's worth.
 

strange6

Established Member
Joined
9 Jan 2011
Messages
1,920
Location
Wigan, Greater manchester
Believe me, I know from bitter experience that I have had a lot more **** from managers for (correctly) selling tickets to people who subsequently complained than I ever had from managers for NOT selling tickets.

Something wrong with the system and how the managers manage then is all I can say. In this world of red-tape and KPI's, it wouldn't surprise me if your manager was watching his back from his boss, no matter if the complaint(s) were valid or not.
 

Dewedin

Member
Joined
8 Jun 2009
Messages
629
this thread has just taken me back to sunday morning when hoards of footy fans used the same excuse to try and get home after a certain 3-1 defeat the night before.
I was informed of no less than 11 sick/injured MOP's that desperately needed hung over relatives to attend to them.

I found it hard to sympathise with bright red eyes and stella breath :lol:

I don't believe you.

It is a well-known fact all Man Utd fans live in London :lol:
 

Ticket Man

Member
Joined
17 Jul 2009
Messages
297
Location
The Concrete Box
there are united fans in Manchester but there more of an underground movement and don't fell safe enough to voice there support in the north.;)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top