Reported for possible prosecution - problems paying at destination (Preston)

[WelshBluebird]

I am just curious why everyone tries to pay by card for small value fares, what is wrong with boring old cash?

Most of these threads seem to come about because a card has been declined and carrying cash would prevent any problems.
Okay I dont mean walk around with £500 in your pocket but £20-£30 of readies isnt too difficult is it?

Quite often it is just convenience.
The only times I tend to pay for something in cash now is on a night out!
Plus of course, many smaller villages don't have a cash machine at all (or only has one that charges you a stupid amount to get at your money).

At the end of the day, the railways accept card as a method of payment. So if your card is declined for a reason other than lack of funds, then I really don't think its fair that you can be prosecuted. Also some stations only have ticket machines that are card only anyway.

(a note regarding cards being declined - quite often people don't know their card cannot be used onboard a train. It simply isn't advertised by the bank.).

 

[Roverman]

Yes, cards get declined all the time, not necessarily due to lack of funds. Only a few weeks ago the entire Lloyds network went down on a Friday afternoon and RBS was playing up for almost a month not so long ago.

It is disappointing that TOCs feel the need to outsource their RP work to firms like G4S who literally don't care about the whys and wherefores and throw the harshest punishment possible at people, I am certain that a wise and experienced 'guard' would know quite quickly who was 'trying it on' and who had a genuine situation.

I see no reason why with the advent of technology we can't be issued with a proper receipt for every journey we pay for which has a verifiable ref number on it that in the event your ticket was lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, the RPI could tap the ref number into his little computer and it would print off your journey info.

 

[455driver]

I see no reason why with the advent of technology we can't be issued with a proper receipt for every journey we pay for which has a verifiable ref number on it that in the event your ticket was lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed,

or given to my mate sat in the next coach/ on the next train,

the RPI could tap the ref number into his little computer and it would print off your journey info.

Post suitably edited to show why it isnt done!

 

[steadmane]

The whole banking system wants to move towards cashless transactions - even allowing PIN-less transactions of small amounts. A customer can't be criticized for joining an unstaffed station and then having issues with his card if funds are availiable. Even if funds are not availiable due to an oversight. It's certainly not intent.

It amazes me the amount of times you hear on-train ticket selling come to an abrupt end when someone gets out an Electron card to pay. I haven't seen any information advising beforehand where an average customer is advised this is an unacceptable form of payment.

Sadly, the going to the bank bit is the only issue that would concern me if I were caught up in this. The rest I would fight.

Never been in this situation but I don't believe a rail company can sue you for anything else you have said or done.

 

[sheff1]

I am just curious why everyone tries to pay by card for small value fares, what is wrong with boring old cash?

Most of these threads seem to come about because a card has been declined and carrying cash would prevent any problems.
Okay I dont mean walk around with £500 in your pocket but £20-£30 of readies isnt too difficult is it?

Why should anyone need to carry cash for train fares when TOCs advertise they accept cards ? As long as your card has enough funds/credit on it that should be good enough.

In southern Sweden cash is not accepted on board any trains or buses. Everyone who does not hold a smartcard, paper or e-ticket is obliged to pay by credit/debit card even for the lowest value fare. In my frequent travels there I have never witnessed a card being declined.

 

[Lampshade]

I am just curious why everyone tries to pay by card for small value fares, what is wrong with boring old cash?

Most of these threads seem to come about because a card has been declined and carrying cash would prevent any problems.
Okay I dont mean walk around with £500 in your pocket but £20-£30 of readies isnt too difficult is it?

Because unlike a lot of station food outlets, there is no minimum charge for paying by card for a ticket. If I walked into (Preston) station with a fiver in cash, buy a ticket using cash and then go to Upper Crust for a coffee with the intention of paying by card - oops, £3 minimum charge for card payment, so I have to draw a tenner out; whereas the other way round isn't such a PITA.

 

[maniacmartin]

Because I earn airmiles on my AmEx and when paying with a credit card get more protection than with cash due to S75 of the Consumer Credit Act and don't have to keep visiting cash machines or accumulate small change jangling around in my pocket. I can also look through my bank statement at the end of the month and work out where I spent my money, which helps with household budgeting. Also, building up a credit history of paying off a few hundred pounds of debt on time every month will (I assume) help me when I eventually apply for a mortgage or other credit.

I always have a backup card, cheque book and around £30 in cash on me too though, just in case.

 

[farwa]

so it seems to me like the problem started when i tried leaving the station which is fair enough but if you have been to preston train station you will notice taht therte are 2 exists when he allowed me to get the cash i got confused and went in to the exist which has all the self pay ticket machines and services but when i didnt find it i came back inside note i could have gone from there without him noticing but then i came back and when i noticed the ATM i went there and it wasnt working so then i decided to take the exist where the stairs were he from there could clearly see me so if i really wanted to go without paying the ticket i could have used the eneterance where he could not see me leaving. i know some people will say why didnt you use the self pay ticket machine that was becasue he asked me to come to him so i thought there is no point ill just get the cash and go to him

 

[snail]

This is a good example of being careful with what you admit to. Not only were there machines at the entrance but also a staffed ticket office which could have accepted your card.

So to the inspector it will have looked like you went to the ticket office, changed your mind and visited the ATM then changed it for a second time and tried to leave the station without paying.

 

[farwa]

i have no idea what to do now
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
anyone know in how many days i have to return the letter as it doesnt say it

 

[northwichcat]

I am just curious why everyone tries to pay by card for small value fares, what is wrong with boring old cash?

Most of these threads seem to come about because a card has been declined and carrying cash would prevent any problems.
Okay I dont mean walk around with £500 in your pocket but £20-£30 of readies isnt too difficult is it?

Say the fare is £5.10 and you have 2 x £10 notes and a card. The card may be better for both parties as they don't run out of change so quickly and you don't have to carry the change with you.

£5.10 may be a good fare if you have a lot of coppers you want to get rid of but that's assuming your journey is planned and you know the fare. For a college student who missed the bus and caught the train instead they might not know the fare or have enough change to make a cash transaction.

Also some operators like Northern have installed card only machines at unstaffed stations and stations with limited staffing hours, so having cash is no good for these machines. Even the ones that take cash can run out of change or reject your £10 note.

 

[farwa]

so should i write after explaining to them what happened that " i apologies for the misunderstanding and am ready to pay the ticket fare and any administrative costs that you may require as i want this matter to be handled in a civil manner and to be finished quickly".

 

[Paul Kelly]

I would say any administrative costs "that you may have incurred" rather than "that you may require" - sounds more formal and polite.

 

[farwa]

can i show anyone here my letter to read and see if its okay to send?

 

[telstarbox]

It may be better if you send it via PM (private message) rather than posting on this thread. Would any members be happy to proof read?

 

[farwa]

would i need to give my banks statement to show my bank card had worked before or should i just write it

 

[snail]

No, just tell them you have used it on previous occasions to buy tickets and can provide evidence if required.

It will also help if you write correctly. Don't write everything in lower case, including 'I'.

 

[farwa]

okay one more question when i asked the staff member to allow me to buy a ticket on that day he said no he cant do it because he just sent of the report whilst i was standing there the whole time but he had only rang someone to confirm my adress
can i add this in or should i not?

 

[snail]

Would it make any difference? You have already said your card wasn't being accepted so how were you going to pay later?

Stick to the facts and don't make excuses, they will have heard them all before.

 

[farwa]

am not making excuses my card only didnt work in his machine other wise it was working because afterwards when i went to take money out from bank it worked and that is exactly what he said to me. But thank you for your help