Ticket gate-dodging with a valid ticket

[kristiang85]

A couple of years back I missed a train because I had a printed ticket so had to use the luggage gate, which was taken up by a lady and the gate person remonstrating over something at length. As the train came into the platform, I asked if I could just nip through and the bloke said "no, wait your turn". So obviously I missed it (this was an SWR station).

I always wondered what would have happened had I just vaulted the barrier. I had a valid ticket and the train was right there, but the mood of the member of staff made me think it wouldnt be wise. Luckily it was a flexible ticket and to be honest I was expecting to get the next train anyway, I was just a bit earlier than planned - but it's an incident that's always rankled with me.

 

[Andy Pacer]

A couple of years back I missed a train because I had a printed ticket so had to use the luggage gate, which was taken up by a lady and the gate person remonstrating over something at length. As the train came into the platform, I asked if I could just nip through and the bloke said "no, wait your turn". So obviously I missed it (this was an SWR station).

I always wondered what would have happened had I just vaulted the barrier. I had a valid ticket and the train was right there, but the mood of the member of staff made me think it wouldnt be wise. Luckily it was a flexible ticket and to be honest I was expecting to get the next train anyway, I was just a bit earlier than planned - but it's an incident that's always rankled with me.

This is similar to my point, it just 'feels' like it is wrong to jump the barriers whatever the circumstance.

 

[northken]

A friend and I pushed through the barriers at Greenford once as the tube machines couldn't sell the (national rail) ticket we wanted and the staff member was in the control room, too busy to notice us. It felt very wrong, but that there was no suitable alternative.

 

[Bletchleyite]

A friend and I pushed through the barriers at Greenford once as the tube machines couldn't sell the (national rail) ticket we wanted and the staff member was in the control room, too busy to notice us. It felt very wrong, but that there was no suitable alternative.

I've done the same - had a valid ticket but the barriers rejected it. Nobody said anything.

More alarmingly, I first went for the "emergency open" button on the barrier console but it was jammed. Unimpressed was an understatement. In a fire people might have died.

 

[island]

I see where you're coming from, but it just seems extreme to literally jump it. Is there a liklihood a passenger would be held hostage? Agree if a gateline is unattended but even then I would expect there to be a staff member around somewhere.

Gatelines must be left open if they are unattended (though they can be attended remotely if there is an intercom or similar).

 

[Andy Pacer]

Gatelines must be left open if they are unattended (though they can be attended remotely if there is an intercom or similar).

That was my understanding hence my surprise at a previous post implying it may be necessary to jump them!

 

[js1000]

Odd question I know, but I'm interested as to what would happen if you jumped the barrier and were stopped by staff who then found you in possession of a valid ticket. In that case have you actually done anything wrong apart from looking suspicious? Would response vary from ticket inspectors, station staff and agency staff?

More specifically, one of my friends was unaware her off peak, any route permitted ticket allowed her to break her journey and so jumped the barriers at a station part-way along her return. When stopped by staff (I don't know what type) they took her (valid) ticket and told her to buy another to "teach her a lesson". I'm not saying anyone's in the wrong, I'm just wondering if this was fair. I understand she had the intention to potentially fare-dodge, but does this actually allow them to confiscate a valid ticket? I wouldn't be surprised if there is some kind of by-law or policy somebody knows about though.

A lot of legal speak on here that is rarely applied. It is simply not expected that TOC and agency staff would not have a detailed awareness of such by-laws. They are not legal professionals (i.e. a lawyer) after all and have to apply discretion 'in the moment' so to speak.

People on here seem to think gateline staff are judge, jury and executioner when they are quite evidently not. Their job is to simply identify who has a ticket and who does not, and subsequently issue penalty fares or collect details for further investigation. Any legal statements (which may prejudice and contradict the TOCs position) are always strongly discouraged by the TOCs.

So in reality if you have a valid ticket and jump ticket barriers you would be asked "why on earth did you feel the need to do that?" and a stern warning not to do that again is sufficient enough. 317666 who is a member of gateline staff and summarises it well. Many queue jumpers have a valid ticket and usually it is a teen doing it "for a laugh" or a drunk getting the last train at home at 11pm.

 

[rg177]

I recall going to Wembley Central first thing in the morning for the 4:21 train into Euston. The barrier was left shut and my ticket (All Liner) didn't work. Thankfully shouting "excuse me!" rather loudly across the concourse caused a bloke to appear from an office. I narrowly caught the train.

The only time I've jumped (or rather, climbed under) a barrier is in Spain with an Interrail pass where ticket gates on suburban lines are unstaffed by default except in major stations. I made sure my ticket was visible in my hand before attempting!

 

[VauxhallandI]

It seems incredulous that the person with a valid ticket was punished when I see people push through barriers regularly in front of staff and have no challenge (rightly or wrongly) made when it is obvious they have no valid ticket.

 

[Horizon22]

Gatelines must be left open if they are unattended (though they can be attended remotely if there is an intercom or similar).

Yes they must, but you'll be surprised how many times around London I've seen them shut (both NR and TfL services) with no staff member around to help. Occasionally they'll do the classic "leave-the-Wide-Aisle-Gate-open" approach but people can't see this and just force their way through. It actually encourages this behaviour even more than just a passive gateline staff in a booth or whatever.

 

[[.n]]

I've often had to force my way through the barriers at tube stations (when holding a valid ticket) [usually only if the train I needed was approaching] otherwise I would try and wait until a member of staff turned up.

Also because of the layout of Waterloo, there are often unstaffed "sections" so sometimes there its also expedient to force the gates or tailgate, especially for the times when the gateline staff refuse to be educated/learn after many times the validity of tickets - thats just sheer ignorance on their part - I once had a friendly guard explain to an individual I used to have daily run-ins with, that yes my ticket was valid and still been refused, to the stage I got an on station RPI to try and explain to the individual that it was fine - cue of course said individual refusing to let me past later that day, and me either tailgating or forcing the gate in order to catch my train.

 

[All Line Rover]

...it just 'feels' like it is wrong to jump the barriers whatever the circumstance.

Nonsense. With an attitude like the poster referenced, barging through is too polite a reply.