Why do so many people want to avoid their fare?

[Skipness]

If this is more relevant in the general discussion forum, please move.

Today I was on an early afternoon southbound EMT service from Sheffield (an "open" station)

When the inspector came to the area I was seating in he picked up on a passenger across the aisle from me who presented an expired discount card (claimed he had left his up to date card behind) Result was that he had to pay £70+ for a new ticket. The next two passengers were in order, as I was with a senior railcard that wasn't examined closely. I must look genuine. The girl opposite me presented her ticket which was accepted without comment. Her travelling companion presented her ticket and 16-25 railcard. This was examined and found to be expired. Cue another payment, this time for around £20.
So in just this small area of one coach, approaching £100 paid over.
However, once the inspector had moved away the first girl told me that she hadn't a railcard at all, and had decided to chance it...... and had got away with it!
Is this level of fare evasion common, or was it pure chance that I came across so much on this journey?

 

[najaB]

Why do people try to avoid paying?

Because they'd rather the money be in their pocket than the greedy, fat-cat train company *******'s.

(Obviously, not a view I share).

 

[robbeech]

So many share the view that because the trains are so old and often late that they shouldn't have to pay. They are sadly too unintelligent to realise that it is their money that would improve things.

Yesterday on my way home from London on a VTEC service the ticket inspection took place around 20 minutes after leaving King's Cross. The lady was very polite but absolutely ruthless with everything. Checking all railcards, telling people that their railcard was expiring soon, generally doing the job properly. She also made a note of a couple of seat numbers, one from a guy who bought a single to Peterborough after being asleep. She gave him an off peak ticket but didn't apply railcard discount, a fair (fare) compromise I think. She noted his seat number. I got off at Peterborough to jump on another service, he didn't. She knew he wouldn't hence the noting of the seat number, hopefully he was charged accordingly.

I was in unreserved coach H about halfway down, and she got to us about 12 minutes before Peterborough. There is no way she could have finished the entire rather busy train before the first stop so the guy would have been better standing between B and C

 

[PeterC]

If she is professional about it she will probably start from the opposite end next time.

 

[Polarbear]

It's become something of a national sport in the UK in certain circles to avoid payments on lots of things - it's not just restricted to rail fares.

As regards rail fares though, I think part of the problem is to do with a public perception that rail fares are expensive. This can of course, be argued until the cows come home, have been milked & sent out to the field again, but it is something that's also re-enforced in some press coverage too.

Only today, I was reading an article about the two people who are travelling around the UK to video stops/visits to every station. In the comments section, there were the usual comments about how high UK rail fares are in comparison to those cheap flights - which of course, completely miss the point that those "cheap" air fares are being compared to "walk up" fares on the railway.

Given that perception that's being peddled, it's no surprise that some will set out to avoid paying the fare due.

 

[Islineclear3_1]

Many will just "chance it" hoping there'll be no checks.

For most folk, money is scarce as incomes are squeezed and they are thinking where they can save money

 

[Andrewlong]

Many will just "chance it" hoping there'll be no checks.

For most folk, money is scarce as incomes are squeezed and they are thinking where they can save money

I suspect the risks of getting caught on many lines is very low and when nabbed they will simply say they didn't have time to pay and will cough up in front of guard. Plus for some it's not considered theft - the train is running irrespective of them being on it.

 

[island]

Try holding a post with Security Clearance or Developed Vetting in the civil service then.

Been there. It was necessary to account for a letter I had written to a newspaper over ten years prior and whilst I was a minor.

 

[Fare-Cop]

The offence of 'intending to avoid payment of a rail fare' pervades all levels of society and it seems that it always has done.

The legal precedent that is most frequently quoted is the Appeal Court case of Corbyn [1978] when Lord Widgery & colleagues gave the commonsense judgment, which confirms for us all that 'a person who knows that a fare is due and who could pay before boarding the train and who chooses not to do so, but who intends to pay the fare only if asked to do so later' does indeed intend to avoid paying.

Who was Corbyn? None other than Piers Corbyn, the elder brother of a prominent politician in the news right now.

He’s been mentioned on here before, but in the 1940s Dr C E M Joad was one of the biggest celebrities of his time before his downfall in a scandal over an unpaid train fare. Joad was one of the best known British intellectuals of his time and undeniably very well-paid as a mainstay of BBC broadcasting. He stood as a Labour candidate in 1946, but lost. He didn’t need to cheat the railways, but Joad boasted in print, "I cheat the railway company whenever I can."

In 1948 Joad was finally caught travelling from Waterloo to Exeter by train without a valid ticket. When he failed to give a satisfactory explanation Magistrates convicted him of fare evasion. This made front-page headlines in the national newspapers, destroyed his hopes of a title for which he seemed destined and resulted in his dismissal from the BBC.

From the unfortunate individuals who may be sadly down on their luck, unable to pay through lack of funds and take a chance, all the way up the scale to the wealthiest earners and seemingly most privileged in society, modern history is littered with examples of those going out of their way to cheat the railways out of fares rightfully due.

 

[fowler9]

Because they'd rather the money be in their pocket than the greedy, fat-cat train company *******'s.

(Obviously, not a view I share).

What you said, again not that I agree with these people. Most obvious and correct answer though. Next question.

 

[baz962]

Thought I would add my ten cents worth to say its everywhere I work at one of our airports and people try to get away without paying for parking from the excuses to tailgating out a barrier or even knocking a barrier off and even driving at staff

 

[Sprinter153]

I think part of the issue is that a proportion of Guards just don't do revenue so the chance of getting away with it is high. The reasons I've heard for not bothering range from:

a) I'm the union rep, management won't touch me.
b) I've been here since before management were a glint in the milkman's eye, they can't tell me what to do.
c) I'm too busy to do tickets. (often ironically said whilst they're reading the Evening Standard or playing Candy Crush)
d) I'm not an RPI so I'm not getting involved.

This makes it harder for the rest of us that actually do tickets because free travel becomes an expectation and perhaps once a week when they might be asked to cough up they are more resistant to it. Also the guards that don't do tickets have less trouble, which leads managers to send the proactive staff on conflict avoidance courses and poor performance plans when the inevitable confrontation comes along.

Sadly, it's a big cycle. Revenue doesn't get taken so fewer people pay so the dedicated staff get disheartened at the abuse and hassle so less revenue gets taken and even fewer people pay.

It's sad.