So what are you to do then? Say "it wasn't me"? If that was the case, everyone would be doing it, guilty or not.
It's going to be pretty hard to prove in writing that it wasn't you.
Someone gave my name in when they got caught on the train without a ticket
- Thread starter just Scott
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So what are you to do then? Say "it wasn't me"? If that was the case, everyone would be doing it, guilty or not.
It's going to be pretty hard to prove in writing that it wasn't you.
They need to prove his guilt.
NOM8
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It is, but if he ignores it, it'll end up in court anyway. So why not try and head it off and show willingness?
Yes, yes, somebody will now argue 'omg why should you' but the answer is, well, to make your life easier.
Currently they think the person they've written to is the person spoken to on the train. Until there is anything to make them think otherwise, its going straight to court if he just ignores everything.
That's my point. They have no proof. You writing a letter to them won't change a damn thing.
How is ignoring a letter being a tough guy? Ignoring something is a passive move, not something you associate with a tough guy. An internet tough guy would write them an angry letter.
Ignoring it is exactly what a 'legitimate' fare dodger often does, as well. I can't see why you think its a smart thing to do?
He is totally innocent - its therefore in his interests to try and get this cleared up before it goes to court. Depending on what he says and how he says it a decently worded letter could cause them to give him the benefit of the doubt and drop it. Perhaps it will perhaps it won't, but there is a chance. Whereas if you ignore it, you'll end up having to deal with it anyway, but in court, in person. Great.
He is totally innocent - its therefore in his interests to try and get this cleared up before it goes to court. Depending on what he says and how he says it a decently worded letter could cause them to give him the benefit of the doubt and drop it. Perhaps it will perhaps it won't, but there is a chance. Whereas if you ignore it, you'll end up having to deal with it anyway, but in court, in person. Great.
They do not have the authority to detain you, but the British Transport Police, who would almost certainly be called to meet the train at its next stop in such a scenario, do. A huge number of stations are now controlled by barriers anyway so if you disembarked at the next stop you'd probably find it problematic getting out anyway.
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I'd roll up in court with my best keyboard and just say "OCUK will be hearing about this and I'm sure will be most displeased".
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That's what you do to start with, yes. Otherwise they might assume you are ducking the charge and take it further. Which, as has been pointed out - they will.
You need to inform them that it was not you, and that they need to prove it, not ignore them in order to 'stick it to the man'.
Because it's the same "I would ignore it", 'stick it to the man' stupid attitude that such people adopt.
I, and most people, would be pretty concerned about being taken to court for basically no reason. So I'd work with them to resolve it. The head in the sand thing really doesn't work in the real world. Aside from certain instances such as parking fines.
Why do you care?
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/52-53/57/section/5
...which has been around since 1889, hence the rather grand title for the ticket inspectors, which is "Revenue Protection Officer".
...which has been around since 1889, hence the rather grand title for the ticket inspectors, which is "Revenue Protection Officer".
The bus company that I work for (also the largest train operator in the UK), an inspector asks for your ticket you show it or you will be fined, refuse the fine and they will detain you until the police arrive and will have you arrested.
A customer does not own the ticket, a ticket remains the property of the train operating company throughout the journey which is why at the end of some journeys you will be asked to surrender your ticket (usually through a barricade machine).
A train operating company has the right to detain an non-fare paying customer until the attendance from the BTP. Occasionally they will be ejected at the next stop without BTP attendance however more serious offences (cross country) will almost certainly incur police attendance. Yes delays to train services are frowned upon but if you are suggesting that TOC's will ignore fare dodgers to avoid delays to train services you are sorely mistaken.
To the OP: Ring Merseyrail customer services. Explain your plight and I dare say that will be the end of the matter. Much easier than attending court, even if you know you have done nothing wrong.
A train operating company has the right to detain an non-fare paying customer until the attendance from the BTP. Occasionally they will be ejected at the next stop without BTP attendance however more serious offences (cross country) will almost certainly incur police attendance. Yes delays to train services are frowned upon but if you are suggesting that TOC's will ignore fare dodgers to avoid delays to train services you are sorely mistaken.
To the OP: Ring Merseyrail customer services. Explain your plight and I dare say that will be the end of the matter. Much easier than attending court, even if you know you have done nothing wrong.
Law joke 5...
I'm utterly bemused that people are saying to ignore it. If you ignore it, it will simply result in a court summons. Although, you would not actually need to go and you can plead in writing, and they could find you innocent - is it really worth going this far?
At the moment, they think it's you - and have no reason to doubt otherwise. Call them, present doubt that it's you, and I suspect it will go away.
At the moment, they think it's you - and have no reason to doubt otherwise. Call them, present doubt that it's you, and I suspect it will go away.
Call them up on Monday. A similar thing happened to me in the past, had a letter from Croydon Tramlink. I explained they must have had the wrong person as I've never set foot on a tram before and lived at the opposite end of London. I did also mentioned I worked in an 9-5 office job locally and could have got proof from my employer if required. They were fine with what I told them and wrote the fine off. They even apologised for the inconvenience. 