People pushing though train barriers

[ChaoticBag]

There was a thread a month or two ago about the epidemic of younger people/teenagers pushing or jumping through train barriers to avoid payment.

At the time I did think well that's just kids doing their rebellious thing, can't be that prevalent surely...but in the last 3 days I've taken the train each day and on pretty much each journey someone has pushed through the barrier to avoid paying, on of of those occasions it was two people.

All of those I saw were probably older teenagers - not to say of course that adults don't do it too.

And that was just the journeys I was on personally 😂

Not sure what my point is except to say the OP of that thread was right and I was wrong!

I get it - it's expensive and we are in very troubled times financially. But what confidence they have to do this and know they'll get away with it 😦

Each time the station employee shouted out angrily but didn't do anything else - not much they can do probably. And imagine that happening every time a train comes in - they must be resigned to it by now.

I remember watching a homeless person do it and I was so shocked! It doesn't seem like the staff do anything.

Maybe the staff are told not to pursue non payers, in a similar way to retail staff being told not to challenge shoplifters for fear of reprisal.

I went through the larger barriers with myself and my children and some man jumped in between them and came through with us! Couldn't believe the cheek, staff saw him and I called out loudly to him but they didn't even say anything

We watched a programme about tube/trains and it's either transport police or they have wardens that go after them train staff don't approach them.

It's not true that they don't stop anyone anymore they are clearly just selective as I was stopped going through the larger barriers a week ago with my just turned 10 year old and they refused to let us through because he didn't answer his date of birth (he has SM and doesn't speak to strangers) I answered for him but clearly they wanted him to answer and thought I was lying as they wouldn't let me through had to take a bus to another station to get home.

Only people I've seen actually stop people are the people from revenue protection. I watched a very nice documentary series where they caught fare evaders and I felt happy.

Obviously everyone should pay their fare.

It's like so much these days and done on "enforced" on the basis of honesty and "fear" of consequences, rather than actually actively policed.

The whole ethos is that most people are fundamentally honest and that most "honest" people don't realise that enforcement/punishment is more smoke and mirrors than reality.

If you are subject to a ticket inspection on a train, the "guard" has no rights to check your identity, so you can tell him any made up name and address and there's nothing he can do about it. The "fine" will go to the address you gave them and you'll hear no more about it!

It's like the old TV detector van scam where they parked an "empty" van with a huge aerial thingie on the top, in random streets, to "scare" people into buying a TV licence. Same philosophy really that works until enough people realise it was empty!

Same with shoplifting, now that it's widespread knowledge that store security staff can't physically apprehend you, so you can, legally, just walk away and they can't do anything about it, especially when there's no police back up.

All they can do (trains and shops) is ban the frequent, well known offenders, which relies on staff recognising prior offenders.

Quite often I've seen ticket inspectors call up and check details. And I feel it's an offense to lie to them. I think an authorised inspector is allowed to get Ur details.

They're all on CCTV

Those that are prolific and eventually get caught get fined from the length of time it first began

People have lost high flying jobs over this and been struck off if they do jobs that are regulated or deemed to be one where you have to be honest ie lawyer doctor etc

Well there you go, if you'd forced yourselves through the barrier and just walked off they wouldn't have said anything. Not that I'm saying you should have.

Oh that does sound satisfying!

Yes there was a well publicised case of the prosecution of a very well heeled chap who had been avoiding tapping in till half way through his commute for years and years.

Where I live (inner city London, Zone 2), no one pushes through barriers other than young men of a specific demographic. It's clearly not due to lack of money but because of a sense of entitlement as the aggressive and arrogant attitude speaks volumes.

Had a chat staff with the staff once and I completely sympathise with them as they feel not only scared of being stabbed but also bound and gagged as that specific demographic likes to play a particular card when caught doing illegal things.

A tourist did this to me recently. She didn’t look like she didn’t have the fair. She pushed me through the barrier and cruised behind me - and when I turned (thinking I’d taught my bag on something) she just flashed me a lovely smile as if nothing had happened and joined her friend and off the walked.

I think I told her to ‘f off and buy a bloody ticket’ (my back was bloody sore and she had manhandled me!).

it’s happened to me a few times in the past week (lads in hoodies) when it’s not happened to me for years. I don’t say anything to these guys as they don’t look like they’d give me a nice smile. I think it’s just a ‘thing’ now with the young uns…

I was once waiting for a friend at Vauxhall station in London. I was there for about ten minutes, waiting just beyond the ticket barriers. In that time, I saw at least four instances of people simply forcing their way through the wide gate. None of them were challenged.

I don’t understand how they get away with it. I’ve been on a train before and someone didn’t have a ticket. Conductor was going bonkers and the guy said he had no money and wouldn’t give a name. The police were waiting for him at the station.

must admit it crossed my mind that couldn’t you just give a false name and address to the conductor 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes a woman held my waist and was so close to get through, I turned round in shock but she walked off quickly. How dare they touch people.

on another note, have you seen the

people putting tissue packets on each seat rest then coming back for a donation? I throw them on the floor so that they are hunting round
when they come back…

And at stansted airport apparently the revenue people wait for the London trains and check tickets. Loads of people don’t realise they need a ticket or think the whole journey is covered by their Oyster card or something. Loads of people every day making a genuine mistake and they won’t let them buy a ticket. So the easy targets get a £70 fine

I'm on my 4th letter for someone who doesn't live at my address for fare evasion on Thameslink. I've been returning them to sender, but got fed up and opened the last one. So perfectly easy just to give a made up address.

I hate it when people push through the barriers with me - such an invasion of space. I'm less bothered when they just jump the barriers.

I deliberately walk slowly through barriers for this very reason. And give people both barrels if they try to do it to me.

But I’m a bit of an arse and starting to get v fed up for antisocial behaviour, so I call people out (where I feel safe to, which is mostly).

I do worry that an obvious failure to crack down on “minor” offences like fare evasion helps create a general sense of lawlessness which becomes quite worrying.

I regularly travel on the Underground and you see it all the time, and it feeds into the idea that the people who are paying the fares are just mugs as there are apparently no consequences for forcing your way through a barrier right under the staff’s noses - they just look on, slightly bored.

Only people I've seen actually stop people are the people from revenue protection. I watched a very nice documentary series where they caught fare evaders and I felt happy.

Friend of mine worked in revenue protection. She was assaulted more than once. One time she was knocked down and her glasses broken. They did prosecute; she used to have to go to court and give evidence.

She told me that once she was on duty at a major London terminus when a bloke got arsey about showing his ticket, then tried to leg it. Got more than he bargained for - he found himself surrounded by armed police. It was a time when the terrorist threat was heightened, the control room had seen that there was an altercation at the barrier, wasn't sure what was going on, so decided to send the team in.

Selective in that they only harass women with children and completely ignore any man clearly breaking the rules it seems.