[AlekSmart]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Then the driver should call the person back and demand to see the pass, otherwise the driver is not doing their job properly, don't bother going on about how the person will complain etc as if you do your job properlythe complaint is only a moan and not relevant at all, unless the driver is somehow treating those with free travel differently to other passengers with passes that have to be viewed by the driver.

I do this regularly Foggy_Lad,as I totally agree that it is actually my job.

However,in doing so I am rapidly made aware that a significant number of DSP Free Travel Pass holders actually DO expect to be treated differently to other passengers.

For example many DSP clients do not feel any obligation to observe a queue or to allow disembarking passengers off before barging straight through these customers.

Equally,I am regularly taken to task for even asking for the most fleeting glance at a Pass whose holder tell me they have one,but is remarkably reluctant to display it.

By far and away the most common abuse I get is from holders of a "PASS HOLDER ONLY" status document who automatically profess ignorance of such phraseology..."Whaduzdahmean n anyway"....twice today I was described as a "frukken bolli*kz2 for forcing a companion to pay cash money....

So please Foggy,don't patronize me or any of my colleagues,be they IR,Bus Eireann,Dart or Virgin Spaceships, who attempt to perform their "anti-social" duties in the face of almost total disinterest and even fear () from Management.

[mobpd]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Hundreds if not thousands are waved through the barriers daily in Heuston because the barriers are set up wrong and the tickets only work one way and have no indicator which way they should be used. so when a train gets in the guy chatting to other staff at the barriers whose job it is to check all tickets just holds the barrier open and waves everyone through!

Amazingly my Tesco Clubcard shown to a barrier staff also worked on frequent ocassions....i didnt realise that I had shown the wrong side of my ticket wallet until i had got through the gate.

[foggy_lad]

Originally Posted by AlekSmart

I do this regularly Foggy_Lad,as I totally agree that it is actually my job.

However,in doing so I am rapidly made aware that a significant number of DSP Free Travel Pass holders actually DO expect to be treated differently to other passengers.

For example many DSP clients do not feel any obligation to observe a queue or to allow disembarking passengers off before barging straight through these customers.

Equally,I am regularly taken to task for even asking for the most fleeting glance at a Pass whose holder tell me they have one,but is remarkably reluctant to display it.

By far and away the most common abuse I get is from holders of a "PASS HOLDER ONLY" status document who automatically profess ignorance of such phraseology..."Whaduzdahmean n anyway"....twice today I was described as a "frukken bolli*kz2 for forcing a companion to pay cash money....

So please Foggy,don't patronize me or any of my colleagues,be they IR,Bus Eireann,Dart or Virgin Spaceships, who attempt to perform their "anti-social" duties in the face of almost total disinterest and even fear () from Management.

Many of your colleagues cant be ar5ed checking free travel passes but they are possibly fed up of the constant abuse and lack of support from management.

[Hilly Bill]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Your a great advertisment for everything that is wrong with Irish Rail, blame the customer and make them pay twice or more if at all possible even though they will probably switch to the bus or buy a car instead of paying Irish Rail thousands each year in fares. They are Cutting their nose off to spite their face!

Only those that cant produce a ticket at the barrier . The ticket is of no use at home when the owner is on a train.

[Hilly Bill]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Hundreds if not thousands are waved through the barriers daily in Heuston because the barriers are set up wrong and the tickets only work one way and have no indicator which way they should be used. so when a train gets in the guy chatting to other staff at the barriers whose job it is to check all tickets just holds the barrier open and waves everyone through!

Do you stand there and watch these hundreds or thousands ( no ice cream topping jokes pease ) being waved through the barriers everyday?

[Hilly Bill]

Originally Posted by mobpd

Amazingly my Tesco Clubcard shown to a barrier staff also worked on frequent ocassions....i didnt realise that I had shown the wrong side of my ticket wallet until i had got through the gate.

Brilliant

[Hilly Bill]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Many of your colleagues cant be ar5ed checking free travel passes but they are possibly fed up of the constant abuse and lack of support from management.

Have you ever been refused a job with CIE Foggy? Its like that you want to play but they wont let you

[foggy_lad]

Originally Posted by Hilly Bill

Do you stand there and watch these hundreds or thousands ( no ice cream topping jokes pease ) being waved through the barriers everyday?

It is plain as the nose on your face when you are walking through the barriers yourself after getting off the train and most people are being waved through to save them the hassle of trying to put their tickets into the barrier the right way around or right way up and then the barrier not opening because they were an inch or two too close to it.

[foggy_lad]

Originally Posted by Hilly Bill

Have you ever been refused a job with CIE Foggy? Its like that you want to play but they wont let you

Never looked for a job in Irish rail or any CIE company, wouldn't mind it though because although not great the pay is not too bad and working conditions quite good with lots of uncertified days and shift allowances etc. it is a pity they stopped the free travel for staff but then again nobody really goes along with that and all CIE staff travel free across all modes except maybe the Luas.

I regularly see Dublin bus employees getting free carriage on the Waterford bus going to or from work. And have also seen Dublin bus employees get the nod when asked for tickets on trains after showing their work ID

[Victor]

Originally Posted by Hilly Bill

Did they steal your crisps when you were a child or something

Behave

[DixNeuf]

Hi

I got onto the RPU yesterday. I ended up speaking with the chap that emailed me before, I again stated my case and why I was frustrated by how the whole thing was handled. He came across as a reasonable chap on the phone. His main issue seemed to be the amount of time taken up for RPU officers dealing with people with annual/monthly tickets who have made this type of mistake.

Fair enough. I explained in detail that I never had an opportunity to purchase a ticket for the journey at any stage (as I had previously outlined in email correspondence that was not replied to), even if I feel that paying twice is not a great solution.

Bearing this in mind RPU agreed to allow me to pay the 'outstanding fare' for the journey and not the fine.

Personally I actually agree with RPU to a point on this. It must be frustrating to have their time wasted chasing people in this type of scenario. I don't believe it should come under their remit at all. As I said before there really should be a different process in place for dealing with paying customers who have travelled without their ticket in error as opposed to bona-fide fare dodgers. It is ridiculous to treat a significant proportion of your revenue base as criminals until proven innocent.

I seriously hope that IR/IE look at this process, for the sake of the RPU, but more importantly, for the sake of loyal customers.

As was previously suggested, allowing valid ticket holders who have mistakenly travelled without their ticket to prove it was genuine error within a time frame and for the passenger to pay a nominal administrative fee (cross checking that the ticket was not used elsewhere on the day the holder didn't have it) is a relatively straight forward solution that would avoid criminalising and alienating the customer. There could also be a clear limit to the amount of times that this may occur before it is deemed excessive.

Any normal organisation or rational person (no names of posters here ) would have to allow that in the normal course of events, people will occasionally leave the house without locking the back door, or leave their glasses on the mantelpiece, or leave their work pass, mobile phone, wallet, id, annual rail ticket, umbrella, whatever behind them once in a blue moon ! It's not asking too much to expect some amount of understanding in such an instance.

Thanks to RPU for some level of understanding in this instance, I really hope this process is reformed to a better solution for both RPU and passangers.

There are other issues brought up in the course of this discussion that are also worthy of debate.

[monkeypants]

At last, something approaching common sense. Not perfect though, as forgetting an expensive piece of paper shouldn't cost as much as having a train carry you to your destination. A small charge sounds appropriate, but a full fare is not.

[JayRoc]

Originally Posted by Hilly Bill

If you knew the story from previous times then why didnt you just head for the ticket office first ? You were only delaying yourself by giving the poor chap at the barrier attitude.

Because most of the time when this has happened (maybe a dozen or so times to me over the years) whoever is at the barriers will either take the fare or, more commonly, just let me through when I tell them what station I got on at.
And to be fair, I always do my best not to take any frustration I may have out on Irish Rail staff, it's not their fault what happens at other stations.
I expect them to deal with me with a bit of manners and a bit of cop on, though, same as I would them.

[Hilly Bill]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Never looked for a job in Irish rail or any CIE company, wouldn't mind it though because although not great the pay is not too bad and working conditions quite good with lots of uncertified days and shift allowances etc. it is a pity they stopped the free travel for staff but then again nobody really goes along with that and all CIE staff travel free across all modes except maybe the Luas.

I regularly see Dublin bus employees getting free carriage on the Waterford bus going to or from work. And have also seen Dublin bus employees get the nod when asked for tickets on trains after showing their work ID

Assumptions again Foggy

[mickydoomsux]

Originally Posted by foggy_lad

Never looked for a job in Irish rail or any CIE company, wouldn't mind it though because although not great the pay is not too bad and working conditions quite good with lots of uncertified days and shift allowances etc. it is a pity they stopped the free travel for staff but then again nobody really goes along with that and all CIE staff travel free across all modes except maybe the Luas.

I regularly see Dublin bus employees getting free carriage on the Waterford bus going to or from work. And have also seen Dublin bus employees get the nod when asked for tickets on trains after showing their work ID

Yeah, none of those things are even remotely accurate but don't let that stop you.