Can DART ticket office refuse €50 note?

[loobylou]

My daughter was refused a DART ticket today because she could only tender a €50 note at the ticket office. He did not say it was because he had no change, but that it was "policy". He pointed to a note displayed, asking customers to have the correct amount.
This is now the second act of pettiness by DART staff in less then a week directed at her. Where do you think she stands in this instance and would appreciate advice on what to do next.

[ardmacha]

If she bought €50 of tickets, she could not be refused. But no trader is obliged to give change.

That said it is a good indicator of thr service provided by nationalised entities in Ireland.

[manutd]

But no trader is obliged to give change.

It is a very bad service not allowing a €50 note to be used, turning business away. Money is money and every trader should give change out.

[Random]

Was she allowed on anyway?

[Mr.S]

Originally Posted by loobylou

My daughter was refused a DART ticket today because she could only tender a €50 note at the ticket office. He did not say it was because he had no change, but that it was "policy". He pointed to a note displayed, asking customers to have the correct amount.
This is now the second act of pettiness by DART staff in less then a week directed at her. Where do you think she stands in this instance and would appreciate advice on what to do next.

Would you pay with a €50 note for a bus fair?

[loobylou]

Originally Posted by Mr.S

Would you pay with a €50 note for a bus fair?

No, it is clearly stated on the bus that no change will be given.
Even then there is a facility (however poor) for getting your change.

[loobylou]

Originally Posted by Random

Was she allowed on anyway?

A friend had to pay for her ticket. Probably the best outcome as my initial reaction was for her to get on the train without a ticket. My view was that she had not refused to pay the fare but rather the officials had refused to sell her a ticket. Doubt my legal ground there though, in hindsight.

[Fey!]

This has also happened with Iarnrod Eireann train tickets in Ceannt Station in Galway.

One of my colleagues offered a €50 note for a €13 ticket recently, and was refused. The automatic ticket machines in the station didn't work.

[chatterpillar]

As far as I know - short answer - yes, they can. Contract law, offer and acceptance and whatnot.

[Soundman]

I could be wrong but I do remember hearing before that Dublin Bus and Iarnrod Eireann can't refuse travel based on the denomination produced to pay for the fare. If you have enough, or more than enough, money you are supposed to be allowed travel. I know plenty of times I have been travelling on the last train after the local station has closed and gone to pay in Connolly with a €50 note only for them to tell me to go on because they didn't have change.

I think what I heard though was mainly in relation to Dublin Bus since they decided to change policy and forbid their drivers from handling cash.

[Duffff-Man]

Would you go in and pay a €5 train fair with a €500 note? The reality of it is that this policy is set out by the operators of the DART. There has to be a logical reason behind this, one which I cannot see myself. The best thing to do would be to contact them regarding this matter and ask why this is in place. Here is the link:

http://www.irishrail.ie/contact_us/c...t_feedback.asp

[meathstevie]

The only means of payment a trader, no matter which one, has to accept is legal tender : Euro notes and coins in reasonable proportion to the amount owed. For a DART ticket worth let's say €15 Euro I'd deem a €50 note reasonable since most ATM's dispense money in €50 notes.

[dearg lady]

yeah, it's a bit annoying but I think they are entitled to refuse, it quite possibly was because of lack of change, even though he didn't actually say that.

I've googled a few things, can't seem to find any answers! It's quite interesting, I have seen signs in shops before saying x notes not accepted, usually anything bigger than a 100. I often wondered if this was legal. If they on't have change, fair enough, but to just refuse, hmmm, I wonder.

I'd contact Irish Rail and see what their official policy is on this, and in future make sure she has change, cos they could either have no change or try to give change of €50 in €1 coins or something!!

[MunsterCycling]

The €200 and €500 notes are not legal tender and therefore don't have to be accepted but the rest is fair game and as has been pointed out legal tender must be accepted for settlement of a debt but not sure what a ticket is regarded as.

MC

[nipplenuts]

Originally Posted by Duffff-Man

Would you go in and pay a €5 train fair with a €500 note? The reality of it is that this policy is set out by the operators of the DART. There has to be a logical reason behind this, one which I cannot see myself. The best thing to do would be to contact them regarding this matter and ask why this is in place. Here is the link:

http://www.irishrail.ie/contact_us/c...t_feedback.asp

Because if three people want to pay for €2 tickets with €50 notes, there's no change left for anyone. I'm going to presume in the case of the OP, that it was not his daughter's first time to use the Dart.............