Luas fine?

Roose

Hi all,

I just received a fine from the Luas even though I haven't taken the Luas in over a year.
Both my name and address were spelled completely wrong on the letter, I'm surprised they even managed to get it to the house. The letter says I took the Luas at some point two weeks ago. The only thing I can think of is an old friend or something gave my details to cover their tracks. My surname sounds like a common surname but is spelled very differently and people always spell it the popular way which is how this was spelled. Obviously they can't have asked for an ID. Just wondering the best way to proceed with this? And if they can check CCTV as I'd love to know who this was.
And I don't want any accusations please.

Thanks.

Hotale.com

Roose wrote: »

Hi all,

I just received a fine from the Luas even though I haven't taken the Luas in over a year.
Both my name and address were spelled completely wrong on the letter, I'm surprised they even managed to get it to the house. The letter says I took the Luas at some point two weeks ago. The only thing I can think of is an old friend or something gave my details to cover their tracks. My surname sounds like a common surname but is spelled very differently and people always spell it the popular way which is how this was spelled. Obviously they can't have asked for an ID. Just wondering the best way to proceed with this? And if they can check CCTV as I'd love to know who this was.
And I don't want any accusations please.

Thanks.

I thought they had to stop asking for addresses over things like this? That's what Iarnród Éireann do anyway. They just kick you off at the next stop and don't let you back on if they see you.

Well, they've the wonderful idea of asking for ID so they know you're you to give you a fine, although no one gives them the ID....

MakeEmLaugh

Roose wrote: »

Hi all,

I just received a fine from the Luas even though I haven't taken the Luas in over a year.
Both my name and address were spelled completely wrong on the letter, I'm surprised they even managed to get it to the house. The letter says I took the Luas at some point two weeks ago. The only thing I can think of is an old friend or something gave my details to cover their tracks. My surname sounds like a common surname but is spelled very differently and people always spell it the popular way which is how this was spelled. Obviously they can't have asked for an ID. Just wondering the best way to proceed with this? And if they can check CCTV as I'd love to know who this was.
And I don't want any accusations please.

Thanks.

I doubt they have CCTV on the Luas. Usually they ask for a mobile phone number and check it there and then to see if it's legitimate. A girl I knew once gave all false details, but had to change the mobile number to a legitimate one when they tested it on the stop. I don't know if they ever followed up on it for her.

I would suggest contacting Veolia Transdev, who run the Luas, to see about getting this quashed. Their number is 01 4614910.

hfallada

I heard on the DART, the inspectors usually carry a Thoms Directory. It has the register of electors for Dublin, address by address. But it generally doesnt have rent accommodation listed. I say phone who ever issued the letter and say someone gave them the wrong info

feargale

hfallada wrote: »

I heard on the DART, the inspectors usually carry a Thoms Directory. It has the register of electors for Dublin, address by address. But it generally doesnt have rent accommodation listed. I say phone who ever issued the letter and say someone gave them the wrong info

I would suggest that if that doesn't work, write to them and keep a copy of the letter. Then if you get a summons go to court, and assuming the judge believes you and dismisses the case, ask for your legal costs against the company,

corktina

I should send it back "not known at this address, address unknown". Seeing as it isn't your address or your name that should be that.

Gatling

MakeEmLaugh wrote: »

I doubt they have CCTV on the Luas

No they have CCTV on all luas carriages

Arthur Beesley

hfallada wrote: »

I heard on the DART, the inspectors usually carry a Thoms Directory. It has the register of electors for Dublin, address by address. But it generally doesnt have rent accommodation listed. I say phone who ever issued the letter and say someone gave them the wrong info

Urban myth I suspect, just like the myth that they actually have ticket inspectors on the DARTs. As a regular user I haven't had my ticket checked in years.

Arthur Beesley

Hotale.com wrote: »

I thought they had to stop asking for addresses over things like this? That's what Iarnród Éireann do anyway. They just kick you off at the next stop and don't let you back on if they see you.

Well, they've the wonderful idea of asking for ID so they know you're you to give you a fine, although no one gives them the ID....

They can and do ask for the address. Otherwise they wouldn't have anywhere to send the fine...

They are also entitled to ask to see ID but most people who get caught seem to have forgotten their wallets that morning as well as their tickets.

Saw one lad get caught there the other day, he gets off the LUAS with the ticket inspector then does a runner. He's ****** the next time he gets caught, hopefully.

MakeEmLaugh

I once saw a thirty-something year old man, who in no way seemed impoverished, get on the Luas at St Stephen's Green. He was with a woman who he must've been be on some kind of date with.

Before the two of them got on, you could see him dismiss her efforts to buy the ticket, as they were only going a short distance (probably Ranelagh or somewhere). He seemed rather pleased with himself, until a ticket inspector asked him for his ticket around Harcourt Street.

How he dealt with this was horrendously smug. He chuckled to the inspector and said, "You know what, you'll never believe it but I forgot to buy the ticket". You could tell he thought his natural 'charm' would get him out of the Luas fine (and the fact that the inspector was a non-Irish national would make it easier to talk down to him than it would an Irish inspector).

Anyway, the inspector proceeded and the man became indignant when it was insisted he get a fine. He ended up getting off the Luas somewhere around Charlemont, tried to get his date to get off but she stayed on.

I don't know how soon after they reunited, or even if they did, but I did get a sense of satisfaction from seeing his 'plan' fall back on him.

I'm not saying I've never taken a risk and gotten on the Luas without paying a ticket, but were I ever to be caught in that situation, I hope I'd never act like such a condescending twat.

goingnowhere

Arthur Beesley wrote: »

They can and do ask for the address. Otherwise they wouldn't have anywhere to send the fine...

They are also entitled to ask to see ID but most people who get caught seem to have forgotten their wallets that morning as well as their tickets.

They have no legal power to ask for anything beyond name and address

If the letter has an inaccurate name and address any summons issued will be invalid.

Return to sender, not known at this address would be great but the letter has been opened, thus suggesting it was received by the named party on the envelope