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Forced Market Research on Trains

  • 21-06-2014 10:41pm
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭


    I got the train to Cork earlier today and the strangest thing happened during the journey:D

    I boarded in Portlaoise and there was a woman going through the whole train "checking" tickets. you might ask what is strange about that because trains regularly have ticket checks but this woman was not an Irish Rail or RPU employee but was working for a company called Amárach doing market research!

    Just to be clear this woman was not asking passengers if they would like to take part in a survey or if she could ask them a few questions about their journey but she was going to every table and row of seats demanding to see tickets from passengers as if she was an RPU agent. There was no mention at all of market research or her taking personal details including names addresses and PPS numbers for a private research company!

    All the passengers I saw obviously thought she was a legitimate ticket checker and obliged when she turned to them and said "tickets please". She was writing down the particulars of each ticket including the numbers etc for the online printout tickets and she was also demanding to examine free travel passes from passengers with social welfare tickets and writing down details from the passes including name and PPS numbers! Passengers clearly thought she worked for Irish Rail. There may also be data protection issues with this woman gather this information from passengers who believe she works for Irish Rail not some research company!

    I asked the train host what she was up to and he told me who she was and that she apparently had permission to be on the train, He told me that I did not have to show her my ticket or answer her questions if I did not want to.

    She had a letter that gave her permission to be on station concourses and platforms and also on vehicles but only where passengers had access. It did not give any permission to take, check or record passengers details or their travel arrangements.

    Anyway she got to me and I asked what she was doing and she said a ticket check so I asked was she an Irish Rail employee and she went into a speil about how her company are doing a survey on trains for Irish Rail so she is working for Irish Rail and is authorised to check tickets and also demand and check all free travel passes and other travel cards and student cards.

    At this stage I asked if she had a rail warrant card or an Irish Rail staff ID as advised by someone on the Rail users Ireland twitter feed. She said no so I refused to show my ticket and told her I did not want to take part in any market research or survey. she then told me about her letter giving her permission to do all her ticket checking so I asked to see that but she said she didn't have it because the driver had it. What was she doing in the driving cab if she only had permission to go where passengers were allowed?

    Anyway was I right to create a little mini-scene on the train?(there was no shouting or fisticuffs) Should I have just handed over my information to a company acting in such a sleazy manner?

    Was this woman right to be forcing a captive audience to take part in a survey they knew nothing about and allowing passengers to think she was an RPU agent/Irish Rail staff by her manner and actions?





    TL;DR Woman pretended to be irish rail ticket checker to gather market research information from people who may not have entertained her if they were told the truth. Might also be data protection issues.


«134

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,159 ✭✭✭SeanW


    That sounds seriously dodgy, alright, especially the bit about taking peoples names, addresses and PPS numbers.

    I've had a passing look at the topic of data protection legislation and there are strict limits to what sort of data you can gather, under what circumstances, what you can do with it and how long a data controller can keep it.

    I imagine the Data Protection Commissioner would take a dim view of this if informed. You were dead right to "make as scene."


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭Grolschevik


    Was your trauma worth the time it took to type that?

    I hope so, because it certainly wasn't worth the time it took me to read it. And I skipped...




    (Amarach are a respected and legit market research company who no doubt have been contracted by Irish Rail to survey passengers for a particular reason. Perhaps to do with misuse of social welfare passes, based on your anecdote).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,058 ✭✭✭AltAccount


    Was your trauma worth the time it took to type that?

    I hope so, because it certainly wasn't worth the time it took me to read it. And I skipped...




    (Amarach are a respected and legit market research company who no doubt have been contracted by Irish Rail to survey passengers for a particular reason. Perhaps to do with misuse of social welfare passes, based on your anecdote).

    Wow, that's a healthy bit of disrespect there!

    Is it not fair to expect to be allowed to opt out of a marketing survey?
    Do you not agree that the woman was misrepresenting herself?


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Was your trauma worth the time it took to type that?

    I hope so, because it certainly wasn't worth the time it took me to read it. And I skipped...

    Read the Commuting and Transport Charter before posting again! If you don't like threads, skip them.

    Note to all: No more replying to this.

    - Mod


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,337 ✭✭✭lazeedaisy


    I would have done exactly the same.

    Give people a little power!

    Fair play to you for challenging her.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    spot on Foggy, Take it up with IE and the survey company


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Thread title is misleading. Its not forced.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    AltAccount wrote: »
    Wow, that's a healthy bit of disrespect there!

    Is it not fair to expect to be allowed to opt out of a marketing survey?
    Do you not agree that the woman was misrepresenting herself?

    People can be suspicious and sometimes mistake as to what is actually happening. Ive seen them work before, they say who they are and ask if they can ask questions based on travelling habits and what type of tickets you use etc. Its not forced nor is any personal details stored.
    If one of them has taking it to the extreme then thats a different matter and shouldnt be allowed to do it again.
    2 course of action here, report her to her company and also to Irish Rail.
    One thing i find strange though that this was reported on twitter and all of a sudden the OP has a ready made thread :).


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Thread title is misleading. Its not forced.

    'Forced' does not exclusively mean physical forced.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    I didnt say physically did i.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,088 ✭✭✭✭_Kaiser_


    I'd lodge a formal complaint with IE and the Data Protection Commissioner OP

    Not a chance would I be handing over personal info to some market research young one who was misrepresenting herself as an IE/Department employee (or certainly taking advantage of people's assumption of same by her approach)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Kaiser2000 wrote: »

    Not a chance would I be handing over personal info to some market research young one


    for sure - you'd be haunted for ever with junk mail


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Did a survey recently on The train and was asked if I wanted the take part in it. Purely voluntarily.
    I had no problem with just filling in the parts I wanted. They didn't need my personal information for the purposes of the survey.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    People can be suspicious and sometimes mistake as to what is actually happening. Ive seen them work before, they say who they are and ask if they can ask questions based on travelling habits and what type of tickets you use etc. Its not forced nor is any personal details stored.
    If one of them has taking it to the extreme then thats a different matter and shouldnt be allowed to do it again.
    2 course of action here, report her to her company and also to Irish Rail.
    One thing i find strange though that this was reported on twitter and all of a sudden the OP has a ready made thread :).

    I thought I had been clear enough about how this woman was approaching people on the train but will repeat that she approached each table and row of seats and demanded tickets from people. When she saw social welfare tickets or student tickets she asked for the free pass or student card used. she took down details from the tickets and also from free travel passes and student cards.

    At no time did this woman introduce herself as being an employee of a marketing agency and at no time were passengers told that participation was voluntary, in fact she told me that she was authorised to do a ticket check by Irish Rail and that I had to produce my ticket, but she could not produce this authorisation.

    Let's be clear and state that 99% of the people on that train assumed(quite reasonably) that this woman was an Irish Rail employee authorised to check tickets but she had no more authority than any other passenger.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,492 ✭✭✭KCAccidental


    I was on a late night train in Germany a few years ago when something similar happened. I even tried the old "Ich spreche kein Deutsch" trick, but he was having none of it! it was a similar survey about tickets and usage etc.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Did a survey recently on The train and was asked if I wanted the take part in it. Purely voluntarily.
    I had no problem with just filling in the parts I wanted. They didn't need my personal information for the purposes of the survey.
    Was this for Irish Rail? I have seen other people doing surveys on the Cork train but usually for their own purposes such as research for their studies. These people usually have no permission to be doing a survey on the train and can be thrown off the train.

    I would have had no issue with this woman yesterday if an announcement was made in each car that she was doing a survey and that participation was 100% voluntary but to pretend to be a ticket checker and demand tickets in tha same way Irish Rail staff do and then record names and addresses and PPS numbers is not on at all!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 145 ✭✭emuhead


    I would definately report her to her organisation. The misrepresentation and the gathering of sensitive personal information without informed consent is very unethical, not to mention unprofessional.

    I work in research and the most basic ethical principle we observe is informed consent. You must identify the organisation you are working for and the purpose of the data gathering. It appears this researcher did not bother to do either.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Kaiser2000 wrote: »
    I'd lodge a formal complaint with IE and the Data Protection Commissioner OP

    Not a chance would I be handing over personal info to some market research young one who was misrepresenting herself as an IE/Department employee (or certainly taking advantage of people's assumption of same by her approach)

    They dont ask for personal info nor do they claim to be IE. They have badges to show who they are.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    I thought I had been clear enough about how this woman was approaching people on the train but will repeat that she approached each table and row of seats and demanded tickets from people. When she saw social welfare tickets or student tickets she asked for the free pass or student card used. she took down details from the tickets and also from free travel passes and student cards.

    At no time did this woman introduce herself as being an employee of a marketing agency and at no time were passengers told that participation was voluntary, in fact she told me that she was authorised to do a ticket check by Irish Rail and that I had to produce my ticket, but she could not produce this authorisation.

    Let's be clear and state that 99% of the people on that train assumed(quite reasonably) that this woman was an Irish Rail employee authorised to check tickets but she had no more authority than any other passenger.

    Did you do your own survey? They have no reason to take down any details of passes Foggy, they just tick the relevant boxes.
    What train was it Foggy?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Was this for Irish Rail? I have seen other people doing surveys on the Cork train but usually for their own purposes such as research for their studies. These people usually have no permission to be doing a survey on the train and can be thrown off the train.

    I would have had no issue with this woman yesterday if an announcement was made in each car that she was doing a survey and that participation was 100% voluntary but to pretend to be a ticket checker and demand tickets in tha same way Irish Rail staff do and then record names and addresses and PPS numbers is not on at all!

    An extra bite to the story Foggy? They dont record names and addresses and pps numbers Foggy just the type of ticket used thats all.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    They dont ask for personal info nor do they claim to be IE. They have badges to show who they are.
    This woman wrote down names and addressses and PPS numbers as well as departure and destination for passengers.
    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Did you do your own survey? They have no reason to take down any details of passes Foggy, they just tick the relevant boxes.
    What train was it Foggy?
    I refused to hand over my ticket to her and told her I would not take part in any marketing or survey. she told me I had to because she was authorised to do a ticket check on behalf of Irish rail but could not produce this authorisation.
    THIS WOMAN WAS TAKING DOWN PERSONAL DETAILS!
    What train it was is not relevant.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This woman wrote down names and addressses and PPS numbers as well as departure and destination for passengers.

    I refused to hand over my ticket to her and told her I would not take part in any marketing or survey. she told me I had to because she was authorised to do a ticket check on behalf of Irish rail but could not produce this authorisation.
    THIS WOMAN WAS TAKING DOWN PERSONAL DETAILS!
    What train it was is not relevant.

    The train time IS relevant :)

    How did you get your 99% ? Are you saying everyone was fooled apart from you?
    She would have a badge hanging from her neck and the authorisation in her folder.
    Ticking boxes is not taking down personal details Foggy. There is nowhere on their forms to enter anyone's personal details.
    Seriously, you would have to be pretty foolish to give someone your private details on a train regardless how official the survey was.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    The train time IS relevant :)
    How exactly?
    How did you get your 99% ? Are you saying everyone was fooled apart from you?
    She would have a badge hanging from her neck and the authorisation in her folder.
    Name badge pinned to her jacket but not very clear to people stting on the train, as stated clearly already she had no authorisation to check tickets and didn't even have permission to conduct the survey on board because she stated the driver had this!
    Ticking boxes is not taking down personal details Foggy. There is nowhere on their forms to enter anyone's personal details.
    Seriously, you would have to be pretty foolish to give someone your private details on a train regardless how official the survey was.
    She was not just ticking boxes, she filled out an a4 page for every 4 seat table and was writing names and PPS numbers from free travel passes and other travel and student cards.

    People were not asked their personal details directly, they handed over their tickets to someone who presented herself as staff doing a ticket check! she wrote down details from each ticket, she demanded free travel passes from those travelling with social welfare tickets and wrote down their name address and PPS numbers.

    As far as people were aware this woman was authorised to demand and check their tickets but she was not!

    Just because you imagine it happened a certain way does not make it so.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭Vic_08


    Oh dear, another thread of moaning about having to show your free travel documents.

    This is more utter drivel and as far as I can see the only person out of line was you for refusing to show your ticket/pass.

    It is part of the IE conditions of carriage that you are required to show your valid ticket, or in your case your pass, at any time to any authorised person.

    Part of the identity verification of your pass is name, address (on old passes only), pass number and ID number which often includes PPS number. An authorised person can at anytime inspect these documents any way they wish, including recording the details for further checks, verification or accounting purposes.

    If you do not like this and wish to remain anonymous then you are free to leave the pass at home and purchase a standard undiscounted adult ticket from a ticket office or machine.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Oh dear, another thread of moaning about having to show your free travel documents.

    This is more utter drivel and as far as I can see the only person out of line was you for refusing to show your ticket/pass.

    It is part of the IE conditions of carriage that you are required to show your valid ticket, or in your case your pass, at any time to any authorised person.

    Part of the identity verification of your pass is name, address (on old passes only), pass number and ID number which often includes PPS number. An authorised person can at anytime inspect these documents any way they wish, including recording the details for further checks or verification.

    If you do not like this and wish to remain anonymous then you are free to leave the pass at home and purchase a standard undiscounted adult ticket from a ticket office or machine.

    This woman was not authorised to do any more than ask people to take part in her survey, she has no more authority than any other person on the train!

    If she had shown that she was authorised I would have produced my ticket but she was not authorised.

    conditions of carriage dont come into it unless the person is authorised and this person wasn't................


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    How exactly?
    Name badge pinned to her jacket but not very clear to people stting on the train, as stated clearly already she had no authorisation to check tickets and didn't even have permission to conduct the survey on board because she stated the driver had this!
    She was not just ticking boxes, she filled out an a4 page for every 4 seat table and was writing names and PPS numbers from free travel passes and other travel and student cards.

    People were not asked their personal details directly, they handed over their tickets to someone who presented herself as staff doing a ticket check! she wrote down details from each ticket, she demanded free travel passes from those travelling with social welfare tickets and wrote down their name address and PPS numbers.

    As far as people were aware this woman was authorised to demand and check their tickets but she was not!

    Just because you imagine it happened a certain way does not make it so.

    Ive learned over the years that you like to add a little bit extra to your posts.

    The train time is important if you are complaining about this woman . Was it morning or the evening?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Oh dear, another thread of moaning about having to show your free travel documents.

    This is more utter drivel and as far as I can see the only person out of line was you for refusing to show your ticket/pass.

    It is part of the IE conditions of carriage that you are required to show your valid ticket, or in your case your pass, at any time to any authorised person.

    Part of the identity verification of your pass is name, address (on old passes only), pass number and ID number which often includes PPS number. An authorised person can at anytime inspect these documents any way they wish, including recording the details for further checks, verification or accounting purposes.

    If you do not like this and wish to remain anonymous then you are free to leave the pass at home and purchase a standard undiscounted adult ticket from a ticket office or machine.

    He wasnt in this case, the person was only doing a survey for IR and Foggy didnt have to partake in it if he didnt want to.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,286 ✭✭✭goingnowhere


    To be fair to the OP, there was no "authorised person", the OP was completely correct to decline the request to show their ticket.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭Vic_08


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This woman was not authorised to do any more than ask people to take part in her survey, she has no more authority than any other person on the train!

    She was surveying tickets of passengers nothing more, on behalf of IE which would make her an authorised person.

    You seem to have a problem with simple logic; a condition of using IE services is that you provide when requested your travel documents for whatever reason and to whoever IE choose.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    This woman was not authorised to do any more than ask people to take part in her survey, she has no more authority than any other person on the train!

    If she had shown that she was authorised I would have produced my ticket but she was not authorised.

    conditions of carriage dont come into it unless the person is authorised and this person wasn't................

    Why would anyone else on that train do a survey?

    So you agree that she was authorised to ask people to take part in a survey but refused to take part because she didnt show you the authorisation?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Ive learned over the years that you like to add a little bit extra to your posts.

    The train time is important if you are complaining about this woman . Was it morning or the evening?

    Nothing added to this at all. How is the time important? It was the 1pm train from Heuston station.

    This woman was not an Irish Rail employee and had no right or authority to demand or take tickets from passengers and has possibly broken the law regarding data protection by recording personal details while allowing passengers to think she was entitled to do so and that it was mandatory and that the details were being recorded by Irish Rail.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    She was surveying tickets of passengers nothing more, on behalf of IE which would make her an authorised person.

    You seem to have a problem with simple logic; a condition of using IE services is that you provide when requested your travel documents for whatever reason and to whoever IE choose.

    Not in this case.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Why would anyone else on that train do a survey?

    So you agree that she was authorised to ask people to take part in a survey but refused to take part because she didnt show you the authorisation?

    No, She has no authorisation to check tickets. unless she produced a rail warrant or Irish Rail staff ID she was never getting to see my ticket!

    She had permission to be on board the train for the purposes of her survey but has no rights to force people to take part or tell them that it is mandatory.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,605 ✭✭✭gctest50


    Next thing they'll replace the Iarnrod Eireann ticket inspectors with contractors doing surveys & checking tickets for free


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Nothing added to this at all. How is the time important? It was the 1pm train from Heuston station.

    This woman was not an Irish Rail employee and had no right or authority to demand or take tickets from passengers and has possibly broken the law regarding data protection by recording personal details while allowing passengers to think she was entitled to do so and that it was mandatory and that the details were being recorded by Irish Rail.

    Got that from Twitter? ;)

    The only thing recorded by IR would be the type of tickets used.

    She took tickets now? did she give them back?


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    No, She has no authorisation to check tickets. unless she produced a rail warrant or Irish Rail staff ID she was never getting to see my ticket!

    She had permission to be on board the train for the purposes of her survey but has no rights to force people to take part or tell them that it is mandatory.

    Agreed,if she did then she clearly hadnt a clue and wouldnt be doing it again.

    You have gone from her not having permission to her having permission. Now, how do you know she had permission?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    She was surveying tickets of passengers nothing more, on behalf of IE which would make her an authorised person.
    She was not an authorised person, She only had permission to ask passengers to take part but she gave the impression that she was Irish Rail staff doing a ticket check.
    You seem to have a problem with simple logic; a condition of using IE services is that you provide when requested your travel documents for whatever reason and to whoever IE choose.
    The only person I have to show my ticket to are Irish Rail staff with staff ID or members of the revenue protection unit with a rail warrant/Badge & ID.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,047 ✭✭✭Hilly Bill


    gctest50 wrote: »
    Next thing they'll replace the Iarnrod Eireann ticket inspectors with contractors doing surveys & checking tickets for free

    Thats not far off the mark but not for free :).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,159 ✭✭✭SeanW


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Oh dear, another thread of moaning about having to show your free travel documents.
    ...
    If you do not like this and wish to remain anonymous then you are free to leave the pass at home and purchase a standard undiscounted adult ticket from a ticket office or machine.
    I do not think the OP said either way whether he/she was using a travel pass.

    IANAL but there are strict rules relating to the collection of any kind of personal information, and that might include travel patterns.

    You have the right, as a "Data Subject" to the following protections of your personal data, when you are asked to give it and how it is treated:
    1. You have the right to know who is doing the collection and will hold the data, the "Data Controller"
    2. To know how they can be contacted, address, phone number.
    3. To know for what purpose the data is being collected.
    4. For such data not to be excessive to its purpose.
    5. To be consulted and require your explicit approval before your data is transferred in certain circumstances.
    6. To demand, at any time, upon payment of a fee not exceeding €40, to obtain a copy of all data kept about you by any entity via a DAR, or Data Access Request.
    From the OPs post I would imagine that 1 and 2 were hazy, and that 3 was totally ignored. Obviously if 3 was evaded, the persons having information demanded from them could not have ascertained if 4 was kept either. Though taking PPS numbers for "Market Research" sounds extraordinarily suspicious.

    Furthermore, the OPs claim (summarised by me) that the person had a letter, somewhere that it shouldn't have been, authorising something, is also deeply questionable.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭Vic_08


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Not in this case.

    Why, are the CoC suspended anytime foggy boards a train?

    IE are entitled to sub-contract work to whomever they want. If this person was working under the instruction of IE then they are authorised to check ticket details.

    Next thing foggy will be complaining that the rail gourmet staff on the trolleys are not genuine and he is at risk of being sold an unauthorised can of coke.

    This thread is about nothing more than foggy's inflated sense of entitlement, ironic but utterly predictable that it is the person not paying a cent kicking up over this while all those around him paying for their travel as well as funding his were not bothered at all.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Hilly Bill wrote: »
    Got that from Twitter? ;)

    The only thing recorded by IR would be the type of tickets used.

    She took tickets now? did she give them back?

    She went through the carriages like a ticket checker would, stopped at each table and row of 2 seats and asked for tickets by calling out "tickets" in the same way that IE ticket checkers regularly do. She took the tickets and examined them then wrote details onto an a4 form sheet in a folder which had dozens of similar forms filled in. if the ticket was a social welfare ticket she demanded the pass from the passenger or student card if a student ticket. she then wrote details of the pass including PPS number or travel card onto the form and returned tickets passes etc to the passengers and moved onto the next table.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,159 ✭✭✭SeanW


    emuhead wrote: »
    I would definately report her to her organisation. The misrepresentation and the gathering of sensitive personal information without informed consent is very unethical, not to mention unprofessional.
    To hell with that, from what the OP said I'd being going direct to the Data Protection Commissioner.
    Vic_08 wrote: »
    This thread is about nothing more than foggy's inflated sense of entitlement, ironic but utterly predictable that it is the person not paying a cent kicking up over this while all those around him paying for their travel as well as funding his were not bothered at all.
    Please show where foggy claimed to be using a free travel pass.


  • Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 14,093 Mod ✭✭✭✭monument


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Why, are the CoC suspended anytime foggy boards a train?

    IE are entitled to sub-contract work to whomever they want. If this person was working under the instruction of IE then they are authorised to check ticket details.

    Next thing foggy will be complaining that the rail gourmet staff on the trolleys are not genuine and he is at risk of being sold an unauthorised can of coke.

    This thread is about nothing more than foggy's inflated sense of entitlement, ironic but utterly predictable that it is the person not paying a cent kicking up over this while all those around him paying for their travel as well as funding his were not bothered at all.

    Read the charter before posting again:

    • It's none of your business how others poster pay for public transport.
    • How people pay is off-topic as it is of no relevance to what they should expect.
    • You're also playing the man and not the ball

    - Mod


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 20,373 ✭✭✭✭foggy_lad


    Should really add that the train host and staff in Cork that I mentioned this to were a bit shocked to hear of the woman's antics and said any such survey would be totally voluntary and saying otherwise was not on. They suggested a complaint to IE which has been made and I will also forward details to the Data protection commissioner as suggested here.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 687 ✭✭✭Five Lamps


    foggy_lad wrote: »
    Nothing added to this at all. How is the time important? It was the 1pm train from Heuston station.

    This woman was not an Irish Rail employee and had no right or authority to demand or take tickets from passengers and has possibly broken the law regarding data protection by recording personal details while allowing passengers to think she was entitled to do so and that it was mandatory and that the details were being recorded by Irish Rail.


    If she was acting as a data processor for Irish rail they it's unlikely that she was breaking any data laws. Assuming that there's a proper and correct agreement in place.

    However, it seems odd to me that market research would consist of checking tickets, noting numbers and the same for free travel passes. I'm struggling to see what marketing or business question that they are seeking to answer through this type of research. For all the tickets sold, IR would know how/where the tickets were issued and if they are validated through one of those machines where the person entered and exited the system.

    The only thing that this looks like is some sort of extended revenue protection effort.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,795 ✭✭✭✭Jamie2k9


    They only want to check tickets to build a passenger profile using services etc. Complete over reaction from people here about the surveys. They are not new and you don't have to take part. I really can't see the issue here!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 459 ✭✭Julius Seizure


    Jamie2k9 wrote: »
    They only want to check tickets to build a passenger profile using services etc. Complete over reaction from people here about the surveys. They are not new and you don't have to take part. I really can't see the issue here!

    The issue is with her recording PPS numbers!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,367 ✭✭✭✭end of the road


    Vic_08 wrote: »
    Oh dear, another thread of moaning about having to show your free travel documents.

    This is more utter drivel and as far as I can see the only person out of line was you for refusing to show your ticket/pass.

    It is part of the IE conditions of carriage that you are required to show your valid ticket, or in your case your pass, at any time to any authorised person.

    Part of the identity verification of your pass is name, address (on old passes only), pass number and ID number which often includes PPS number. An authorised person can at anytime inspect these documents any way they wish, including recording the details for further checks, verification or accounting purposes.

    If you do not like this and wish to remain anonymous then you are free to leave the pass at home and purchase a standard undiscounted adult ticket from a ticket office or machine.
    such staff being those working for the revenue protection unit, any other such persons you don't have to hand your documents to, i'd refuse to hand my ticket to anyone who isn't a member of the revenue protection unit

    I'm very highly educated. I know words, i have the best words, nobody has better words then me.



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,844 ✭✭✭Banjoxed


    The issue is with her recording PPS numbers!

    Anyone else reported this elsewhere? I'm sure the OP wasn't the only passenger to experience this.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 459 ✭✭Julius Seizure


    Banjoxed wrote: »
    Anyone else reported this elsewhere? I'm sure the OP wasn't the only passenger to experience this.

    Not that I've heard of, although if it was a one train thing there's a fairly small subset of people who would post her and also be on the train.


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