General dislike of ticket inspectors

Experience_day

To preface I understand the need for people paying their way...

What I think is abhorrent is the heavy handedness of enforcement.

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

Not sure if you can put polls on threads but am I the unreasonable one in thinking it was overzealous....and unreasonable?

Wanderer78

shes clearly a serious treat to our society, and must be dealt with accordingly, the streets arent safe we people like this

thelad95

Some Luas Inspectors are the biggest jobs worth scumbags known to man. Just so you know you have no obligation to talk to them and if they even try and lay a finger on you that's there job gone. So give a fake address and name and say "sorry I don't have any ID" and be on your way.

There are also some reasonable ones too. I've seen some inspectors step off and tag on for customers who "forgot" or " were running for the LUAS so didn't have time". The logic being that if they're honest enough to have credit on the card chances are they are telling the truth. A decent, pro-active common sense approach.

By the way I pay my way all the time, I just have no time for unprofessional jobs worth scumbags.

Markcheese

Did the inspector see her scan her card ? Or when he checked was it even a valid card .. people pull all sorts of stunts..
At the same time if she made a genuine effort then it's a bit daft , do you legally have to give your details to a luas inspector ? Or even the correct details ?
I'm sure there's certain sections of society the inspectors don't bother checking because they'll get get nowhere with them ..

thelad95

Markcheese wrote: »

Did the inspector see her scan her card ? Or when he checked was it even a valid card .. people pull all sorts of stunts..
At the same time if she made a genuine effort then it's a bit daft , do you legally have to give your details to a luas inspector ? Or even the correct details ?
I'm sure there's certain sections of society the inspectors don't bother checking because they'll get get nowhere with them ..

Legally you probably do, in practice, I've seen people give false details, they are not the police they can't physically force you to provide them with photo ID so they therefore just have to take whatever details you give them.

They often don't bother with scumbags, I don't blame them to a certain extent, I doubt their job is in any way worth endangering themselves.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya!

biko

The inspector was just doing his job. How is he to know what actually happened?

Zebra3

So the girl in question didn't scan her ticket correctly which is the correct procedure to follow before one boards a tram?

And?

Zebra3

Zebra3 wrote: »

So the girl in question didn't scan her ticket correctly which is the correct procedure to follow before one boards a tram?

And?

..,. The inspector is the ones whose wrong... According to the op.

murpho999

I would love to know how you witnessed all of this by getting off a tram. Saw a person running into platform attempt to tag , board, get stopped by inspector, take her details, radio back to check?

Luas generally spend no more than 1 minute at a stop, so I can't see how you witnessed all of this whilst you were not on the tram anymore.

Either, way nothing over zealous about it. Inspector has heard all stories before.

Passengers are responsible for validating card and she boarded without a valid ticket. Inspector is just doing their job, nothing over zealous about it and it's a tough job.

newuser99999

Experience_day wrote: »

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

It makes a pretty obvious noise when you tag on / or when you don’t have enough credit or it doesn’t work so don’t understand how you’re saying she made a clearly honest attempt.

The_Brood

Experience_day wrote: »

To preface I understand the need for people paying their way...

What I think is abhorrent is the heavy handedness of enforcement.

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

Not sure if you can put polls on threads but am I the unreasonable one in thinking it was overzealous....and unreasonable?

The alternative is ques to get on the luas like Dublin Bus where everyone has to tag onto a machine inside in front of the driver. How in the world is that preferable?

Randy Archer

Experience_day wrote: »

To preface I understand the need for people paying their way...

What I think is abhorrent is the heavy handedness of enforcement.

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

Not sure if you can put polls on threads but am I the unreasonable one in thinking it was overzealous....and unreasonable?

It’s her responsibility to tag on properly and have proof of same . She didn’t do that . Those ticket inspectors have seen chancers try stuff like that before . They have heard it all before The regulations to allow them to fine her are clear . There’s no honest mistake defence

Hey I got stung 50 quid once by failing to produce card on demand .the inspector knew that I used the tram every day and that I always paid. I was wearing a suit and coat with many pockets , could not remember where I put it . After giving my details I found the bloody thing with in seconds of him going . I appealed and sent the ticket with the time as proof . No luck , the regulations were clear that the time to produce was on demand . No break fast rolls that week

In the case you referred to, she didn’t tag on properly. If the ticket person had not checked , she would have gotten away with it , would she have come clean and offer to pay ? Unlikely

I’m sympathetic to the story, I have been there, but the inspector is going their job and correctly

Randy Archer

thelad95 wrote: »

Some Luas Inspectors are the biggest jobs worth scumbags known to man. Just so you know you have no obligation to talk to them and if they even try and lay a finger on you that's there job gone. So give a fake address and name and say "sorry I don't have any ID" and be on your way.

There are also some reasonable ones too. I've seen some inspectors step off and tag on for customers who "forgot" or " were running for the LUAS so didn't have time". The logic being that if they're honest enough to have credit on the card chances are they are telling the truth. A decent, pro-active common sense approach.

By the way I pay my way all the time, I just have no time for unprofessional jobs worth scumbags.

Give fake name , fail to produce id is an offence under the regulations , actually. Ticket inspectors are entitled to ask to to leave the tram if you haven’t paid . No force is needed

It’s utter nonsense to pretend they have no id at all. Bank cards have names on them . People carry many cards eg driver licence , pps card etc

seamus

Experience_day wrote: »

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all.

Evident to all except the inspector, because he didn't see her tag on.

Everyone without a valid ticket has a sob story. Nobody says, "yeah, you got me, I was chancing my arm". Everyone claims they tried to tag on or their dog ate their ticket or their granny just died or whatever. It's unreasonable to expect an inspector to identify chancers from genuine cases.

If she wasn't late for the tram, or had been a little more careful tagging on, she'd have been sorted.

oholly121

Actually happened to me a few years back

I was going from busarus to heuston I have a leap card had 70e on my card tapped on the machine at busarus machine beeped so on the tram I get

At abbey luas inspectors get on check my ticket and say I haven’t paid I explained the situation but they just didn’t want to hear it started shouting at me that I haven’t paid and demanding name ID etc I asked the inspectors to calm down and could we take this off the tram to discuss further which we did

One of the inspectors checked the funds on my ticket and saw there was plenty of cash on it whilst another inspector informed a member of the public that I had not paid my fare!!! Kept demanding my name etc

In faintness I was running late for a train to cork so I just co operated a few days later I got a fine in the post for 70e paid it but sent in an official complaint about the inspectors conduct explaining to a random member of the public what was happening etc

Got a call from a manger who “investigated” everything but found no fault for 70e decided not to move forward on it

I wouldn’t say there all idiots but knowledge of the law yeah lacking

And yes I’ve seen them a few times give junkies and scummers a wide birth whilst harassing normal joe soap regarding fare

Strumms

It’s harsh, she might have been running late for an appointment, made a genuine attempt to tag on, didn’t do it, went to take the journey anyway.

The inspector by checking is doing his/her job and the same by whatever sanction he administered was just doing their job. To be put down to bad luck.

Rodney Bathgate

She didn’t tag on. End of story.

Randy Archer

Strumms wrote: »

It’s harsh, she might have been running late for an appointment, made a genuine attempt to tag on, didn’t do it, went to take the journey anyway.

The inspector by checking is doing his/her job and the same by whatever sanction he administered was just doing their job. To be put down to bad luck.

Can’t have one rule for her and another rule for everyone else. The last thing an inspector wants is every chancing their arm with a sob story - as I said earlier I got stung for failing to produce my ticket simply because I was too dozy to remember which pocket i put iit in

The rules are clear, produce evidence of payment on demand .

It’s the passengers job to make sure they paid and prove it , not the inspector .

completedit

Yeah, has to be a one size fits all approach. Starts getting messy any other way. Everyone always feels they've been unfairly treated and "were only" doing something or other. Been stung many times- At this stage it's like a game of cat and mouse with the inspectors. Got chased up beside Lansdowne one time by one. It's fair game. When am caught I'm caught.

Don't dodge anymore. My days of keeping ianroid eireann propped up are gone.

Nigel Fairservice

I'm sure some inspectors could take a more common sense approach. I remember years ago Iarnroid Eireann required an extra card in addition to a student card to buy a student rail ticket. I can't remember the exact details of it but I had to get one in the travel agency in UCC. I remember one time a ticket inspector boarded our train and went about inspecting tickets. A guy seated across from me showed the inspector his ticket and student card when asked. He didn't seem to have the extra card I had so he inspector threw him off the train. I thought it was a bit heavy handed. He seemed satisfied with his student card so was entitled to a student fare. Maybe just remind him to get the additional card.

Randy Archer

Randy Archer wrote: »

Can’t have one rule for her and another rule for everyone else.

Well, there is though. I can see why, but if someone is stoned or high, and likely homeless, as long as that person is not disruptive, the inspector will generally leave them be. Good.

I personally had a positive experience, the only time I ever found myself in this position. I was in a hurry to get home and this was before Leap cards, so I just hopped on the tram as it was about to close. It was fairly empty, apart from some guy (in pretty bad shape) across the aisle, and of course the Inspector came along and neither of us had tickets. But since he had let yer man off, he just nodded at me and that was it. So some of them can be flexible and nice, at least.

To some extent, you just have to trust that people aren't acting the bollox, and it seems like the inspector in the OP's example could have shown a little more decency.

thelad95 wrote: »

Some Luas Inspectors are the biggest jobs worth scumbags known to man. Just so you know you have no obligation to talk to them and if they even try and lay a finger on you that's there job gone. So give a fake address and name and say "sorry I don't have any ID" and be on your way.

That doesn't appear to be the case. Non compliance with the Luas Bye Laws can incur a District Court Fine.

https://luas.ie/luas-byelaws.html

.anon.

I got caught once. It was raining so I hopped on a Luas for a couple of stops because I wasn't arsed walking. I couldn't tap on because I didn't have my Leap card with me. And the Luas was there, so I didn't have time to buy a ticket. And like I said, it was raining, so I wasn't going to wait a whole ten minutes for the next one. Besides, I've forgotten to tag off so many times that I feel no guilt about taking the odd free trip. I've never been to Saggart, but I've paid to go there at least twenty times over the years.

After going through the charade of rummaging around for my non-existent ticket for a minute or two, the inspector (who I suspect had seen this shit before) said "Can I just get your name and address, please". To which I responded, "Oh no, it's definitely here somewhere". He then said, "Right, no problem... you can include it in your appeal... name and address, please". Anyway, I was genuinely about to answer him when a gang of teenage girls who had just been busted by another inspector got quite abusive and casually walked off. Which momentarily distracted the inspector who was dealing with me. So I did the same, except without the abuse and not very casually either.

I wasn't chased, but I spent the rest of the day looking over my shoulder.

completedit

.anon. wrote: »

I got caught once. It was raining so I hopped on a Luas for a couple of stops because I wasn't arsed walking. I couldn't tap on because I didn't have my Leap card with me. And the Luas was there, so I didn't have time to buy a ticket. And like I said, it was raining, so I wasn't going to wait a whole ten minutes for the next one. Besides, I've forgotten to tag off so many times that I feel no guilt about taking the odd free trip. I've never been to Saggart, but I've paid to go there at least twenty times over the years.

After going through the charade of rummaging around for my non-existent ticket for a minute or two, the inspector (who I suspect had seen this shit before) said "Can I just get your name and address, please". To which I responded, "Oh no, it's definitely here somewhere". He then said, "Right, no problem... you can include it in your appeal... name and address, please". Anyway, I was genuinely about to answer him when a gang of teenage girls who had just been busted by another inspector got quite abusive and casually walked off. Which momentarily distracted the inspector who was dealing with me. So I did the same, except without the abuse and not very casually either.

I wasn't chased, but I spent the rest of the day looking over my shoulder.

Hahaha the old duck and dive.

Experience_day

murpho999 wrote: »

I would love to know how you witnessed all of this by getting off a tram. Saw a person running into platform attempt to tag , board, get stopped by inspector, take her details, radio back to check?

Luas generally spend no more than 1 minute at a stop, so I can't see how you witnessed all of this whilst you were not on the tram anymore.

Either, way nothing over zealous about it. Inspector has heard all stories before.

Passengers are responsible for validating card and she boarded without a valid ticket. Inspector is just doing their job, nothing over zealous about it and it's a tough job.

Maybe poor English on my part but this didn't happen at one stop. And yes I get having heard all the sob stories but we both (no chance he didn't see it) saw her streak to the luas put the card on and hop on.

It was an honest effort made in goof faith. The reasonable thing to do would have been to give a warning and validate at next stop?

Kylta

Experience_day wrote: »

To preface I understand the need for people paying their way...

What I think is abhorrent is the heavy handedness of enforcement.

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

Not sure if you can put polls on threads but am I the unreasonable one in thinking it was overzealous....and unreasonable?

I've seen the above been done too.
But I've also seen some inspectors politely go out of there way to help people on the luas. So I reckon its like all jobs, you some **** that go overboard. And you get some people who have a bit of common sense.. but hey that's life

bodhrandude

Nigel Fairservice wrote: »

I'm sure some inspectors could take a more common sense approach. I remember years ago Iarnroid Eireann required an extra card in addition to a student card to buy a student rail ticket. I can't remember the exact details of it but I had to get one in the travel agency in UCC. I remember one time a ticket inspector boarded our train and went about inspecting tickets. A guy seated across from me showed the inspector his ticket and student card when asked. He didn't seem to have the extra card I had so he inspector threw him off the train. I thought it was a bit heavy handed. He seemed satisfied with his student card so was entitled to a student fare. Maybe just remind him to get the additional card.

The additional card, is that the Usit card?

Nigel Fairservice

bodhrandude wrote: »

The additional card, is that the Usit card?

Now that you mention Usit I think it was. I'm going back 15/16 years ago now but I'm pretty sure the travel agency in UCC was a Usit.

mikemac2

oholly121 wrote: »

And yes I’ve seen them a few times give junkies and scummers a wide birth whilst harassing normal joe soap regarding fare

Have seen that a few times on the red line. They ignore the aggressive gougers and check the officer worker types who won’t talk back

DM_2092

Experience_day wrote: »

To preface I understand the need for people paying their way...

What I think is abhorrent is the heavy handedness of enforcement.

Just got off the Luas a few mins ago having watched a girl run to the platform, put her card to the machine and run in......cue an inspector on train checking card and it not having tagged on....

A clearly honest attempt was made to tag on, evident to all. And yet he took her details, radioed them back to check (some privacy lol I know her name and address now....) And ticketed her..

Not sure if you can put polls on threads but am I the unreasonable one in thinking it was overzealous....and unreasonable?

You know, I was going to reply and say I feel that the inspectors are just doing their job, and in this woman's case they still are. But I agree, stuff like that annoys me. If they witnessed her run to the platform etc they should not be billing her. No-sir-ee.

mikemac2

mikemac2 wrote: »

Have seen that a few times on the red line. They ignore the aggressive gougers and check the officer worker types who won’t talk back

Because they know they have travel passes in 99.9% of the time but I have still seen them check at times.

The luas byelaws does indeed grant them power of enforcement but they are pretty weak and circumvented as transdev would rather people that didn't pay just got off than delay a tram and wait for Gardai / security.

When all is said and done, it's your responsibility to have the correct fare and the guys sole purpose is to enforce that. If he doesn't, he's plain and simple not doing what he is paid to.