Great Western Coffee Shop

Morning 1

No ticket check at all - ticket checkers got on at oxford but no check as far as first class before reading.  In line with my theory - 10.70 would have covered my journey this morning.

Running total = 10.70

I imagine revenue protection is more of a priority in standard class as more people are likely to not have tickets as *generally* First Class customers are trust-worthy (not that standard pax are  :D)

No ticket check last night - ^1.00 for a ticket to Reading West which would have got me on the platform

Cost 11.70

This morning - there was a check by a ticket checker who got on at oxford.    Cost 17.30

Total = 29.00

But unless you know which trains you are going to have your ticket checked, you can't total a notional "fare paid". You either take a chance each time, and risk (rightly) being caught for faredodging, or you pay the full amount each time.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how are you working out which "fare" you would have paid had you had perfect foresight?

 

I observed over a month that there was NEVER a ticket check on return journey and never b4 Oxford on way down. Even when checked it was never by a train manager who had any idea where u might have got on.

I am not including non checks where the tm looks at me and basically says I can't be bothered - that is a check.

I would never do it but I pay 640 a month with discount and I reckon u could escape paying only 200 Osh in the current set up without much risk.

That's a he'll of an incenti e to chance it.

unless your an honest person and the lack of honesty by others isnt a reason to join them.....

why is not being asked to have your ticket checked an incentive to not pay like others do.

I dont get asked to pay for my petrol before I fill up - I could quite easily drive off and not pay. Others do - I dont because I am honest.

I could walk out of the supermarket with shopping I havent paid for - Other do - I dont because I am honest.

I could eat food at a restaurant and walk out before I am presented with the bill - Others do - I dont because I am honest.

Your "i'm not asked to show my ticket so thats an incentive or justification not to pay" premiss is flawed.

By the way, you still getting annoyed when customers with standard class tickets either have to get off or join the train at stations with short platforms when the train is in reverse formation ?

Its not just when the trains are in reverse formation, 0938 HST from Charlbury this morning was in correct formation, just the driver elected to stop the train with the front carriages (ie FIRST) on the platform, mad rush of passengers one way to the rear and several cycles the other way to the front where the only powercar cycle storage accessable from the platform was located. Seeing the mad rush to get on via a single standard class door I got on in coach G and walked through to B only delayed slightly by an abandoned first class trolley service.

I think what sparked this is the fact that I am an honest customer - yet last thursday got treated like a criminal for daring to find the train manager and explain why I did not have the out part of my ticket and that I would probably have to pay again but this was why......... and got accused of fair dodging

Yet they clearly leave open opportunities for people to do it - mainly because the TM's no longer check tickets after SDO was introduced and people seem to think that ticket barriers are the panacea to this - they are not - they just prove you may have spent ^1.00 on a ticxket to the next station to get on the platform.  But I think because the barriers are there - it is yet another incentive not to check tickets.

But I suppose part of the reason for the barriers is to take the pressure off the guard.

But I agree - it does not always work!