Poor first impressions

[whole diary]

[John R]

My son (14) made his first solo journey on the railway yesterday, catching the 1538 Nailsea to Weston and 1610 return (he only needed to collect a bike we had left earlier in the day, hence the very quick turnaround). I got a call at Weston "what should I do, nobody came to ask me for a ticket", so I told him to go to the ticket office and buy his return from there, which he did. On arrival back he told me that he wasn't checked on the way back either.

Now the trains weren't particularly busy, and the conductor managed to sell us tickets in the morning within 20 seconds of leaving Nailsea, and on the return checked us within a couple of minutes of leaving Weston.

Before anyone asks, Nailsea is cash only, and on neither journey did we/he have cards with us, so we were entitled to pay on the train.

So not a very good impression for a teenager making his first journey, and you can possibly see why people start to think that they can get away with travelling for free from the time they start using the railway.     

[JayMac]

First. Nice to hear of such honesty from a 14 year old. Most commendable and illustrative of the fact that most teenagers are not as depicted by the popular press.

Secondly though, comparison between what happened in the morning and what happened in the afternoon on the services that 'weren't particularly busy' may not be fair on the staff member(s) involved. The conductor may not have been able to sell tickets. A lack of an Avantix^▸ (Ticket Issuing System used on board trains), or a failed one are two possible explanations. Less likely, but still possible, technical issues with the stock being used may have meant the conductor was unable to leave the back cab whilst the train was moving.

<jest mode> I do hope that you sit your son down and go through the National Rail Conditions of Carriage with him. You're already part way there by telling him to buy his ticket at Weston-super-Mare before leaving the station.

Now.... what if he'd left his bike at Weston Milton? </jest mode> 

[devon_metro]

Now.... what if he'd left his bike at Weston Milton? </jest mode> 

He probably would have turned up and found his bike missing... 

[John R]

It was being seen to at a bike shop close to the station. Certainly wouldn't have left it in Weston unattended!

Maybe, but I'm not convinced by the technical issues possibility, as it's a bit too common. The units were the same as in the morning, (though of course things can happen during the day).   

[Chris from Nailsea]

Now.... what if he'd left his bike at Weston Milton? </jest mode> 

He probably would have turned up and found his bike missing... 

A scurrilous and baseless allegation: there have been no reported bike thefts from Weston Milton Station in the past five years. 

[Milky Bar Kid]

If you are worried about your son travelling without a ticket could you yourself not had purchased a ticket for him before his travels?

[6 OF 2 redundant adjunct of unimatrix 01]

If you are worried about your son travelling without a ticket could you yourself not had purchased a ticket for him before his travels?

How is that teaching him to do things for himself

[Milky Bar Kid]

it clearly isnt but if you are aware of card only facilities etc.

[JayMac]

it clearly isnt but if you are aware of card only facilities etc.

.....then you buy at the first opportunity if you only have cash. Being aware of the (lack of) facilities is not really relevant.

[John R]

If you are worried about your son travelling without a ticket could you yourself not had purchased a ticket for him before his travels?

How is that teaching him to do things for himself

Quite. He was perfectly entitled to board the train and buy on board, so I wasn't at all worried. Though he was when he got to Weston hence why he sought advice.   

[Milky Bar Kid]

Then why criticise about guards etc if he brought his ticket at WSM! how about a basic bank account that gives access to card facilities if we are teaching kids to grow up!!!

[ellendune]

Then why criticise about guards etc if he brought his ticket at WSM! how about a basic bank account that gives access to card facilities if we are teaching kids to grow up!!!

But that type of card would not work on the train would it as it is not on line to verify. Do they word in tvm's?

[Milky Bar Kid]

yes they work in tvms

[John R]

I don't think that getting a bank card for my son should be a prerequisite before he does his first solo train trip (which was only arranged on the day when we realised the bike would need to stay in the shop for longer) when he is perfectly entitled to pay by cash on the train.

Besides, I was making a general point regarding the impression that the lack of onboard ticket checking might give to impressionable teenagers, and the fact that most would not have done what he did and purchase the ticket at the destination station on arrival but would have regarded the trip as free.       

[super tm]

 Maybe you could use it as an opportunity to teach your son about ecomonics.  It's not always cost effective to collect every fare for every journey.  The reason the nailsea machine does not take cash is an economic one as it has been broken into so many times it is cheaper to have it card only and miss collecting a few fares.

Also as his return journey was from Weston if he had failed to buy a ticket he could have been given a penalty fare.  One of the reasons for a penalty fare is to encourage you to buy before you board. He would have to make the journey several times and not pay to make it cheaper than the penalty fare.