In article , David Hansen
writes
On Mon, 14 Jun 2004 11:43:42 +0100 someone who may be Roland Perry
wrote this:-

I think some of it dates back to when the railways were nationalised,
and fares felt a bit more like a "tax" than a "payment". I know several
people (not including myself) that take the view that "if they can't be
bothered to collect the money or clip the ticket, why should I ?"

A few years ago I tried to buy a ticket for a journey which I had
made from a station with no open ticket office. The staff at the
station I had got off at would not sell me one. This was in the
thrusting era of privatisation, rather than the useless BR BTW. As a
result I now have a very simple approach. I will get on the train
and if someone comes along I will try to catch their attention [1]
so that I can buy a ticket. If they don't want to sell me a ticket
then that is their loss.

Most businesses make it easy for customers to buy. The railways need
to learn this.

[1] They have rushed past me on occasion though I have usually
managed to get their attention the second time they passed.


Well I travelled from West Worthing to Brighton not so long ago. Ticket
office at WW was shut, PTT machine was broken as was the platform ticket
machine. I boarded the train. A member of staff came along and I asked
to buy a return ticket. She said she couldn't sell me a ticket on the
train as she didn't have a ticket machine and that I should pay at my
destination. I got off at Brighton to find the barriers open and the
ticket booth trackside unmanned.

Did I buy a ticket? No, 'cos I couldn't,
--
Andrew
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