Dave Plumb wrote:
After a prolonged debate, he did sell her a single, BUT also took down her
name and address saying she would be receiving a penalty fare demand in the
post.

It's one or the other - the revenue official has acted incorrectly.
Retain the ticket just in case - the penalty fare cannot be enforced as
the ticket exempts it. If the PF notice arrives she will have to appeal
it and if you don't appeal it a court appearance is posible.

If she had been caught en route she could have been penalty fared en
route for the part of the journey already made and sold a ticket for
the remainder.

D

I was going through the gates at Vauxhall main line one lunch time last
week and as I did I was forced to stop by the sound of a revenue
inspector shouting at an Eastern European guy who was trieing to buy
and excess fare ticket. I stopped and listened for a few minutes at
the Inspector shouting abuse at this guy who was keeping his cool and
appearing to be unaware of what was going on.
He said he had come from Clapham Junc which was probabley untrue but
the abuse and the abusive demands for £20 were uncalled for.
After watching this for a few more minutes I tapped the passenger on
the shoulder and told him just to give the Inpector his name and
address and leave it at that so then of course the Inspector starts
hurling abuse at me and being very threatening.
Now I was under the impression that if I verbally abused a member of
staff and made threatening gestures that I would be arrested so it is
interesting to see that Revenue Protection Staff are allowed to get
away with assault.

Kevin