AIBU to think that the Ticket Inspector was a 'Jobsworth'?

I agree that the ticket inspector was just doing their job, and it's good that she was polite to you. I also understand your frustration at the overly complicated systems we seem to have these days. Technology was supposed to simplify and speed up our lives but that's not always the case. You did nothing wrong in wishing for a more compassionate response, having had a traumatic, tiring day, but the inspector could not have known this. However, I find it very sad that some of the replies to your query are so harsh and unfeeling- no need for it. I'm very glad indeed that one such gransnetter isn't my mum!

Funnily enough I renews my railcard this morning choosing to do so digitally - in the past I would be in a panic in case I lost the card. Now it’s on my phone, happy days!

You have no excuse. The rules are clear. You make your situation worse by trying to gather support for calling the RPA a "jobs worth".

Maggiemaybe 😂

Germanshepherdsmum

She was applying the rules. She probably has no discretion in the matter. You could have been producing an email to someone else or a fake for all she knew. You can get a refund. I have seen enough fare dodgers to know that ticket inspectors have a hard and sometimes dangerous job.

I agree.
It’s annoying OP but just claim it back when you can.It obvs added to the stress of that day for you when you and your DS felt tired and low.

What a relief that you had good news about your son’s condition, singingnutty.

I do have to support the guard here, though. They have a hard job, and in my experience the vast majority are polite and cheerful as they deal with difficult situations. Just this week a passenger in my carriage showed a ticket that had run out two stops before. She’d “just decided” to stay on to a later stop. The inspector was generous, let her get away with buying the correct ticket instead of fining her, and far from being grateful, she was outraged at having to pay £3.50!

As for an inspector not standing up to a group of youths refusing to pay, as posted earlier, what on earth should he have done? I hope the story went on as it did in an incident I witnessed on the Carlisle to Leeds train. Four teenage boys tormenting the inspector, refusing to show their tickets, passing them between themselves just out of his reach. He walked off, leaving them laughing away.

At the next stop, two burly men in high vis got on, indicated to them to stand up, and escorted them off the train without saying a word. The blubbing and stammering of “we’re sorry”, “just having a bit of fun”, “got to get to Leeds”, was a delight. As was the sight of their faces as they were left on the platform in the middle of nowhere.

I have to agree with the majority of posters. The inspector was doing her job and not an easy one at that.

I had an email, saying my Disabled Persons rail card was being processed. It didn't arrive in time for my trip, therefore I paid the full price.
I wouldn't have dreamt of chancing it.

Buying tickets isn't easy so if you're buying them when you're ill, stressed etc is very difficult and very easy to make mistakes.

They need to simplify buying tickets to make it easier for customers.

The ticket inspector was doing their job, but the processes aren't right and sadly I think the inspectors may get some abuse due to customers taking stress out on them.

Harsh as it seems she was just doing her job. Rules are rules and she could probably lose her job if it was picked up elsewhere. If all customers are treated in the same way with rules applied it does make it a fair service. There would be chaos and an out cry if some people didn’t have rules applied and some did.

I have a lot of sympathy with people in retail, hospitality and customer services because customers are often vile to them. Ive workd in customer services so I know how to get the best out of an agent when they finally do answer the call.

I can remember when I was working on a call center back in the early 90s and it was New Years day. I was working the last few days of my notice in the job when a man was incredibly rude. He told me to "get a proper job" as I obviously wasnt very intelligent. Id just got an well paid academic job so his remarks didnt cut much ice with me.

I wished him Happy New Year.

I wont tell you what I did in revenge but never be rude to someone who has the number of your land line!

If it weren’t for inspectors like this, all rail users would pay far more for their tickets as the rail companies would need to recoup lost revenue from the fare dodgers.

I dont think there will be grounds for removing the thread.

AIBU to think that the Ticket Inspector was a 'Jobsworth'?

Yes!
Sorry!

Glad the trip was overall positive though.

I don't think she was being a jobsworth. The employee was just doing her job. You took a chance and got caught out.

Sorry that must sound really harsh. Many of us have been in a similar situation to your son. Hope all goes well for him.

You can press report on your original posting singingnutty and request it’s taken down

She's not allowed to waive the rules. She has a set of instructions that she must carry out. At least she told you that you could apply for a refund when you get your card.

Ok. Thanks for your comments everyone. I am admonished and was certainly being unreasonable. Can anyone tell me how I can get this thread taken down as there doesn't seem any point in leaving it here.

I think she had to do her job and as you can reclaim the money it isn’t a problem is it ? you ll have lost nothing I m sure everyone who tries to con a journey has an ‘ill relative’ or a funeral or a hospital to go to
It would be more of a problen if you were losing your money but you won’t

I have every sympathy with ticket inspectors on the trains. Who knows what sort of day she’d had, what sort of threats and abuse she’d suffered. I saw plenty of that when commuting. The OP knew she wasn’t complying with the rules so I see no case for sympathy. She was just one more person who had broken the rules and was deserving of a penalty.

Germanshepherdsmum

Why should she show sympathy? You knew you were breaking the rules.

Because it’s a humane way to behave. A spoonful of sugar 🎶 and all that!
Most of these heinous misdemeanours arent’t attempts to fair dodge. Just unfortunate mistakes.
It is possible to follow the “rules” of your job without turning into a stone.

Why should she show sympathy? You knew you were breaking the rules.

Actually, of course, yes. No-one came to check our tickets on the way to London though. Just as well, or we would have had the situation twice. I do understand people have to do their jobs and she was polite, but a few words of sympathy and then enforcing the rule would have helped.

Good point OldFrill, and undoubtedly the answer is ‘yes’.

Did you get away with breaking the rules on the way to the appointment?

While it would be lovely if officials could always exercise their discretion (assuming they have any) nevertheless we can’t be surprised when they stick to the rules.
Where do they stop?
That nice old lady without her railcard, the teenage boys without their student cards, that man without a ticket who is also taking up two seats with his bag and has his feet up on a third?
I don’t envy them their job but the fact that you had had a traumatic day is probably making it a greater issue than it might have been.