The Stasi work hard to maintain their reputation.
Posted: Thu 07 May, 2015 11:42 am
The ticket Stasi were on form this morning.
On the train from Hertford North Stasi number 2032 asked to see my ticket, which I showed her. She wanted me to remove it from the plastic wallet, which I did. There was nothing wrong with it. It had the correct date written on it, 7/5/15. She instructed me to put a zero in front of the 7. She said it was to stop me from trying to change it to 17 to use again in 10 days time. I reiterated that there was nothing wrong with the card as it was but she said if I did not comply she would remove the ticket from me and I would have to use another one to get out at Moorgate.
So I complied.
But the best was yet to come. The young lady next to me had her annual rail card which she had just bought in April. Apparently her first ever railcard as she had just started work in the city. The Stasi asked to see her photo id card and though she looked for it couldn’t find it. An understandable mistake by someone who had just bought her first rail card. So she phoned home and her mum found it. Too late. And, within reason, a fine due. The lady showed a raft of other id including bank cards, her NUS card and even her driving license and all had her name on which matched the name on the rail travel card. But this was not good enough.
So the Stasi said she would confiscate the rail card. Not just issue a fine but remove the card. The lady asked how she was to get off at Moorgate without a card and was told she would need to buy another. So I pointed out that if she did that she would be issued with another fine at Moorgate for travelling without a ticket. The lady asked how she would get home and the Stasi ignored her. I tried to be helpful and suggested that if she went back to Hertford and met her mum with the photo id she’d be late for work but would at least not lose her annual card. But she rounded on me stating it was none of my business and I had was preventing her from doing her job. The Stasi then walked off still with the lady’s railcard. I suggested to the lady that she phone her mum, get her to take a photo of the id card and send it to her, which she did. The Stasi returned to issue the fine and the lady showed her the photo her mum had sent her on the phone. Nope, not good enough. The lady was then told she could apply to have railcard returned but when she asked how to do it and how long it would take she was ignored.
Then the Stasi’s colleague arrived and after a short discussion between the two the annual railcard was returned and the lady got a fine.
How unreasonable. All that unnecessary aggravation.
On the train from Hertford North Stasi number 2032 asked to see my ticket, which I showed her. She wanted me to remove it from the plastic wallet, which I did. There was nothing wrong with it. It had the correct date written on it, 7/5/15. She instructed me to put a zero in front of the 7. She said it was to stop me from trying to change it to 17 to use again in 10 days time. I reiterated that there was nothing wrong with the card as it was but she said if I did not comply she would remove the ticket from me and I would have to use another one to get out at Moorgate.
So I complied.
But the best was yet to come. The young lady next to me had her annual rail card which she had just bought in April. Apparently her first ever railcard as she had just started work in the city. The Stasi asked to see her photo id card and though she looked for it couldn’t find it. An understandable mistake by someone who had just bought her first rail card. So she phoned home and her mum found it. Too late. And, within reason, a fine due. The lady showed a raft of other id including bank cards, her NUS card and even her driving license and all had her name on which matched the name on the rail travel card. But this was not good enough.
So the Stasi said she would confiscate the rail card. Not just issue a fine but remove the card. The lady asked how she was to get off at Moorgate without a card and was told she would need to buy another. So I pointed out that if she did that she would be issued with another fine at Moorgate for travelling without a ticket. The lady asked how she would get home and the Stasi ignored her. I tried to be helpful and suggested that if she went back to Hertford and met her mum with the photo id she’d be late for work but would at least not lose her annual card. But she rounded on me stating it was none of my business and I had was preventing her from doing her job. The Stasi then walked off still with the lady’s railcard. I suggested to the lady that she phone her mum, get her to take a photo of the id card and send it to her, which she did. The Stasi returned to issue the fine and the lady showed her the photo her mum had sent her on the phone. Nope, not good enough. The lady was then told she could apply to have railcard returned but when she asked how to do it and how long it would take she was ignored.
Then the Stasi’s colleague arrived and after a short discussion between the two the annual railcard was returned and the lady got a fine.
How unreasonable. All that unnecessary aggravation.