Coolmine - south bound ticket machines and why to never board without a ticket

[Coolmine99]

As anyone using the recently installed south bound ticket machines at Coolmine probably knows, these are of mixed reliability (i.e. either not working, or accepting laser / C Card only). I tried to use these on Monday morning, and ended up boarding the train without a ticket hoping to pay in Peasrse as the machines appeared to have frozen and were 100% not working. This option was also chosen by several other commuters in the queue. This was reasonable course of action given the torrential rain, and the fact that the barriers were down. Wrong move - as I came foul of a rather rude offical at Pearse at the otehr end. A couple of things:

I know I was in breach of the famous "bye-laws" (which, incidentally are not to be found on Irish Rails website). However, you would expect some flexibility in this case. I produced a recently expired annual card (my second consecutive one) and last week's weekly ticket, as well as explaining the situation at Coolmine that morning. Not exactly the modus operandi of a serial fare evader.

The attitude of the guy at Peasrse was nothing short of a disgrace. He firslty said he would ring the station to check this out, but said I needed to give my name and address first. He wouldn't explain why he needed this - despite my repeated requests for such personal information - so I might have been a bit (ahem) forgetful exactly where I lived exaclty, knowing where this was going. Low and behold, after I gave my details, he proceeded to tell me a fine will be in the post. He refused to ring the station as he had promised, and proceeded to walk off from my protenstations - ognoring me as if I wasn't there. Great way of treating 'customers'.

To be honest, the combindation of the torrential rain, over crowded trains that apear to run on random time table (never mind the complete lack of information when trains run late / don't show up, missing or wrong information on th train panels, etc), rude and ignorant IR staff, some of whom have personal hygiene issues, is making a 1.5 hour commute by car from Coolmine to town starting to look attractive.....

[Mark Hennessy]

I've noticed that the machines with the new software are very slow.

There is no apparent response from the machines a lot of the time and they are not very customer friendly at all in their current operation (kinda like Irish Rail in general).

It is typical of the Irish Rail laziness that these machines were released to the public without any idea of the effect of the updated software.

I'm not sure of the appeals procedure but there has to be a way to appeal the buy laws as you are not a fare dodger. Certainly putting your case in writing to Paul Slowey would be a start. You should also consider drafting a letter to your local TD's alerting to them the fact that people are being exposed to fines through no fault of their own.

Paul Slowey
Customer Relations Manager
Northern and Eastern
Iarnród Éireann
Connolly Station
Dublin 1

[Mark Gleeson]

The bye laws require that you intended to defraud the company, which you did not.

The bye laws do not require you to even use the TVM's. You presented yourself in good time and the booking office facilities where inoperative. As Mark has noted there is a sluggishness with the new software, indeed I crashed a TVM recently when I asked for a monthly ticket

The revenue protection unit is based in Connolly, details on the letter you will get.

Even if it goes to court in this case it is clear Irish Rail failed in its duty of care to ensure the ticket vending machines where serviceable. Indeed there may be a data protection act issue as well since you have a right to know why your name was being taken

The law is here http://www.railusers.ie/passenger_info/legal.php

[Coolmine99]

Lads, thanks for that.

Originally Posted by Mark Gleeson

You presented yourself in good time and the booking office facilities where inoperative.

.

Well, technically I could have waited for the trains to pass, go back accross the rails, get a ticket from the manned station and get a later train. The concept of people arriving on time for work is therefore lost on IR.

I did intend to write to IR on this, I was livid at my treatment. Although I applied the same dishonesty displayed by the ticket inspector in being inventive with my address. So I'm reluctant to put it in writing to them (expecting a reply to my address!!). I dodn't want the hassle of challenging penalty. TBH, I have never received as much as parking ticket, so the whol incedent was embarrassing, degrading and frankly unpleasant.

I have used this service since 2001. I have never boarded a train without a valid ticket, this was a once off. It is truly shocking to see how the book can be thrown at you.... next time I will say I got on at Broombridge, as the automatons at Pearse will happily issue you with a ticket for that station...

[Mark]

If you are wearing a suit and say you got on a Broombridge they might not believe you.

[Mark Hennessy]

The concept of people arriving on time for work is therefore lost on IR.

Tell me about it.

[andyl222]

Goodluck with getting your fine quashed. If you read back to one of my first posts you'll find i was in a similar situation at coolmine when a train arrived early. Only 2 months ago, a garda arrived at my door with a warrant saying i owed irish rail 200 euro. Lo and behold the whole mess unravels, it would seem after my initial emails back and forth with John Byrne in Connolly station my case was put forward for prosecution. I never received a letter from irish rail about the fine, emails from Mr.Byrne were all i had to confirm the fine was still valid. then I never got a summons for the court case, so obviously wasnt aware i was meant to be in court. a year later this gard shows up on my doorstep saying the fine i owe is 140 euro for irish rail and then 60 euro court costs and on top of this i was convicted in my absence. An absolute nightmare, i am of course appealing, the conviction has been set aside and my next court date is in 3 weeks or so. It is a disgrace that irish rails ineptitude and general haphazard manner results in ordinary decent people getting dragged through the already overrun irish courts system.
Again i hope you get your fine quashed, but i fear it won't be that simple. Keep us posted.

[TRYCOOL6]

firstly i never heard of a station called Peasrse and secondly did it not cross your mind to go over to the ticket office and get a ticket from the clerk,or was the torrenecial rain affecting your brain, why do pepole like you think the world revolves around yourself, why dont you get up earlyer so you will have enough time to get your ticket just like most people do , maybe the 50 euro fine will cop you on

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

firstly i never heard of a station called Peasrse and secondly did it not cross your mind to go over to the ticket office and get a ticket from the clerk,or was the torrenecial rain affecting your brain, why do pepole like you think the world revolves around yourself, why dont you get up earlyer so you will have enough time to get your ticket just like most people do , maybe the 50 euro fine will cop you on

Welcome to the board Mr Cool. Someone who rightly points out the correct spelling of Pearse Station shouldn't make a total arse of themselves spelling torrential and earlier incorrectly.

Maybe the infraction you just got with your very first post will ensure you're civil to people around here.

[awhooley]

Originally Posted by Thomas J Stamp

Welcome to the board Mr Cool. Someone who rightly points out the correct spelling of Pearse Station shouldn't make a total arse of themselves spelling torrential and earlier incorrectly.

Maybe the infraction you just got with your very first post will ensure you're civil to people around here.

hahahahahahahahahaha

[Coolmine99]

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

firstly i never heard of a station called Peasrse

What are you, a primary school teacher.

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

and secondly did it not cross your mind to go over to the ticket office and get a ticket from the clerk

No it didn't - the common (mis)conception was that you could pay the other end. Now i know.

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

or was the torrenecial rain affecting your brain

Well , it was Monday morning. I was focussed on getting t owork on time.

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

why do pepole like you think the world revolves around yourself, why dont you get up earlyer so you will have enough time to get your ticket

WTF?? And it's "earlier", BTW

Originally Posted by TRYCOOL6

maybe the 50 euro fine will cop you on

Thank you for your words of wisdom, and looking forward to more positive posts from you - maybe with better diction, grammar and spelling.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Originally Posted by Coolmine99

What are you, a primary school teacher.



No it didn't - the common (mis)conception was that you could pay the other end. Now i know.


Well , it was Monday morning. I was focussed on getting t owork on time.

WTF?? And it's "earlier", BTW

Thank you for your words of wisdom, and looking forward to more positive posts from you - maybe with better diction, grammar and spelling.

Word of warning - retaliation also gets infractions.

If you have problems with being attacked personally either hit the report post button or PM me about it. Do not respond to attacks, let me deal with them.

Now, everyone chill......