Britain’s Biggest Hero Lives In Stonegate And Ticket Inspectors Spread TB In Cattle
THE biggest fare dodger in railway history is Our Hero. Every work day for five years Our Hero travelled from his home in Stonegate to London’s Canon Street station. He worked out that if he swiped an Oyster card at Canon Street but not at Stonegate, East Sussex, the machine undercharged him.
Bright lad. His quick wits and low cunning saved him £42,000 in train fares.
Could you have done it?
No? Yes?
He’s a criminal who wilfully swindled the rail company – the over-charging rail company run by fat cat managers. Not that the victim’s morals and greed matter. A crime’s a crime.
Right?
Southeastern, the firm operating the service, didn’t bother to prosecute Our Hero. They accepted an out-of-court settlement. He repaid £42,550 in unpaid fares – but remained anonymous and avoided court action. Our Hero is a hedge fund manager in the City.
Still like him?
The acting general secretary of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union (RMT) – get this – Mick Cash, says: “This outrageous abuse of the fares system shows not only that some wealthy people think that they are above the normal rules.”
No it doesn’t. It shows that the rail companies are so greedy that only the rich can afford to try to get one over on them. The fares system is the real enemy.
The UK is home to the highest rail prices in Europe. The service is routinely dirty, late and overcrowded. The onboard buffet is the one place where London’s migrant workers can still buy a truly crap cup of tea or coffee.
If you lose your season ticket that costs around the same price as a Dacia Sandero (Price from: £5,995), you can pay £10 for a new piece of card. If you lose it again, it’s tough. If your season ticket was stolen and the replacement burnt to cinders in a fire that saw your family killed, it’s tough. As those bleeding hearts at National Rail say:
We will not issue any more than two duplicate Season Tickets in any 12 month period under any circumstances.
Rail companies do not like you. They do not value you. You are trapped. You must pay a huge fare or else.
So. Our Hero is a hero to every hard working man and woman. No. Our Hero was nicked by the ticket inspector, a rare breed of animal that, if rumours are right, spreads TB in cattle. You heard it here first…
Posted: 14th, April 2014 | In: Reviews, The Consumer Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
