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Unread 13-06-2014, 16:20   #59
James Howard
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Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Sligo Line
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I should think that Irish Rail's approach is driven by culture. The fact is that there is a significant section in Irish society that tends to be extremely aggressive and who basically believe in getting their retaliation in first. This tends to correlate strongly with those who don't pay for their train tickets. So if Irish Rail don't turn up in force and behave assertively, they will get walked all over and may end up putting staff in danger.

It is unfortunate that the law-abiding majority have to get their noses put of of joint by this behaviour but I can't see a way around it. This is similar to how the loud aggressive drunks tend to get treated more quickly at A&E on a Friday night. The alternative for those of us who pay is to suffer a worse service and basically subsidise the scumbags who won't pay. I don't personally find them rude but then I always have my ticket to hand and can show it promptly when asked.

The opposite applies to other cultures. I don't know if the same system still applies but when I was in Tokyo about 15 years ago, they had this system called "Fare Adjustment" where if you didn't know what your fare was, you paid the minimum and then put your ticket into a machine at your destination and paid the difference. Of course, ever single Irish person I knew used to buy the minimum fare ticket and use their point-to-point work pass to get out at their home station. Our Japanese colleagues would be utterly horrified at this behaviour and there was never a ticket inspector to be seen anywhere because honour and honesty are basically core values in Japanese culture.
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