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

[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.

[Colm Moore]

I imagine that issuing summons is for the courts, not Irish Rail.

[andyl222]

Originally Posted by Victor

I imagine that issuing summons is for the courts, not Irish Rail.

The reason i never got a summons was due to irish rail's ineptitude when they took my address incorrectly. So I didnt receive a notification stating the fine was still active or a summons to court due to this error on irishrail's part.