I have recently travelled a couple of times for free on the supertram due to being completely ignored by the conductors!

It wasn't busy, I had my money in my hand and I was looking at the conductors as they walked past. They ignored me and carried on, it then happened again as they walked back past the other way!

What would you do in this situation...


(P.S I'm very excited as this is my first Poll posting - so please vote in your 1000's :heyhey: )

I have had this a couple of times and always kept the money in my hand until the end of the journey but they didn't seem to want it.

Also a lot of people nearly always get free rides coming back from the match as the tram is so full they can't get round. I always get a day rider though.:hihi:

I voted for paying. Only because if an inspector (or whatever they are called) got on you wouldn't be able to use the excuse they hadn't got to you yet if was nearly empty.

EDIT - Oops it seems I didn't vote for paying, but the other one!!
I am always doing that!

I voted to try and travel for free, but as I have a monthly pass it doesn't realy matter.

i've done this many a time

its dishonest and I offer no form of justification other than "meh"

done that a few times myself, I always sit there wondering if they're going to come back for me.

I've got away with not paying once or twice, one time I was with another guy on the Tram from Hillsborough and we got right through to the City Hall stop where we were getting off before the conductor came for our tickets, I explained that we were getting off there, and he let me off without paying as I have a disabled pass and get 40p fares, but charged my mate who obviously would be paying full whack! :lol:

Hmm, so it seems none of us are really that honest!

Maybe I should buy an old conductors uniform... could make a killing wandering the trams all day!! :clap:

Half the problem is that some of the conductors dont look who is getting on the tram even when its not busy, and just wander up and down shouting 'any more fares ?'. There is one particularly annoying woman who does this even when no-one has got on between stops :loopy:

Have a monthly ticket and quite often they just wander past :confused:

Originally posted by rtapper
There is one particularly annoying woman who does this even when no-one has got on between stops :loopy:


I know the one you mean. :hihi: She even does it when the tram's not even stopped.

I'd always try to pay, but I do usually have a weekly pass anyway.

Seems that the Sheffield Forum is full of opportunists. No point in trying too hard to give your hard earned away, I reckon people should work herder if they're the ones taking the cash. Also, I seem to remeber that the man who owns Stagecoach (parent company of Supertram) stumped up a load of cash back in 2003 to support the "no" campaign against making the age of conset for sex between two men the same as for a man and a woman. Personally I think if someone like that loses a couple of quid his karma deserves it. Can't see it hurting him much though...

I thought everyone did this. You just look vacantly out of the window without establishing eye contact, and the conductor sails past. Its their job to ask you, and its a silly system anyway, especially at peak times.
And save the "you are so dishonest replies".
I know.
;-)

Originally posted by Guderian
its a silly system anyway, especially at peak times.


What would be better though?

When you used to buy your ticket before getting on, nobody paid. I heard revenue doubled when they brought in conductors

Originally posted by rtapper
There is one particularly annoying woman who does this even when no-one has got on between stops :loopy:

:shocked: People can get on between stops? :confused:

Originally posted by Andy
What would be better though?

When you used to buy your ticket before getting on, nobody paid. I heard revenue doubled when they brought in conductors

:confused: 0 x 2 = 0 :confused:

Originally posted by Strix
:confused: 0 x 2 = 0 :confused:

oh stop typing Strix .... you know very well what Andy meant .... :rolleyes:

It happened to me right infront of a inspector-type woman! I was waiting to pay and had my money out ready, and the woman who was taking notes and I think was checking the standard of service etc, saw me with my money. But, the conductor walked straight past and back again, even though I wasn't ignoring them. I kept my money out until I got to Meadowhall but still never paid. I looked at the woman who was taking notes, just in case she said anything, but it wasn't my fault, and she never said anything to me about it. I found it quite funny that it was in front of some sort of inspector.

This happens to me in pubs while stood at the bar trying to get a drink. I call it IMS (Invisible Man Syndrome):suspect:

Originally posted by Strix
:confused: 0 x 2 = 0 :confused:

y'know... I've done A level maths, and even some more advanced maths to understand some things I've done research on... and multiplying by zero is still the most stupid thing ever...

if I take £1,000,000 in £20 notes... and then shout out "this money times by the nothing in my open hand" ... shouldn't the money dissapear? :? poof!! instantly bankrupt!

Originally posted by rubydazzler
oh stop typing Strix .... I can relly see that happening, can't you? :suspect:

Originally posted by xafier
y'know... I've done A level maths, and even some more advanced maths to understand some things I've done research on... and multiplying by zero is still the most stupid thing ever...

if I take £1,000,000 in £20 notes... and then shout out "this money times by the nothing in my open hand" ... shouldn't the money dissapear? :? poof!! instantly bankrupt!

And conversely, if you shout 'twice this amount of money....' nothing happens either :roll:

Originally posted by xafier
y'know... I've done A level maths, and even some more advanced maths to understand some things I've done research on... and multiplying by zero is still the most stupid thing ever...


No...dividing by zero is the most stupid thing ever. And second most stupid is dividing by negative numbers, and getting imaginery numbers as a result.

:confused:

i always find that if you sit down and start reading the paper, when the conductor comes up and shouts 'fares please' carry on reading your paper. a lot of the time they must think that they have already taken your fare. then you have always got the excuse if they come to question you of 'oh sorry, i was engrossed in the newspaper'.

ive used it quite a few times (when i am short of cash which isnt too often). it doesnt work if you get on at the terminus tho as they know they havent taken your fare.

Originally posted by Briano
Hmm, so it seems none of us are really that honest!



Is it dishonesty though?

If you are sat with the money in your hand waiting to have it collected and the person whose job it is to collect your fare doesn't collect it then surely it is his/her fault.

We found this when recently visiting London. After buying a ticket for unlimited bus/train/tube travel we weren't asked once to show it. Admitedly you can't travel for free on the tube as you need the ticket to operate the turnstile type entry/exit machines but wecould have rode about all day unchallenged on the bus and train.

Originally posted by Strix
:confused: 0 x 2 = 0 :confused:

:hihi: :hihi: I like that Strix.
Anyway back on topic, What about a real Inspector BLAKEY (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/viking99/forums/Blakey.jpg) AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa

Originally posted by viking
:hihi: :hihi: I like that Strix.
Anyway back on topic, What about a real Inspector BLAKEY (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v689/viking99/forums/Blakey.jpg) AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaa

Have a look around Sheffield should be plenty wandering about.

Me and my mum got on at west st on st georges day travelling towards hillsbro,

which is £1.30 i think but cause it was busy and he didnt get to us untill the uni stop he only charged us 90p but when i gave him my fare i was honest and said £1.30 please but he said its ok i'll just charge you from here.


What i nice man ...so i dont think there bothered really

Originally posted by d71146
Have a look around Sheffield should be plenty wandering about.

Usually coppers though with the same mentality/physique...:hihi:

I wouldn't pay if I wasn't approached...but it has never happened to me, I have always been asked for my fare...prob because conductors don't miss a 'delightful' lady with three 'equally delightful' children scrambling aboard with a 'squeaky pushchair'!!! :P

Originally posted by rtapper
There is one particularly annoying woman who does this even when no-one has got on between stops :loopy:


She really got on my nerves, - totally distracting if you're trying to read; and I've seen her walk past people holding out their hand with the fare :rolleyes:

Thankfully I don't have to suffer the tram any longer, but I always bought a day-rider from the terminus.

I've recently got a bus and tram pass. But I've always offered to pay, but occasionally been ignored. Maybe the tram company factor in missed fares - especially when the tam is crowded coming back from the Arena.

I don't go out of my way either. The money is always waiting if anyone wants to take it but if they don't bother, then why should I?

Apart from when I've just been waiting for the tram and been told God Loves me, then I have a guilt trip!

I've always had my fare ready to pay but have honestly saved a hell of a lot of money by being missed at peak times (I'm 5ft 2... easily done LOL) But then also I don't travel far as I live close to the city centre so the conductors hardly have time to get to me sometimes!

I think naturally people are going to will the tram faster to their stop if they haven't yet paid and the conductor's getting closer. It's probably quite a thrill if theres a group of you and you're going to save a fiver or more!! :hihi:

Originally posted by Shiesh
Usually coppers though with the same mentality/physique...:hihi:

I wouldn't pay if I wasn't approached...but it has never happened to me, I have always been asked for my fare...prob because conductors don't miss a 'delightful' lady with three 'equally delightful' children scrambling aboard with a 'squeaky pushchair'!!! :P


hehe....im the same......i never get away with not paying, usually cos one of my noisy boys has piped up ''mummy can i pay the ticket man''? at full volume!

sue:D

Originally posted by samsmum
hehe....im the same......i never get away with not paying, usually cos one of my noisy boys has piped up ''mummy can i pay the ticket man''? at full volume!

sue:D

Lol, you could always answer loudly "No, you've already paid him twice!", the conductor would then apologise and give you a fare back, you'd actually make money out of the process!! :clap:

Has anyone got a fine or anything from an inspector for not having bought a ticket?

Once going to Meadowhall the conductor walked past me, so I didn't get a ticket. Then a few minutes later an inspector walked up the tram asking for tickets, I just said I hadn't bought one yet and he let me buy one from the conductor...Was I just lucky? Or is that all that happens if you don't buy a ticket?

I've been sat there on the tram so many times whilst the apathetic conductor had shuffled past that it just isn't funny any more.

The crowning glory came the other week when my partner and I were coming home from a trip to the cinema one evening.

As usual the conductor wandered past and asked for the fares. My other half commutes to the city centre every weekday and therefore has a seven day pass, which she produced. I on the other hand had a pile of change in my hand and was sitting right there beside her, looking the conductor in the eye and she just walked away as if I were invisible.

I sat there with the change in my hand, trying to catch her eye as she proceeded to walk past me again and ignore me once more. A little p*ssed off, I put the change into a coat pocket rather than back into my jeans so that I could get it out again if she passed for a third time.

The next thing I know I hear the ominous "tickets and passes please" as the bloody inspector gets on. When he reaches me the conversation went pretty much like this:

Inspector: Tickets?

Carmine: I haven't got one.

Inspector: What?

Carmime: I said I haven't got one.

Inspector: Why?

Carmine: Because the conductor ignored me.

Inspector: Did she come past this way?

Carmine: Yes, and I was sitting here with my money looking at her...she just walked off down the tram.

Inspector: (Sighs) What do you want, a personal invitation?

To which, in a perfect world I would have answered: "A personal invitation along the lines of 'can I take your fare, sir?'". But of course I left it and paid the fare.

Then the conductor wanders past and hisses that she passed me three times...failing to note that on each occasion I had the money in my hand and was trying to get her attention.

So in short, I was made to feel like a criminal because one of their employees was slacking off on the job...what a wonderful world we live in!

And yes, the head of Stagecoach did funnel money into the campaign to keep that clause prohibiting the education system from teaching about homosexuality.

Originally posted by will_
Has anyone got a fine or anything from an inspector for not having bought a ticket?

Once going to Meadowhall the conductor walked past me, so I didn't get a ticket. Then a few minutes later an inspector walked up the tram asking for tickets, I just said I hadn't bought one yet and he let me buy one from the conductor...Was I just lucky? Or is that all that happens if you don't buy a ticket?

I think it depends on the inspector and what kind of mood they're in at the time.

In my case it was perfectly obvious that I wasn't making some fiendish attempt to jump the fare, the conductor just didn't ask me for it and I don't see why I should have to shout after them down a crowded tram.

If there's one thing I can't stand it's people who seem to think that members of the public should do their jobs for them in such situations.

On the subject of fare-dodging/wrong tickets and inspectors, I've had a bit of an experience on the buses this week.
I've been using a Sheffield FirstWeek to get to Meadowhall from Hackenthorpe, using the X78 from town to Meadowhall. All week, I've got on the bus fine. But today, the driver took the ticket from me to have a proper look and asked me where I was going, to which I replied Meadowhall, and he let me on. When I sat down, I realised why he'd asked me - the X78 runs to Doncaster, meaning I should have a South Yorkshire FirstWeek if I was going further than Meadowhall - I was wondering why other bus drivers haven't asked me, and certainly why not the two ticket inspectors who got on yesterday? It never occured to me to mention anything (not that I should have to, I expect), but it just shows that inspectors aren't necessarily doing the job they should be.

I like trams, my childhood dream job was to be a tram driver!

Originally posted by Andy
What would be better though?

When you used to buy your ticket before getting on, nobody paid. I heard revenue doubled when they brought in conductors

You should go and try skipping your fare on the Metrolink in Manchester :) Tickets are bought from machines on the platform, but from my experiences there a couple of years ago it's just not worth trying to get away without one - at one point inspectors would get on every third or fourth journey! And none of this just buying a ticket when you get caught, it's a nice fine!

Brings back memories of comparing the two when Supertram first started - they used to have hardly any customers at all compared to the Metro, now it's always fairly busy...

Originally posted by rich951
You should go and try skipping your fare on the Metrolink in Manchester :) Tickets are bought from machines on the platform, but from my experiences there a couple of years ago it's just not worth trying to get away without one - at one point inspectors would get on every third or fourth journey! And none of this just buying a ticket when you get caught, it's a nice fine!

Brings back memories of comparing the two when Supertram first started - they used to have hardly any customers at all compared to the Metro, now it's always fairly busy...

I've been on the Metro in Manchester a few times and never had my ticket checked. I had to buy one anyway as I was going to the Trafford Centre. But the only time I've come across someone who could possibly check the tickets on there is when the tram broke down at a stop where no one could go anywhere!