I was caught using someone elses freedom pass in error instead of my own oyster on London Underground. My details were taken but I wasn't given an on the spot fine. i have only just recieved a summons. I used the freedom pass in error, I happend to be carrying it on the day and used the freedom pass instead of my own oyster card. I have a record on my oyster card that on the first leg of my journey i used my oyster card - the revenue inspector was not interested. The statement he has put together is slightly inaccurate also. I am due in court in 4 weeks and haven't a clue what to do. I have read many forums and some people are saying to plead guilty to get a lighter fine. I'm not concerned about the fine but the criminal record that may be attached to this event. I also read that it could be an idea to call the prosecution manager and to and plead an out of court settlement - is this something anyone would recommend. Is it worth hiring a solicitor or should I represent myself. It was a genuine error and I do not want to receive a criminal record because of it. Can someone advise if found guilty and fined that also means you get a criminal record? Or you can escape a criminal record with just a fine. I am very muddled and I don't know what to do, I'm absolutely terrified of what is going to happen. Any answers or advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

"reea" wrote in message
...

I was caught using someone elses freedom pass in error instead of my own
oyster on London Underground. My details were taken but I wasn't given
an on the spot fine. i have only just recieved a summons. I used the
freedom pass in error, I happend to be carrying it on the day and used

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury

tim

"tim....." wrote in message
...

"reea" wrote in message
...

I was caught using someone elses freedom pass in error instead of my own
oyster on London Underground. My details were taken but I wasn't given
an on the spot fine. i have only just recieved a summons. I used the
freedom pass in error, I happend to be carrying it on the day and used

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury


I'm fairly sure someone posted almost exactly the same 'tale of woe' a year
or two back.
I don't think the eventual result was ever reported back... Google might
know...

Paul S

In message , at 22:34:06 on Thu, 16
Oct 2008, tim..... remarked:
You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury

Depends who the Freedom Pass belonged to, and why he had it. If it was
his wife's and had picked it up from the council office that day, and
was in the process of taking it home - then the possession would be
understandable (even if the accidental nature of the use might be a more
difficult thing to explain).
--
Roland Perry

On 17 Oct, 08:35, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 22:34:06 on Thu, 16
Oct 2008, tim..... remarked:

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury

Depends who the Freedom Pass belonged to, and why he had it. If it was
his wife's and had picked it up from the council office that day, and
was in the process of taking it home - then the possession would be
understandable (even if the accidental nature of the use might be a more
difficult thing to explain).
--
Roland Perry

Are freedom passes oyster cards? - If so, then if you had one in your
wallet along with your normal Oyster (as suggested, say you were
picking it up or it just happened to be in a pile with the rest of
your normal credit cards et al. that morning etc.) and the barrier
reader found it before your oyster and used it instead....these are
contactless cards that live out of sight, after all.

Does anyone know what happens if you have multiple oysters next to
each other when you swipe?

"Jamie Thompson" wrote in message
...
On 17 Oct, 08:35, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 22:34:06 on Thu, 16
Oct 2008, tim..... remarked:

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury

Depends who the Freedom Pass belonged to, and why he had it. If it was
his wife's and had picked it up from the council office that day, and
was in the process of taking it home - then the possession would be
understandable (even if the accidental nature of the use might be a more
difficult thing to explain).
--
Roland Perry

Are freedom passes oyster cards? - If so, then if you had one in your
wallet along with your normal Oyster (as suggested, say you were
picking it up or it just happened to be in a pile with the rest of
your normal credit cards et al. that morning etc.) and the barrier
reader found it before your oyster and used it instead....these are
contactless cards that live out of sight, after all.

Does anyone know what happens if you have multiple oysters next to
each other when you swipe?

They certainly work the same way and I always keep my Oyster (pre 0930
travel) and Freedom Pass (any other time) in separate wallets just to make
sure I don't get charged when I should be travelling free. Keeping the nice
bright orange ticket wallet helps make sure you don't confuse it with
anything else too!

MaxB

The message

from Jamie Thompson contains these words:

On 17 Oct, 08:35, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 22:34:06 on Thu, 16
Oct 2008, tim..... remarked:

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.

Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury

Depends who the Freedom Pass belonged to, and why he had it. If it was
his wife's and had picked it up from the council office that day, and
was in the process of taking it home - then the possession would be
understandable (even if the accidental nature of the use might be a more
difficult thing to explain).
--
Roland Perry

Are freedom passes oyster cards? - If so, then if you had one in your
wallet along with your normal Oyster (as suggested, say you were
picking it up or it just happened to be in a pile with the rest of
your normal credit cards et al. that morning etc.) and the barrier
reader found it before your oyster and used it instead....these are
contactless cards that live out of sight, after all.

Does anyone know what happens if you have multiple oysters next to
each other when you swipe?


Freedom Passes are Oyster Cards.
Freedom Passes are orange and brown, ordinary Oyster cards are blue and
bright turquoise. These colours are easily accidentally confused - not.

I read a similar story a few years ago in this very newsgroup. I didn't
believe the OP ?Michelle? then and I certainly don't believe the OP here
now. I am a wheelchair user who frequently gives my Freedom Pass to my
partner so he can push me through a gate but we don't have that sort of
'accident' even though he is DEAD SCATTY.
Pull the other one, it's gt bells on!

"Helen Deborah Vecht" wrote in message
...

Freedom Passes are Oyster Cards.
Freedom Passes are orange and brown, ordinary Oyster cards are blue and
bright turquoise. These colours are easily accidentally confused - not.

I read a similar story a few years ago in this very newsgroup. I didn't
believe the OP ?Michelle? then and I certainly don't believe the OP here
now.

Pull the other one, it's gt bells on!

This is it, google found it:

"On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 20:40:20 +0000, Michelle wrote:

I don't know if anyone can help, but any further advice will be much
appreciated. I recieved the letter from london underground saying
legal proceedings may be initiated against me. I'm supposed to send
the letter back within 10 days with my full details and if I want to
write any comments I can, but it will be used as evidence. I don't
know what to do or what to say. I'm still scared as to what is going
to happen. I keep thinking I'm going to prison because I was using a
freedom pass as opposed to not having a ticket. Is this likely? If
I'm fined, how much is likely in a case like mine? Would it make a
difference if I write how sorry I am and how frightened I've been? Or
should I write nothing? What happens if I don't send the letter back?
Also someone here said if I get a criminal record for this it'll last
for 5 years, is this true I thought it was for life? I honestly don't
know what to do anymore. I feel so stupid for being in a rush that day
and not thinking things through. I think someone suggested I seek help
from a solicitor, how do I go about this? Sorry I have no idea how
this works."

Remarkably similar - both spell 'recieved' the same anyway... :-)

Paul

In article ,
(Helen Deborah Vecht) wrote:

Freedom Passes are Oyster Cards.
Freedom Passes are orange and brown, ordinary Oyster cards are blue and
bright turquoise. These colours are easily accidentally confused - not.

I keep my Oyster Card in a plastic wallet and never need to take it out.
So the colour might or might not help distinguish it from another card
also in a wallet or not.

When I got my Oyster card they gave out wallets with every one. Don't they
do that any more?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

Jamie Thompson wrote:
On 17 Oct, 08:35, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 22:34:06 on Thu, 16
Oct 2008, tim..... remarked:

You're going to have to come up with a convincing reason why you "just
happened" to have someone else's freedom pass in you pocket in the first
place.
Personally, I can't think of a reason I would believe if I were the jury
Depends who the Freedom Pass belonged to, and why he had it. If it was
his wife's and had picked it up from the council office that day, and
was in the process of taking it home - then the possession would be
understandable (even if the accidental nature of the use might be a more
difficult thing to explain).
--
Roland Perry

Are freedom passes oyster cards? - If so, then if you had one in your
wallet along with your normal Oyster (as suggested, say you were
picking it up or it just happened to be in a pile with the rest of
your normal credit cards et al. that morning etc.) and the barrier
reader found it before your oyster and used it instead....these are
contactless cards that live out of sight, after all.

Does anyone know what happens if you have multiple oysters next to
each other when you swipe?

Been there, done it.
I have a freedom pass & a oyster card (for use before 9am)
Not thinking I had them both in my wallet, I later found that the oyster
had been debited (no way of telling if the Freedom Pass had been scanned)

--
Tony the Dragon