Commuter with $7600 annual train ticket fined for falling asleep, missing stop
A UK commuter who pays $7600 for an annual train pass has been fined after he fell asleep on his ride home and missed his stop.
The Telegraph reports Neil Armstrong, 46, has held a year-long pass from London Victoria to Barming, Kent for 25 years.
But on a trip home on June 13 he missed his stop and woke up as the train left Maidstone East.
Despite his best efforts in pleading for the ticket inspector to show some “common sense,” Mr Armstrong was fined $32.
"I tried to explain that I'd accidentally fallen asleep, and that I wasn't trying to dodge fares, but they just wouldn't have it,” he said.
Mr Armstrong tried to appeal the fine with Southeastern, who operate the train line, but was slapped with an extra $36 after he failed to have it overturned.
"It just said my appeal has been unsuccessful and that it was my responsibility to get off at the right station,” he said.
“I feel betrayed. It doesn't really give you a great service as it is. I feel totally let down by its pettiness.”
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A refusal to pay the second fine would have led to a hefty $1690 fine for an outstanding fee.
However, after being contacted by a local newspaper, the company changed its mind and said Mr Armstrong would be refunded.
A Southeastern spokesman said the appeal was being re-logged by the Independent Penalty Fares and a refund of $32 would be processed.
“A member of the IPFAS team will be in touch with Mr Armstrong in due course,” he said.
"It's never been cheap, and I've given them tens of thousands of pounds over the years but nothing like this has ever happened before,” Mr Armstrong said.
"They must have a record of people's fines and be able to see that I haven't been before, I've got a totally clean record."
