Where’s Your Attitude Reduction Card?

I work for a railway company as a train manager, and during the checking of tickets, we get a little “grey zone” as we call it to bend the rules a little bit as we see fit — mostly to avoid aggression and to make sure we can live with ourselves afterward.

I checked two guys. They both had a ticket with reduction, but only one had a valid card that granted said reduction. In this case, it was for low-income families; they have 50% off on public transport here. Those cards are strictly personal and must be renewed yearly.

Me: “Where is your reduction card?”

Passenger #1: “I forgot it at home.”

It clearly stated on the ticket and the card that the ticket is only valid with the card.

Because he used his friend’s card to get his ticket, I should have immediately given the friend a fine. But because I am not a very strict person, and I feel a little bit sorry for people with low incomes, I decided to disregard the wrongfully bought ticket and treat him as if he had no ticket. This meant I got to sell him one at a slightly higher cost because they should have one before getting on board.

The guy that forgot his ticket was thankful because a fine would have been more than five times the amount of the new ticket. However, his friend decided he didn’t want to play by the rules.

Passenger #2: “Just give me the fine! I’ll pay it later.”

The two eventually started arguing, and I tried to intervene only to have the second guy insult me. This is where I drew the line. I was used to being insulted, so it didn’t bother me at all, but that doesn’t mean I let people get away with it easily.

Me: “Sir, are you certain you want me to follow company guidelines here?”

Passenger #2: “Yes!”

I proceeded to write up the fine.

Me: “Sir, according to government and company guidelines, using your reduction card for a person other than yourself voids your right to have said card. Therefore, I will have to confiscate it.”

This card is more than just reduction for public transport; it works for more or less any government-funded business.

He started to completely lose it.

Me: “Sir, you need to calm down and let me do my job; otherwise, company policy instructs me to call railway security on you.”

I continued checking the other passengers, and then, about forty minutes later at the final station, the two guys came to me and the second guy apologised for his behaviour. I must say, it caught me completely off guard. I returned to my helpful self, cancelled the fine — we can do that within an hour of making it — sold them the normal slightly more expensive ticket, and gave him his card back.

I really didn’t feel like doing the paperwork for it, anyway. In the end, giving the guy exactly what he asked for made him rethink his actions and hopefully turned him into a better person.