The Tube, Episode 2

[geofftech]

What did everyone think of last nights episode then? (27/02/2012).

My thoughts:

- The revenue inspector who resulted to mirroring the accent/dialect of the person she was talking to was shocking. That's disrespectful, bordering on being racist, and i couldn't believe she was doing it.

- At Finchley Central, they took great pleasure out of picking on people on the CCTV who weren't "touching in" on the Oyster pad .. but that's assuming they have PAYG oyster. if a gate is open, and you have an Oyster Travelcard valid for your zone, why bother touching in? all those people they picked on last night could have all been Oyster Travelcard holders, and not PAYG users.

- I couldn't work out what the touch/in out scam was - the guy with the red headphones. Ok, so at Hoxtom/Homerton wherever he gets on he touches in AND out immediately. but what does he do at his destination .. the same? leans over the barrier and touches 'in', and then immediately touches 'out' and walks out .. ?

- The Chelsea Smile dude at Latimer Road was hideous ... amazed that his face wasn't blurred. the production company must have got permission (from the court which charged him £1200) to be able to use his face? there's no way he would have signed a consent form!

[palkanetoijala31]

It was a good episode although i think ur first point is a little harsh as she did point out it helps in the situation its a bit like going to mexico and putting on a spanish accent but speaking english they actually appreciate that fact there.

[jamesthegill]

- The revenue inspector who resulted to mirroring the accent/dialect of the person she was talking to was shocking. That's disrespectful, bordering on being racist, and i couldn't believe she was doing it.

I say this without having seen the episode, but as someone with a fairly neutral accent I've noticed my accent unconsciously wandering when talking to someone with a broad Geordie/Welsh/Cornish/Scottish accent. Not doing it to mimic them or take the mick, it just happens.

[greatkingrat]

- I couldn't work out what the touch/in out scam was - the guy with the red headphones. Ok, so at Hoxtom/Homerton wherever he gets on he touches in AND out immediately. but what does he do at his destination .. the same? leans over the barrier and touches 'in', and then immediately touches 'out' and walks out .. ?

I believe he had a zone 2 travelcard so it was recording a Homerton - Homerton journey (covered by travelcard so no money deducted) and then a ??? - Ladbroke Grove unresolved journey (also covered by travelcard). So he was avoiding the zone 1 extension fare that would normally be deducted for a Homerton-Ladbroke Grove journey.

[moley]

What did everyone think of last nights episode then? (27/02/2012).

My thoughts:

- The Chelsea Smile dude at Latimer Road was hideous ... amazed that his face wasn't blurred. the production company must have got permission (from the court which charged him £1200) to be able to use his face? there's no way he would have signed a consent form!

Usual rule with these things is that if someone is found guilty then you can use their name / image without consent in the same way that a news channel / newspaper can to report the incident - unless a judge rules otherwise. If someone is not guilty or awaiting trail then its different.

[geofftech]

i think there's a difference between Wandering Accent Syndrome (WAS) though, where you instinctively mimic someone's dialect, as opposed to consciously dumbing down what you are saying to imitate someone's poorer command of English. it's really patronising, and a little intimidating - whether its gets results or not. a smile, and clearly - slowly spoken - English is all that's required! // rant over.

makes me wonder now too if the people on the series are now going to be 'spotted' as being famous for being on telly. those 'undercover' revenue inspectors? not so undercover now, are they? i'd recognise them!

[The Raven]

Well if you don't fare-dodge you have nothing to worry about....

[MylesHSG]

Exactly, and theres not too much you can do if they get on your carrage lol.

What I dont get is how to most of these people get on the platform. I reckon most just ask the station staff to let them through the gate and they do to avoid a fuss. For example when I was scouting with Iain I tested it using my Oyster and it locked me out at Algate. The guy let me on the platform and I made my way to Watford via Earls Court and when I got there I went up to the booth and before I could finish "I topped up my Oyster for the amount of the travelcard" she had let the gate open withput checking or even seeing my oyster.

[hopeful traveller]

Yes, remember what happened with my ticket on the R15?

[Cheshire Cat]

Regarding the accent thing, it did make me wince slightly, but there is sense behind it. A cockney accent, combined with local dialect, can be very difficult for non-native English speakers to understand. And few officials seem to get the idea of using simlified (or at least less colloquial) English to make themselves more easily understandable. The ticket inspector didn't simply mimick the other person's' accent, she also used their type of vocab, which immediately made her more comprehensible.

It brought to mind my inter-railing in my youth. On one journey I shared a compartment with some Italians and Swiss. We talked in English, but the Swiss translated what I said into simpler English for the benefit of the Italians, which I found patronising to both the Italians and me!

[tubeguru]

That's just the way the Swiss roll ...

[nozzacook]

The man with the red hat tapped in and out at each end so he only paid for a single non Zone one ticket each time.

So he bought 2 £1.50 tickets rather than one that crossed several zone which would cost about £5.