should rich people have to mix with poor people?

[nick mercedes]

"George Osborne just got on at Wilmslow with a standard ticket and he has sat in first. His aide tells ticket collector he cannot possibly move and sit with the likes of us in standard class and requests he is allowed to remain in First Class"

George Osborne raises standard in first-class train row | Politics | The Guardian

 

[amg_Charged]

Can't stand public transport myself, that's why I have a car

 

[nick mercedes]

Can't stand public transport myself, that's why I have a car

Should all MPs get given C63s like poor people drive?

 

[amg_Charged]

Should all MPs get given C63s like poor people drive?

Don't you mean their chauffeur ?

 

[MOCAŠ]

This isn't about how rich he is - his fare (whether first class or standard) would have been paid on travel expenses, and as he's a public servant that means every taxpayer (GO and the poor included) is paying for it.

 

[nick mercedes]

This isn't about how rich he is - his fare (whether first class or standard) would have been paid on travel expenses, and as he's a public servant that means every taxpayer (GO and the poor included) is paying for it.

So should taxpayers have to pay 1, for someone to go to work (nobody pays my get to work expenses) and 2 for said person to travel first to avoid mixing with everyday scum?

 

[MOCAŠ]

So should taxpayers have to pay 1, for someone to go to work (nobody pays my get to work expenses) and 2 for said person to travel first to avoid mixing with everyday scum?

As I understand it he was travelling on business (he had an aide with him). Surely your business travel is covered as a business cost? If you deliver a part to someone, do you not levy a delivery charge (or include it in the price of the part)?

 

[nick mercedes]

As I understand it he was travelling on business (he had an aide with him). Surely your business travel is covered as a business cost? If you deliver a part to someone, do you not levy a delivery charge (or include it in the price of the part)?

But the taxpayers don't pay for that, and I don't choose the most expensive way to travel.

 

[Paul/]

It's difficult to be work-productive in a crowded carriage. When my company stopped 1st class travel for managers I would occasionally pay for an upgrade out of my own pocket, to enable me to clear hours of work that would otherwise have eaten in to my time at home. I wonder whether that was the case here.

 

[Dieselman]

He should have paid the extra because the train company are a private company, not state owned.
If the train company was state owned then it wouldn't matter whether he paid or not.

 

[stevieb15]

But the taxpayers don't pay for that, and I don't choose the most expensive way to travel.

The cheapest way to have made the return journey would have been to have driven, even in one of my petrol guzzlers the cost would have been less than £200.
Personally I've never been able to work on a train, as much as i enjoy the experience I'm generally sleep for 90% of the journey.
Clickity clink, clickity click I'm on the way already!

 

[nick mercedes]

He should have paid the extra because the train company are a private company, not state owned.
If the train company was state owned then it wouldn't matter whether he paid or not.

Perhaps if they were state owned a return ticket from London to Manchester would not cost a whopping £296?

Someone has to pay for Richard's private island...

 

[brucemillar]

Perhaps a try at commuting from Sittingbourne to London and back daily would allay any fears about class barriers. Inhaling other peoples BO mixed with fart and various exotic herbs is not a recommended leisure activity. Seats? I am not sure that there any on these trains. For forty four nice big pounds a day who needs a seat anyway. Still at east when you get to London you can relax on the tube. No first class section on the tube mind you.

 

[Dieselman]

Perhaps if they were state owned a return ticket from London to Manchester would not cost a whopping £296?

Someone has to pay for Richard's private island...

Train companies cost a lot to run and the fees for using the rail network are astronomical, as are the fines for poor service.

The Branson private island, like all Virgin owned amenities, is there to be rented out to make money.

If you had enough dosh and status you could stay there.

 

[Paul/]

"Should rich people have to mix with poor people?"

So when a "rich" person tries to buy a 1st class ticket, X% of them should be forcibly assigned standard tickets to maintain an unoffensive demographic distribution in standard?

If you book early enough, 1st class is often not significantly more expensive than standard. If you haven't traveled 1st, take a look inside the carriage to see the make-up of travellers.

 

[Paul/]

"Another deliberately provocative gutter-press title that mischievously misrepresents the key issue?"

 

[nick mercedes]

"Should rich people have to mix with poor people?"

So when a "rich" person tries to buy a 1st class ticket

Rich people buying their own ticket should be free to travel first class if they so wish.

Should people claiming the cost of the travel from the taxpayer be allowed to travel first class?

For example the job centre might arrange an interview for someone, should they travel first class and claim the cost from the taxpayer?

Or a single mum on benefits might need to take her sprog in for a check up, should we pick up the cost of first class travel for her?

Or do only the rich deserve taxpayer funded perks?

 

[nick mercedes]

Perhaps a try at commuting from Sittingbourne to London and back daily would allay any fears about class barriers. Inhaling other peoples BO mixed with fart and various exotic herbs is not a recommended leisure activity. Seats? I am not sure that there any on these trains. For forty four nice big pounds a day who needs a seat anyway. Still at east when you get to London you can relax on the tube. No first class section on the tube mind you.

MPs will have goverment cars and taxis to prevent them having to suffer the tube or busses.

 

[nick mercedes]

It's difficult to be work-productive in a crowded carriage. When my company stopped 1st class travel for managers I would occasionally pay for an upgrade out of my own pocket, to enable me to clear hours of work that would otherwise have eaten in to my time at home. I wonder whether that was the case here.

Apparanty he was watching a DVD with his aide, why he needs help to ride the train and watch dvds is a mystery:

"Richard Warren, who works in advertising, was travelling in standard class but went into first class looking for the buffet and spotted Mr Osborne.

He said: "He was watching a DVD on a laptop with a female aide.

"It was obviously a comedy as they were laughing loudly. They were sharing the earphones and had one each.

"I only went down into first-class because I was looking for the buffet and I spotted him."

 

[Paul/]

Rich people buying their own ticket should be free to travel first class if they so wish.

Should people claiming the cost of the travel from the taxpayer be allowed to travel first class?

For example the job centre might arrange an interview for someone, should they travel first class and claim the cost from the taxpayer?

Or a single mum on benefits might need to take her sprog in for a check up, should we pick up the cost of first class travel for her?

Or do only the rich deserve taxpayer funded perks?

Clearly "Rich" & "Poor" is irrelevant, the issue is should the taxpayer pay for anyone to travel 1st class, the obvious answer is no.