Travel /
An experience on the train in Warsaw [30]
Hey guys....
I just wanted to share an expereince I had on the the train last Monday night (night of the Liverpool vs Everton game) ..I was travelling from Prushkow to Warsaw to watch the game at 'The Champions Bar'...
Once the train got to Warsaw Śródm....... 3 guys came up to me, 2 identified themselves as ticket controllers and one was a big,mean looking guy from a security company. Anyway as I have a Warsaw metro/train/bus monthly pass (119zl) so I handed this over for the controller to scan. He scanned...all ok so far...he then proceeded to ask me for my photo id for confirmation. I showed my passport...and to my horror he said.. in broken English '' This is not valid...i need to see a Polish id!''....I replied that I only had my passport on me...he the told me that the monthly train pass was therefore ''no good!''
He then checked with the other guy, his supervisor, and proceeded to write me a ticket...the 1st thing he wrote was 107 zl....the fine!. I was still trying to convince them that my Passport should be sufficient proof of id but all to no avail.
I was angry...pissed off...(and not just with missing the strt of the Liverpool game) so as it was half way through the month making the pass worth a little over 55zl I told them that I wasn't going to pay the fine...and that they could keep the card !!...and began to walk off.
This is where it turned really scary.....remember the big mean guy...well he grabbed hold of me ...and tried to put his truncheon type stick between my arms...I'm not exactly a small guy...and can be just as mean....so after a few minutes of struggling the security guard called for back up...!!
Once the other well educated bafoons turned up they told me that I had to go with them and speak to the Police...ok so this really started getting scary.
We left the Śródm. station...and began heading to the Metro (a few mins away)...where supposidly there were Police stationed. I thought screw it...I'm not going to pay this stupid fine....
Twice on the way they asked me for the money...twice I declined, I said ''I'll let the Police deal with this''
They then asked for my address..which I again declined to give them...
We were like 10 meters from a couple of Policemen.....The supervisor turned to me...looked straight at me....shook his head a bit....and gave me my pass back..mumbled somethin in Polish...and along with the other guys walked off in the opposite direction!!!
I stood there for a few seconds....shocked...I didn't really know what had just happended!
I thought of going to the police and telling them..but thought better of it...what would I tell them...i wasn't sure of what had happened myself!
So I went off and tried to enjoy my game!
The train was the SKM service from Pruskow.
I went to the British Embassy for tax purposes a few days ago and asked them about the ID fiasco...and they told be that it's up to the discretion of the ticket controllers what ID they accept!....absolutley stupid!
I have now got a polish photo id....but I've lost a lil faith in the Polish transport system!
Just wanted people to be aware of this stupid situation
Have a good day...and travel safe!
