3 year old skyrail fine for tourist

Dani · #1 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 12:06 AM**

Hey guys and girls!

I was reading another thread here about someone who copped a Skyrail dine for having an expired ticket so I am hoping that I am in the right place?

So, my story begins in June 2009. I was visiting Canada (Vancouver) from Australia for a couple of weeks. One night I went to a Skyrail station with some friends. I was ''escorting'' them to the train and then heading to another friends house once they were on the train. We wandered up the Escalators to be met by a group of blokes asking for tickets. I didn't have mine on me as I had no intention of getting on the train, I was merely seeing my mates off. I was told that to be on the platform I had to have a ticket, I told them that I was un aware of that and I would leave straight away. That didn't fly and to cut a long story short, I was fined.

I don't remember how much the fine was for but as I was leaving Canada in a couple of days I ignored it and I don't remember exactly but I likely binned it. I left your awesome country a couple of days later and have been living happily ever since with no word from the Canadian man on my un paid fine, that is until today.

When I was in Van I was staying with an Aussie mate who was at the time living in Canada. He has since left the country and one of his friends took over the house he was in. I got an email from her today (3 years later) that she had a letter for me waiting at her home from Skyrail. She hadn't opened it but she shall when she returns from work. At this stage I am not sure what it says of course but all sorts of paranoia is floating through my head as I am planning on coming back to Canada this year for a few months.

I am wondering what the letter could be, what the penalty could be for my not paying the fine and how you think this may effect my entry into Canada in the future. Of course when I know what the letter says, I will let you all know.

It should be noted that I had no ID on me when I was ticketed as I had been skating with friends and I didn't like the thought of skating with my passport in my pocket.

Thanks in advance!

Xelebes · #2 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 12:59 AM**

This is something I would discuss with your local Canadian consulate or at the Canadian embassy in Canberra. This is something I would seek legal advice on, so here would not be the best place to ask.

Dani · #3 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 1:02 AM**

Thank's. Certainly something I will do, good idea. I am just fretting that is all. Looking for some opinion or in sight I suppose until I do manage to get into the consulate.

bulliver · #4 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 3:06 AM**

I will preface this with 'I am Not a Lawyer', however, I doubt very much you will have any issues entering Canada again. I would be very surprised if Canadian Border Services would have any idea of your delinquent fines, as they are administered by a completely different entity, in a completely different level of government.

That said, for peace of mind, the only way to know for sure is to follow Xelebes' advice.

Phil McAvity · #5 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 6:46 PM**

Dani, it's called "skytrain" not "skyrail".

I don't believe your story and here's why; If you were just escorting your drunk friends to the skytrain but had no intention of actually riding it, why didn't you just tell the cop that? And, how could they give you a ticket before you had boarded a train because technically, you had done nothing wrong? I haven't been on Skytrain in years but unless it's really easy to avoid paying the fare, why wouldn't you have just seen your mates off before walking up to the platform. Your story doesn't make any sense so I call BULLSHIT!!!

Bulliver's right though, A skytrain ticket has nothing to do with immigration or customs so I wouldn't worry about it anyway.

bulliver · #6 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 7:53 PM**

I do believe the story. Dani nowhere made mention his friends were drunk, not sure where you got that...also, he mentioned he DID tell the skytyrain cops that he was just seeing friends off, but they didn't care.

And I believe that Skytrain is the same as LRT here in Edmonton...platforms are 'proof of payment' zones, and you do require a ticket to be there.

Not sure why you wouldn't believe this story Phil...

Dani · #7 Posted: **Jan 7, 2012, 10:53 PM**

Thanks for correcting him bulliver. It's nice to know that some people read an entire thread before commenting on it instead of just scanning over it briefly and making assumptions.

And no, we were not drunk. We had just been out skating and yes the platform is a proof of payment zone. The cop actually pointed the sign out to me when I left the train station, it was at the bottom of the escalators but next to the ticket machine which of course I hadn't looked at.

Nice to hear people don't think it will affect my entrance to Canada. Will confirm that of course but eases my mind a little. Still don't have the contents of the letter but I hope that will tell more.

Thanks.

sim · #8 Posted: **Jan 8, 2012, 12:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dani

Thanks for correcting him bulliver. It's nice to know that some people read an entire thread before commenting on it instead of just scanning over it briefly and making assumptions.

And no, we were not drunk. We had just been out skating and yes the platform is a proof of payment zone. The cop actually pointed the sign out to me when I left the train station, it was at the bottom of the escalators but next to the ticket machine which of course I hadn't looked at.

Nice to hear people don't think it will affect my entrance to Canada. Will confirm that of course but eases my mind a little. Still don't have the contents of the letter but I hope that will tell more.

Thanks.

I personally feel you won't have any trouble either. I am Canadian but I myself left the country about 1.5 years ago, with several unpaid parking tickets. I was already being summoned to court and whatever that process entirely entails. I was also a tad bit worried about the potential ramifications of when I come back. Well obviously reregistry of a vehicle is not possible with outstanding tickets, but then I pleasantly learned that after 3 years of inactivity the tickets basically get forgotten and essentially thrown out. If I remember right, I confirmed this with both the parking authority and with the police (for the slight anxiety of either not being allowed out or back in to the country.)

Thus, I really doubt they would have any sort of higher authority over someone who isn't even a citizen of the country and presumably, doesn't have their name linked to a registered vehicle - as that, as far as I know, is the only thing that can be leveraged against you.

Phil McAvity · #9 Posted: **Jan 17, 2012, 10:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bulliver

I do believe the story. Dani nowhere made mention his friends were drunk, not sure where you got that

I got that here; "One night I went to a Skyrail station with some friends. I was ''escorting'' them to the train and then heading to another friends house once they were on the train." Notice how he used quotation marks around "escorting", clearly implying that they needed escorting. You really can't deduce that they were drunk at the time? On top of that he and his mates are visitors and if there's one thing visitors usually have time for, it's watering holes. Then in his next message he denies being drunk (which would also explain why they didn't think to get boarding tickets in the first place) and claims that he and his mates were out skating......in June. Really? Skating? In June in Vancouver? RRRRRRight!

There's a sucker born every minute Bulliver and you're one of'em.

He's a great bullshitter though. I wanna see what he comes up with next.

wisla_krakow · #10 Posted: **Jan 17, 2012, 8:42 PM**

... um, wow phil, real classy.

btw, i'm guessing that by skating, he meant skateboarding.

LeftCoaster · #11 Posted: **Jan 17, 2012, 9:18 PM**

Phil what possible intention could Dani have for making the story up? It doesn't really make sense.

Anyway Dani Translink, which operates skytrain and issues the fines, is a corporate entity so they have no legal recourse to interfere with any customs immigration or naturalization processes. All that will have happened is that you will be reported to a credit bureau and this will affect your credit score.

I have a similar issue with an unpaid fine from the corporation of the city of Kingston and for an amount as small as a missing fare ticket they cannot do anything but sell the delinquent account to a collections agency.

You're all good.

Phil McAvity · #12 Posted: **Jan 19, 2012, 9:22 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

... um, wow phil, real classy.

btw, i'm guessing that by skating, he meant skateboarding.

So if you can see right through someone's bullshit the "classy" thing to do is pretend you believe them? Sorry, not me. Since when did I say I was a classy guy anyway? Also, the guy didn't say he was "skateboarding" he said he was "skating". There's a difference.

Leftcoaster, the reason i'm certain Dani made up the story is because he figured we would be less likely to help him because remember, he came here asking for our advice. If he came here and told us the real story of being drunk and trying to cheat the skytrain, less people would be inclined to help the guy, whereas if he paints himself as some poor victim of those nasty skytrain police more people would give him advice, so yeah, it makes sense that he would lie.

wisla_krakow · #13 Posted: **Jan 21, 2012, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

So if you can see right through someone's bullshit the "classy" thing to do is pretend you believe them? Sorry, not me. Since when did I say I was a classy guy anyway? Also, the guy didn't say he was "skateboarding" he said he was "skating". There's a difference.

no, but you attacking forumers personally over something so silly is hardly the definition of the word.
and, don't try and start an argument over semantics... skating can mean ice skating, roller skating, and skateboarding.
anyway, i'll bow out of this thread before i get too invested and up the absurdity even more.

bulliver · #14 Posted: **Jan 21, 2012, 4:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil McAvity

There's a sucker born every minute Bulliver and you're one of'em.

Boy, I sure look a fool

MolsonExport · #15 Posted: **Jan 24, 2012, 6:23 PM**

Phil McAvity: Judge, Jury, and Executioner.

Dani · #16 Posted: **Jan 31, 2012, 8:50 PM**

Wow... Phil is a real Tosser, huh? There sure is one born every minute, Phil went out of his way to prove that he is one of them.

We were skating multi story carparks, we do that at night because they are all but empty of cars. I put the word escort in rabbit ears since escort is not a word I would use normally and they didn't really need escorting.

Skating in June in Van was rad. Skated the British properties, Seymour Mountain, Indian Arm, the East Van alleys and many other spots that I don't remember. CHECK ME OUT HONKY!
http://raynelongboards.com/team/daniel-hawes

Yea and Phil, skateboarding in summer, ideal. you really are dense, eh?

Thanks for all your advice guys. I actually went into my local embassy and the girl I spoke to was quite surprised that the fine had come so late. She recommended that my friend didn't open the letter and to have her send it back with ''not at this address, never has been''. If something happens after that where they could find my where about's in Aus (Although I am in Europe at the moment) then she said it would then be the smart option to contact them. For now I just hope they give up though and she tells me, as did all of you that it won't effect my entrance into Canada.

Cheers guys! Will let you know if anything crazy happens with it but don't hold your breath... Except Phil, please hold yours. Twat.

Dani · #17 Posted: **Jan 31, 2012, 8:54 PM**

HAHA! Just read Phils comment ''he guy didn't say he was "skateboarding" he said he was "skating". There's a difference''.

Ever heard of a skatepark? I can't believe people like you exist! HAH! I can assume that you were born before the 70's...