Free electricity?

[vxh26]

Artist Robbin' Lee who was arrested on suspicion of ‘abstracting electricity’ after plugging his phone in to charge it when travelling on a London Overground train from Hackney to Camden has accused British Transporth police of being “overzealous” and “ridiculous”.

 

What kind of moron thinks that it is acceptable to plug in any sort of charger wherever they happen to see an unused socket? Would he expect to nip into a petrol station to fill up without paying? Perhaps to lean over the bar and pull himself a pint?

[devonutopia]

I didn't even know there were 240v sockets on trains.  Where do they put them? [mental note to take charger on Friday]  

[mac11irl]

I didn't even know there were 240v sockets on trains. Where do they put them? [mental note to take charger on Friday]

They be there for the cleaning crews usually. Some trains (our ICR class) were designed with standard 3pin plugs at every set of seats with a table to allow for phine chargers and laptops to be used by passengers.

depending on the location of the socket it may or may not have been an over reaction.. ie if it was specifically marked as not for public use then tough he is in the wrong. If he found it by his seat, then a telling off shouldve been enough followed by operators getting signs and/or covers to prevent public use

[devonutopia]

They be there for the cleaning crews usually. Some trains (our ICR class) were designed with standard 3pin plugs at every set of seats with a table to allow for phine chargers and laptops to be used by passengers.

 

 

I assumed some trains maybe did have public access charge points, especially in this day and age of the short battery life smartphone.

[Llanigraham]

From elsewhere.

This person used a socket marked "Not for public use".

The socket he used was an unregulated supply only designed to be used by cleaners when the train is "stabled".

He was re-arrested after arguing with BTP and is now facing charges for his behaviour.

 

Lots of trains now have a regulated supply to standard 13amp sockets, often found near the inter-seat tables, but they are restricted in their power, but is adequate for running laptops or charging phones.

[devonutopia]

From elsewhere.

This person used a socket marked "Not for public use".

The socket he used was an unregulated supply only designed to be used by cleaners when the train is "stabled".

He was re-arrested after arguing with BTP and is now facing charges for his behaviour.

 

Lots of trains now have a regulated supply to standard 13amp sockets, often found near the inter-seat tables, but they are restricted in their power, but is adequate for running laptops or charging phones.

 

Then he sounds like a muppet.  Being an "artist" probably has a bee up his bonnet about free access for all, blah blah.

[mender]

From elsewhere.

This person used a socket marked "Not for public use".

The socket he used was an unregulated supply only designed to be used by cleaners when the train is "stabled".

He was re-arrested after arguing with BTP and is now facing charges for his behaviour.

 

Lots of trains now have a regulated supply to standard 13amp sockets, often found near the inter-seat tables, but they are restricted in their power, but is adequate for running laptops or charging phones.

There's the answer; marked not for public use and having a rift with BTP; that's the story....

 

Some sockets are marked up, as on GW trains and on National Express Coaches

 

 

The extremists whinging about stealing electricity (like the sister at Hereford Hospital who really shouted me in front of around 30 people for charging my phone as if I was bankrupting the hospital, then throwing the charger at me-when my appointment was running over 2 hours late and my wife was expecting) should remember that charging an iPhone costs less than 50p PER YEAR so less than one-seventh pence per full charge and virtually nothing for a 20 minute top-up to keep a vital line open.

 

A nothing story when looked into.....

[mender]

Artist Robbin' Lee who was arrested on suspicion of ‘abstracting electricity’ after plugging his phone in to charge it when travelling on a London Overground train from Hackney to Camden has accused British Transporth police of being “overzealous” and “ridiculous”.

 

What kind of moron thinks that it is acceptable to plug in any sort of charger wherever they happen to see an unused socket? Would he expect to nip into a petrol station to fill up without paying? Perhaps to lean over the bar and pull himself a pint?

An iPhone 5 costs 50p PER YEAR to charge, so no big deal.....do some research before getting excited.

 

 

I made up a lead and used to plug my electric car in the redundant Christmas light sockets as the much discussed free charging points were delayed year after year: their £4000 saving on not fitting them was not really touched by my total electricity use there for 2014 of around £3 or so-which I spent a great deal more on in the local shops.

 

 

 

Edit: typo

Edited 13 July, 2015 by mender

[Phil-E]

He sounds like a muppet. They only arrested him after he argued with them.

 

I've done a few journeys to London and back recently and every seat on the Virgin Trains East Coast service has a plug socket marked with pictures of a mobile phone and laptop on.

 

I was also in a pub at Kings Cross today and on the wall next to most of the tables were a set of plugs consisting of a UK 240v socket, euro 240v socket and 2x USB sockets for you to charge your phone. Very thoughtful.

 

Phil

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

We have plug sockets on some of our buses now too.

[brad1.8T]

Artist Robbin' Lee who was arrested on suspicion of ‘abstracting electricity’ after plugging his phone in to charge it when travelling on a London Overground train from Hackney to Camden has accused British Transporth police of being “overzealous” and “ridiculous”.

 

What kind of moron thinks that it is acceptable to plug in any sort of charger wherever they happen to see an unused socket? Would he expect to nip into a petrol station to fill up without paying? Perhaps to lean over the bar and pull himself a pint?

 

These days, i would have thought any unused socket was fair game.  

 

I know at Bankok airport they are quite happy for people to pull up the floor tiles & access the power points underneath.  On an aeroplane they are quite happy for you to plug in.  I've even been to restaurants and they've let me plug in while having dinner.

 

You'd assume it was part of the ticket price...

 

edit: but if it's clearly marked Not For Public Use then he's a foolish person.

Edited 14 July, 2015 by brad1.8T

[vxh26]

Then he sounds like a muppet.  Being an "artist" probably has a bee up his bonnet about free access for all, blah blah.

I wonder how this "artist" would feel about some T-Shirt producer sticking one of his "free" masterpieces on mass produced T-Shirts and flogging them? Yeah, yeah, I know it is an unlikely scenario but it does demonstrate the entitlement philosophy that "what yours is mine and what is mine is mine".

 

An iPhone 5 costs 50p PER YEAR to charge, so no big deal.....do some research before getting excited.

<SNIP>

Ah, that's OK then, it's only minor theft.

 

Perhaps Apple should pay for everyone else's electricity usage since they make a fortune from flogging devices that can store so little juice?

[Guest]

I wonder how he would have reacted if the 'unstable' electrical supply had spiked, damaging his phone?

You're required to have all personal electrical equipment tested and logged before using on board HM Ships (it's in Ships Standing Orders). Some people thought it didn't apply to them, that was until they came back and found their cables snipped. They would then come to me requesting I investigate 'Criminal Damage'! They soon changed their minds when I informed then I would investigate them for Contravention of Ships Standing Orders.

[DanHarper]

These days, i would have thought any unused socket was fair game.  

 

I know at Bankok airport they are quite happy for people to pull up the floor tiles & access the power points underneath. 

 

I had a 3hour wait in BKK due to a delay and found an out of the way corner with a wall socket to camp out by. At 4am a cleaning lady very politely asked me to vacate the socket so she could plug in her vac (even though not a word of English was used). She physically stopped me from getting up and worked around me, then plugged my 4 way back in afterward. There was a sign next to the socket but it was in Thai

 

Then again 1000baht (£20) also sorted out my Visa overstay Different world...

[kilted]

I wonder how he would have reacted if the 'unstable' electrical supply had spiked, damaging his phone?

You're required to have all personal electrical equipment tested and logged before using on board HM Ships (it's in Ships Standing Orders). Some people thought it didn't apply to them, that was until they came back and found their cables snipped. They would then come to me requesting I investigate 'Criminal Damage'! They soon changed their minds when I informed then I would investigate them for Contravention of Ships Standing Orders.

That was my thought on this - I bet he would have tried to claim from the operator.

 

If you are using something that is clearly marked "not for public use" then you should expect someone to have an issue with it. 

[Chriswright03]

(Pedantic mode on)  You cannot steal electricity. (Pedanatic mode off)

[Phil-E]

(Pedantic mode on)  You cannot steal electricity. (Pedanatic mode off)

 

I'm gonna tap into your consumer unit then and use your electricity... you can't do anything about it then...

[Llanigraham]

(Pedantic mode on)  You cannot steal electricity. (Pedanatic mode off)

 

Wrong!

[Chriswright03]

Go on then Phil go for it.  It is called unlawful abstraction of electricity because to steal something you have to be able to physically touch it.  You cannot do that hence it is not theft.  It is still a criminal offence as many people I met in the course of my previous employ will testify to.

 

PS I did say pedantic.

[Chriswright03]

Wrong!

How?  See above.

[bilun777]

I've been listening to this Gentleman on the Jeremy vine show while reading this.

He sounds such a modest humble person.

I can't imagine how he came to be arrested. :think:

[vxh26]

I'm gonna tap into your consumer unit then and use your electricity... you can't do anything about it then...

I do wonder whether the one time popular practice of using someone else's unsecured WiFi was ever actually illegal?

[M12MKD]

You'd be surprised how many people do it.......it's free so why not right......well free to you that is not the person that pays the bill.

 

Customers (I'll call them that for this site) where I work do it all the time, not worth saying anything due to the abuse I'd receive back.

[Llanigraham]

How?  See above.

 

Read the second half of this article and the comments from the legal expert:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/33510792/a-man-was-arrested-for-charging-his-phone-on-a-train-why

 

Or do you know better?

[Rooted]

Robbin Lee,Robin Lee, or Robbing Lee who was it? If the charge of stealing or abstracting or what ever term used for a prosecution, what will the value be given as that he took. And can that be credited to him for not using the toilet on the train, no paperwork to the value of the electricity.