Re: (MELB) Weird Bayside happenings at South Yarra

["Paul Nicholson" <nicholsonfamily@bigpond.com>]

It has been interesting to observe the practices of the ticket inspection
teams at Parliament station over the past few weeks.

One morning this week a passenger was being interrogated by the ticket
inspectors right outside the barriers.
The effect was to block the stream of passengers leaving by the barriers
closest to Parliament Place.

I spoke to the (female) "team" leader and suggested that it might be better
for the interrogation to take place away from public view (my assumption was
that Bayside passengers suspected of ticket infringements are considered by
the staff to be innocent until proven guilty) and of course to ease the flow
of passengers exiting the station.

I got a curt "you don't know the circumstances, sir" and it was interesting
to observe that she had her gaze fixed on the interrogation process.
(Bayside have yet to issue their staff with CIA style sunglasses and ear
plugs!).

Bayside is obviously making a real effort to improve its revenue protection
but I feel the style of many of the personnel at Parliament is somewhat
heavy handed.

I couldn't imagine the same style being used by either Ansett or Qantas at
Tullamarine.

Paul (Hillside commuter using Bayside station!)