Re: Another example of lack of thought in MetCard

[Paul Dwerryhouse <paul+usenet@dwerryhouse.com.au>]

p.edwards@its.unimelb.edu.au (Paul Edwards) writes:

>How do other systems in Aus/internationally handle this kind of thing?

Here in Amsterdam, they sell "strippenkaarten" - a ticket that consists of
fifteen strips. To validate it, you fold it over and then insert the strip
that you wish to punch into the validator, and it puts a zone and timestamp
on it.

The strip that you stamp is determined by the distance that you
are travelling (1 + no of zones). So, on a new ticket, if you were travelling
in one zone, you'd stamp the second strip. If you're travelling across two
zones, you'd stamp the third strip, and so on. 

If two people travel, you just stamp the ticket a second time - ie, for two
people across one zone on a new ticket, you stamp strip 2 and then strip 4. 
For two people in two zones, you stamp strip 3, then strip 6.

You're allowed to travel on the ticket for an hour for 1 & 2 zone journeys,
and longer for more zones. 

I haven't explained it all very well, but hopefully you get the idea of how
it works...

Cheers,

Paul.

-- 
Paul Dwerryhouse (paul@dwerryhouse.com.au)
Amsterdam, The Netherlands.    <---- current location
Melbourne, Australia.