Re: "Fare Comment" letter in today's Daily Telegraph (Sydney, .au)

[matthew@mail.usyd.edu.au (Matthew Geier)]

In article <368A0EA8.1725F686@ancc.com.au>,
David Langley  <del@ancc.com.au> wrote:
>
>
>"C. Dewick" wrote:
>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'd like to respond to the edited letter titled "Fare Comment", written by
>> Don Walker of Ashfield, in today's Daily Telegraph.
>>
>
>Being a Victorian I have not read the Telegraph but this letter and many others
>like it are being written by the same idiots who really don't have much of an
>idea about how a railway operates.

 What also isnt pointed out in Craig's response is that one major reason for
running to weekend table between Christmas and NewYear is to 'rest' enough
crews to operate a peak diagram service on New Years eve and operate weekday
daytime diagrams all night so us party goers can get home. And with out the
'peak premium' fare that normally applies.

 I wouldnt mind betting that many of the same people that spent this week
bitching at how hopeless the railways are, will think nothing of stepping
onto a train this evening to go into town and watch the fireworks display,
and again think nothing of the crews when they go home again at midnight
half pissed. This of course provided the station staff, who have been working
instead of partying manage to keep all these drunk passengers on the platforms
and off the tracks. The resulting chaos caused by a City Circle fatality would
have the same poeple again bitching how ineffective the railways are, and in
their drunk state will probably take it out on the nearest railway employee,
a station assistant would would be rather partying themselves.

 I personaly know a number of Cityrail drivers and guards. Im sure all would
rather be partying with the rest of us instead of driving tin boxes around
and getting abused by passengers.

 Sydney Busses are also running special all night services as well. However I
expect the entire operation will fall down in the same way as last year -
the trains will get you to your station, but the private bus network will be
nowhere to be seen. All the taxis will be running the high value jobs from
the city to the suburbs, few would be seen at the suburban stations I imagine,
especially the smaller ones.