I thought it was $100.
>
> > - there should be no barriers.
>
> Really? Why? So that people can use the same ticket every day without
> validating? So that they can buy a zone 3 ticket and try to exit at
> flinders street and claim they only NEED a zone 3 because they are
> returning to zone 3? Its about time those people rorting the system are
> caught, personally I'm sick of having to pay for people who think they
> can get a free ride.
>
What about those travelling in Zone 1 who forget to validate at the
station but who are more than happy to validate on the way out? This
happened to me on Thursday when I caught the train from East Camberwell
as I am not used to validating Metcards living as I do in an area not
due to go online until this Friday. (so my local paper tells me:
Hurstbridge and Wattle Glen tomorrow followed by two more stations every
two weekdays until the system is online to Rosanna.) I tried to exit the
gate at Flinders Street and it kept telling me 'Invalid ticket'. I
eventually snuck out the wide gate without validating, even though I
wanted to. Perhaps they could put validators on trains like they do on
buses and trams for dills like me who want to do the right thing but
until they are used to the system will sometimes forget. They would also
be good for if the single validator at many of the stations packs it in
as people can still validate their ticket.
Also, what is supposed to happen at present if you are travelling on a
tram where the validators aren't on but you travel on a Metcard line and
can only purchase Metcards. This would be a regular situation I imagine
for many city travellers trying to get home to a Metcard area with a 2hr
ticket purchased in advance from a ticket machine. Would they be forced
to buy a non-Metcard ticket by the conductor or be allowed to travel to
their city station to validate it at the gates there. Again, this
happened to me on Thursday on my still unvalidated ticket. In my case,
the conductress couldn't move up the crowded tram so I was never asked,
but I would be interested to know what the 'official' view is.
> > I was unable to obtain instructions in Polish on operating the tvm.
>
> Maybe because you are in Australia? Most people dont read
> instruction... The metcard brochures which the friendly Hosts try to
> give you have a wide selection of languages at the back where they
> invite you to contact the PTC on the 1800 number and request a brochure
> which is in your native tongue. However as a large proportion of people
> swan right past the hosts with their noses in the air, maybe they didnt
> get a brochure..i doubt those who took them actually READ them. 3/4 of
> the people I have seen trying to use the machine try to force money into
> it first. *shrug* i like the system.
Wouldn't it be better to include some of the instructions in some of the
more common languages in Melbourne (eg Greek, Italian, Vietnamese) on
the machine instead of small print on the back of an English language
brochure which I would imagine would be passed over by intending
non-English speaking customers as they would assume (as I would in a
foreign country in the same situation) that there are no instructions in
other languages on it. Perhaps also Metcard hosts could have a few of
each non-English brochures with them, preferably on display where people
can see they are available. Maybe they do but I have never seen any on
display unlike many stations which have a small stock of some translated
travel guides (Flagstaff have them behind the booking office staff in
almost full view of passengers where they can see they are available and
ask for them).