Re: Melb's stuffed ATMs

[Michael Walker <walker@hotkey.net.au>]

Chris Gordon wrote:
> 
> Mick Stock wrote:
> >
> > Going home from work at about 7:20 this morning, I noticed that the ticket
> > validators at East Ringwood were out of service.  I didn't take any
> > noticed whether or not the ATMs were working, but no-one went near them,
> > even though the station was unmanned.
> >
> > It'd be intereesting to see what the R.P.Os would try to do to a passenger
> > with an unvalidated Metcard in this situation...
> >
> > Mick.
> 
> At Hertherdale in the morning a lot of people buy their tickets and walk
> straight on to the platform.  The biggest problem is people currently are
> trained that you buy your ticket at the station and get on the train.  This is
> for paper tickets.  Now they have to be re-trained to valadate it each morning.
> 
> Chris Gordon
> cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au
> http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~cmgord

I would also hypothesize that many of them just couldn't be bothered
validating. I used to buy monthly tickets on the basis that all you have
to do is wave it at the ticket-checker in the city and the conductor on
the tram. This meant that it could live in my wallet 98% of the time
except for the last 15 minutes from Flinders Street Station to South
Melbourne and the first 15 minutes on the return journey. Now I shall
have to validate it before and after the train trip and when I get on
the tram as well. I am glad the bus route outside the front of my house
is so inadequate I don't bother otherwise there's another validation.
Meaning the ticket is now kept in my shirt pocket where it is prone to
fall out, go through the wash or be left there when I travel the next
day. Hmmm... And the new brochures tell me the system is SO much mure
accessible and easy to use now that Metcard is here...