Re: Melbourne - Metcard validation before every trip

[cmgord@ecr.mu.oz.au (Christopher_Martin GORDON)]

Mike Alexander (malex@bigfoot.com) wrote:
: > Have you tried using one of these stupid Metcards.
: > With thermal printing there were out within a week.
: > Validating 3 or more times a day wears out the strip.
: > 
: > And if you have a monthly.
: > 
: > Also the fact then refund for a damaged ticket takes about
: > 3 weeks and there are about 1200 a week.

: Oh, of course I have used them. I wouldn't be posting if I didn't have some
: first-hand experience. I buy a weekly, and validate it four times a day
: during the week, and up to 10 times a day during the weekend. It is just
: second nature now, I don't even think about it.

Try a monthly.

: Jeez, you just get it out of your wallet before you step on the tram, then
: as you walk past a validator, put it in. No hassles. If you get the hang of
: it, you don't even have to stop walking. It sure beats sitting there
: waiting for the connie to wander up to you up to 5 minutes after you have
: boarded, and then having to fumble for your wallet to get it out then.

The problem is:
I use trains, and at Melbourne Central they have barriers.

At my local station they have validators and usally a train is there
and I don't have time to validate my ticket.

: As for the wearing out of the strip, do you mean the magnetic strip or the
: printing?

Both.

: If you mean the printing, then so what. It's not my problem. The display
: tells me when the ticket expires, so I just read that. If the inspectors
: have a problem with the printing wearing off, then that is their problem.

: I have not had any problems with the magnetic strip wearing.

If you send back a ticket which can't be read (both ways) what do they do?


: As for your often quoted 1200 a week eaten tickets, lets think about this
: logically:

: 1) You are basing this on the difference between two reference codes on
: letters which you received a week apart. How do you know that the reference
: codes follow a simple progression. The last digit could be a checksum or
: something.

No it is the difference between two references, direct numbering 1, 2...
no check number.

: 2) The letters which you got were when the system was in the throes of its
: introduction. I would suggest that _many_ people would have been getting
: letters then for things other than chewed up tickets. For example I have
: seen many people _think_ that a barrier gate has eaten their ticket, when
: in fact it has just been rejected due to them not validating, and has
: fluttered to the ground where they have not seen it. Also a lot (I would
: suggest the majority) of cases would have been for refunds from the
: machines, not for eaten tickets. With any new system you are going to get a
: huge lot of complaints initially, which will then ramp down as people get
: used to a system.

Yes, but only 1/2 the system was on then.


: You know, it is a lot easier to go with the system than to fight it. Maybe
: that is why you seem to be having so much trouble. But, of course, if you
: have idealogical reasons, then that is your own business.

I don't fight it, just don't want to validate my ticket after all the 
problems I went throught getting a refund.  As said once I have metcard
xpress I will validate all the time.

: BTW, I am not arguing that the system is perfect (far from it), but I am
: refuting yours and others claims that validating is the huge chore you make
: it out to be.


: -- 
: Regards,

: Mike Alexander
: (malex@bigfoot.com)

--
Chris Gordon
http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~cmgord