Re: Bringing Back The Ws (was: Melbourne Trams)

[rffergus@socs.uts.edu.au]

In article <363952FE.5178@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz>,
  David McLoughlin <davemcl@REMOVEiprolink.co.nz> wrote:
>
> I sympathise in many ways. However I have also travelled on many trams in
> Europe and North America which are driver-only and on some they sell
> tickets to boarding passengers. Also in Melbourne on my visit a year ago,
> just before the ATMs became widespread, I rode on many driver-only trams
> where the drivers sold tickets. I must say this slowed down the service
> quite a bit but it didn't seem to cause any other major problems.

Where the passenger approaches the driver from the side (bus style) such as
in Amsterdam, there doesn't seem to be too many problems, other than slowing
the service down. However there are a number of trams such as Mannheim's
Variotram, or those in Frankfurt, where passengers who haven't purchased a
ticket outside the tram approach the driver (who's in a full width cab) from
behind. I saw far too many drivers swivelling around in the chair and dealing
with fares *after* they'd put their tram in motion!

The configuration of the master controllers seemed to have the integrated
safety switch act as a vigilance button rather than a dead man's handle,
which appeared to help this behaviour.

>
> David McLoughlin
> Auckland New Zealand
>
> Reporter: "Mr President, was Monica lying?"
> Clinton: No, she was kneeling."
>

Rob

Sydney (Australia)

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