Re: Some Melbourne obsrvations!

["David Proctor" <daproc@spam_this.umpires.com>]

Ashley Wright wrote in message <36b6d5b3.16874225@news.ozemail.com.au>...

>I too have just returned from a few days in Melbourne (watching the
>Tennis, not officiating)

Did you see me?

>and I was also very suprised at the lack of
>saftey fencing. I was realy shocked near Caufield race course where
>some kids were playing cricket on the grass besides the track while we
>were hurtiling pass, and not to mention all those foot crossings every
>where. But then again the Melbourne trains are noisy buggers!!

No more noisier than Sydney's trains, but a hell of a lot noisier than
Brisbane or Perth (both of which I have spent about two weeks in over the
last 3 months!)

> I was also suprised  at the fencing around the stabling yards, full
>on with razor wire. Must admit it must work as I only seen one train
>with serious external grafitti. Maybe Sydney should take note!!

I have suggested this in numerous letters to "Community Relations Officers"
at SillyRail, to no effect - I agree with you - if you ensure the graffitist
get cut to shreds when breaking in to stabling sidings, then you make sure
they will stop - although some do-gooder will probably take up their cause
and sue the railways for causing injury to them. If it is good enough for
prisons, to keep the worst of the worst IN, then it should be good enough to
keep the graffitists OUT!

>  The issue with Metcard validation is strange indeed. It seemed that
>when people were validating then everyone else did, other wise no one
>did. I was there four about 5 days and I was on about 3 trams and two
>trains that had inspections. The first was on the 96 tram from St
>Kilda. The two guys were extreamly nice and seemed more intent on
>teaching people the right thing to do rather then fine them (maybe
>because the 96 is more touristy, I don't know).

I saw this too - there were two inspectors got on at Domain Rd (onto a 67,
inbound to the City) and they were dressed as though they were going to the
beach (GREAT MOVE - best thing ever, do not look like inspectors, and you
will not get people validating when they see you get on!)

One elderly couple had 60+ tickets that had not been validated - God knows
how long they had been travelling on them - all the inspectors did was
validate the tickets for them (so they paid their fare THIS day - who knows
how long they had been travelling for free).

ANother person got on and made no attempt to validate a ticket or purchase
one - the inspectors let the tram travel about 2 stops, and then asked for
his ticket - he had one - unvalidated - so they fined him. This was probably
the way to go with him - I don't know that I would have been so lenient with
the old couple though.

>  It makes me wonder how much effort goes into each fine and what the
>costs actually are. I for one wouldn't be suprised if the lost revenue
>in fare evasion and the policing effort would more than out weigh the
>costs of conductors!!

Only at first - if they came down really heavy, and there was an expectation
that you WOULD be caught, rather than COULD be caught, then fare evasion
would drop, and the effort could be scaled down over time - I think this is
the ultimate aim - although they need to do a lot more than they currently
are.

DaveP