Re: Tram Announcements: another Victorian election conspiracy theory

[Eddie Oliver <eoliver@efs.mq.edu.au>]

> 
> So does a machine, replace your conductors and have machines.
> Or will you stop Melbourne having conductors but still have conductors
> in Sydney?  I think Eddie you need to decide weather or not trams
> have conductors and no difference for Melbourne or Sudney.

I don't understand your logic. As far as I am concerned, neither city
needs conductors. However the light rail system in Sydney is
self-contained, and not part of an integrated ticketing system (it
should be, of course, but that's another story) and it has been a
business decision to use conductors. In Melbourne it has been a business
decision not to use conductors. So what?

> Who as admitted they fail to pay their fares?  We are all saying we
> have tickets and paid our fair. 

This is a new one. You are saying that everyone on trams has paid their
fares? How do you distinguish the ones that have from the ones that
haven't?

> Do you have the figures for fair evasion with and with out conductors?
> Not even the auditor general could make more that somments because it
> is just not known the levels of fair evasion before and after conductors.
> So how do you know up there in Sydney?  Or do all people in Sydney know
> everything (which would make them a smartass)

Again, I don't see your logic. I do not believe that ANYONE knows the
level of fare evasion on any of these systems. 

The lowest fare evasion levels may well be on buses with drivers and
validators at the front doors. Note that this works because everyone
(except someone purchasing directly from the driver) validates their
ticket on entry to the vehicle even if has already been validated
before. AND NO ONE COMPLAINS ABOUT DOING IT.

> Out of interest how long and when was the last visit to Melbourne?

Probably for about a week about a year ago. But so what? Are you
suggesting that I am unacquainted with the public transport system in
Melbourne, or that other people participating in this discussion are
unacquainted with it? But even if they are, so what?

The principles of this discussion could be carried out quite adequately
by people who have NEVER been to Melbourne. It is up to you to
demonstrate how Melbourne is so unique that it can logically defy the
experiences of the rest of the world, and we are all waiting to read
your attempts to demonstrate this. So far the only uniqueness you have
demonstrated is (a) the utter mismanagement of the Metcard system at all
stages and (b) the obstinacy of some subset of the Melbourne travelling
public. None of us are disputing either of those pieces of uniqueness.

Eddie

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