On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 10:22:51 +0100 Clive D. W. Feather wrote:
} In article , Matthew
} Malthouse writes
} A favoured dodge of the local youf was to drop a couple of low
} denomination coins into the box quickly so the driver was unlikely to
} see what had been used knowing that if challeneged there was no way of
} proving their fraud.
}
} When I was growing up in Southend-on-Sea some of the blue buses (but not
} the green ones) had a no-change-given system - you could overpay. You
} dropped the coins into a hopper and the machine would print images of
} them on to the paper ticket (one bit of fun was to drop lots of 1/2p
} coins in for, e.g. a 20p fare, so that you got a really long ticket).
}
} [Clearly the coins were being pressed against a typewriter-style ribbon.
} Not only were the images reversed on the paper and randomly rotated, you
} could see the different designs of shilling and florin.]

A florin for a bus ride? Seems expensive. :-)

Matthew
--
Záhid sharáb píné dé, masjid mein baith kar
ya woh jagah batá dé jahán Khudá na ho.
http://www.calmeilles.co.uk/

I remember a visit to New York quite a few years ago when my wife
and I boarded a bus (at the airport) only to learn that not only
was there an exact fare of 50 cents when we had no US money smaller
than a $5 bill, but that I couldn't use paper money even to pay for
two fares at once. As I recall, one of the passengers already on the
bus kindly changed my $5 for five $1's, and another passenger then
gave me four quarters (25 cents, you know) for that.

When I was in NY last August I asked why it was no paper money and they said
that the machines that suck out the money would simply shread the paper
money
--
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Joe Patrick wrote:
I remember a visit to New York quite a few years ago when my wife
and I boarded a bus (at the airport) only to learn that not only
was there an exact fare of 50 cents when we had no US money smaller
than a $5 bill, but that I couldn't use paper money even to pay for
two fares at once. As I recall, one of the passengers already on the
bus kindly changed my $5 for five $1's, and another passenger then
gave me four quarters (25 cents, you know) for that.

When I was in NY last August I asked why it was no paper money and
they said that the machines that suck out the money would simply
shread the paper money

There is a $1 coin but I haven't seen one for ages, don't think it caught
on.

As Tue, 26 Aug 2003 21:20:49 +0100 appeared fresh and rosy-fingered,
CJG wrote:

In Cologne no-one buys a ticket on the tram apart from the tourists. As
there are no ticket inspectors.

B****r...

People in Dresden did, though. Next time I'll get my own back by
opening all the windows :-)
--
Arthur Figgis

CJG wrote the following in:


In message , Cast_Iron
writes
Because a visitor to the town will not be aware that change is not
given on the bus. See my other post re Crawley.

So what is the difference between not knowing you have to buy a
ticket before you board and have exact change before you board?
Both are crap ideas but exact change is the better of two evils.

It's quite clearly signposted at bus stops when you have to have a
ticket before you board, not to mention the fact that there's a ticket
machine at the stops. What do people think it's there for, a joke?

--
message by Robin May, founder of International Boyism
"Would Inspector Sands please go to the Operations Room immediately."

Unofficially immune to hangovers.

"Martin Underwood" typed


No, but it should not be the *only* way of getting a ticket. There needs to
be a means for people to buy a ticket (either beforehand or on the bus) if
they do not have the exact change in the exact denominations that a ticket
machine will accept. Making people take a detour to a shop to buy something
they don't want simply in order to get the required change is not
"convenient", to use Reading buses' claim in the placard on the side of
their buses. Whether or not you know that it's exact change only beforehand
does not alter the inconvenience to which passengers are put.

Then go to a sweet shop and buy a book of 'Saver' bus tickets today.
Unlike a Mars® Bar, this will not melt in your pocket...

--
Helen D. Vecht:
Edgware.

CJG wrote the following in:


In message
,
Colin Rosenstiel writes
Never had a problem with my credit cards in LU ticket machines. My
main problem is that they won't sell child fares which is a
problem when accompanied by my children, especially at stations
with ludicrous queues like King's Cross.

This is of course because LU are worried adults may be naughty and
buy a child ticket instead of an adult one.

Have you any idea how many people do that? It's extremely common you
know.

Of course these kind of people just stroll through the open gates

Open gates are not common or consistent enough to rely on.

or just follow someone else through the gate.

Hard to do.

Instead of making life hard for the people who actually do buy
tickets. Maybe they should actually check the ticket on the trains
(or if the trains are too busy on the platforms while people are
waiting for trains).

If they did that, I suspect you'd complain that there were lazy and
useless LU staff on the platforms when they should be either licking
your boots or doing something else that you consider more important.

--
message by Robin May, founder of International Boyism
"Would Inspector Sands please go to the Operations Room immediately."

Unofficially immune to hangovers.

On 2 Sep 2003 10:12:21 GMT Robin May wrote:
}
} or just follow someone else through the gate.
}
} Hard to do.

Not that hard. A while back some suited type tried to tail-gate behind
me at Farringdon. Had I walked out of the gate as normal he'd have
succeeded. As it was I stopped dead and the gate closed on him.

What really offended me was his expression of outrage which prompted me
to say "Buy a ticket". He didn't like being thought a freeloader and
started blustering about having a ticket. If so why did he attempt it?

Matthew
--
Záhid sharáb píné dé, masjid mein baith kar
ya woh jagah batá dé jahán Khudá na ho.
http://www.calmeilles.co.uk/

On 2 Sep 2003 10:12:21 GMT, Robin May
wrote:


Open gates are not common or consistent enough to rely on.

Depends when/where you are making your journey - my local station
consistently has the gates left open in the evenings

or just follow someone else through the gate.

Hard to do.

Its *very* easy to do with the newe gates - they stay open far too
long

In message , Robin May
writes
Have you any idea how many people do that? It's extremely common you
know.
Well if tickets were checked then there wouldn't be a problem. Why
bother to get an adult ticket when you can get away with a kiddies one?


Open gates are not common or consistent enough to rely on.

Your be very surprised. I have noticed just lately Baker Street always
has a gate open on Jubilee exit. And it is quite common. Especially at
the weekends. Infact Sundays I wonder why I bother buying a ticket
sometimes.
--
CJG