There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Hurrah for ticket inspectors!

--
David Cantrell | A machine for turning tea into grumpiness

On Nov 25, 3:17*pm, David Cantrell wrote:
There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. *Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? *And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. *Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Hurrah for ticket inspectors!

I can only ever remember one ticket check on a bendy, and they didn't
get past the first seat before having to stop the bus and call the
police.

It was since Boris as it happens.

"MIG" wrote in message
...
On Nov 25, 3:17 pm, David Cantrell wrote:
There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Hurrah for ticket inspectors!

:I can only ever remember one ticket check on a bendy, and they didn't
:get past the first seat before having to stop the bus and call the
olice.

:It was since Boris as it happens.

I've seen inspectors on bendibusses for years now.

In article ,
(David Cantrell) wrote:

There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Hurrah for ticket inspectors!

I also noticed signs about road works to improve the route 38. Perhaps
it's related to them?

--
Colin Rosenstiel

David Cantrell wrote:

There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I've not noticed much difference but I've managed to avoid needing the 25
for much of the past few weeks (and managed to get an 86 several times).

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Yes down with all those people who aren't paying! It's called fare evasion
and the bendy design does nothing to deter it. Why should people be able to
get away with it?

(One problem which doesn't get much attention is that the middle and rear
readers sometimes aren't easy to physically get to when the bendies are ram
packed. The result is that some travellers genuinely can't touch in their
Oyster despite their intentions. Would tram style touch-pads at the stop
work better?)

And we don't have clear statistics yet - it could be that checking tickets
pushes up fare revenue, making the inspectors more than pay for themselves.
For that matter two of the main disliked features of the bus are the way
they get ram packed, which a lot of people attribute to the "free bus"
reputation, and the intimidatory effect of some passengers, again which gets
blamed on the free bus. So regular inspections could actually make the
bendies more attractive at some levels (although not at others).

wrote:
I also noticed signs about road works to improve the route 38. Perhaps
it's related to them?

Ken was planning VERY extensive works for the 38, including a westbound
route through Piccadilly Circus.

Has Boris canned this, either because of cost, or because it was 'bendy
related'?
--

Andrew

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Nightingale
Tommy Cooper (dressed as a nurse): Sir Florence Nightingale
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Tim Roll-Pickering wrote:

And we don't have clear statistics yet - it could be that checking tickets
pushes up fare revenue, making the inspectors more than pay for themselves.
For that matter two of the main disliked features of the bus are the way
they get ram packed, which a lot of people attribute to the "free bus"
reputation, and the intimidatory effect of some passengers, again which gets
blamed on the free bus. So regular inspections could actually make the
bendies more attractive at some levels (although not at others).


One of the things I like about bendies is that I can touch in at my
leisure once I'm on the bus, which is good if you run to catch one, as
you don't then stand panting in the front doorway trying to remember
which pocket the Oyster is in while people grumble behind you.

Along with the astonishingly fast loading* and boarding passengers not
getting mixed up with people coming down the stairs to disembark, of
course. Even a relatively empty double decker suffers from that, so
heaven knows what the 38 will be like on the first week after
debendification. It's high time a realistic look was taken at this
subject, particularly if you ever believed anything Andrew Gilligan
wrote on the subject.

Tom

* Partly due to the door opening speed, which never ceases to amaze.

"Tom Barry" wrote ...
Along with the astonishingly fast loading* and boarding passengers not
getting mixed up with people coming down the stairs to disembark, of
course. Even a relatively empty double decker suffers from that, so
heaven knows what the 38 will be like on the first week after
debendification.

The most likely successor to the bendy (depending, of course, on who wins
Route 38), is the EnviroGimmick bus, with its silly shaped windows, Harry
Potter Cupboard Under The Stairs ... and the slowest doors this side of the
Rockies.

The Citaro doors are tried, tested, reliable and fast - the Envirocrap's are
exceedingly unreliable at the best of times.

Of course there's a chance of the Gemini - door speed and reliability
somewhere in between.

Less likely, but certainly possible, is one of the Polish-built buses ...
and I've not been on enough to have a view about their unloading potential
or door function.

Luckily for the Good Folk of North East London, Routemaster2 won't be ready
to be forced upon them. In fact, it won't be ready until after the next
Mayoral election ... so we might all be spared the indignity of the
BorisBlunderBus.

--
Andrew
seo2seo.com
sick-site-syndrome.com

"When 'Do no Evil' has been understood, then learn the harder, braver rule,
Do Good." ~ Arthur Guiterman

MIG wrote:
On Nov 25, 3:17 pm, David Cantrell wrote:
There have recently been a *lot* more ticket inspectors in the mornings
on the number 38 bus. Are they just blitzing this route, or is this
happening across all the free^Wbendy routes? And I think there have
been more empty seats too.

I'm wondering if it's a Boris-ism, designed to make bendies less popular
by kicking off all the freeloaders who, obviously, think they're the
best thing since sliced bread. Employing lots more ticket inspectors
could also be a cunning ruse to push the cost of bendies up so he can
show that the Borismaster isn't so expensive either.

Hurrah for ticket inspectors!

I can only ever remember one ticket check on a bendy, and they didn't
get past the first seat before having to stop the bus and call the
police.

It was since Boris as it happens.

Well down here in South London it has been a regular occurence since well
before Boris. The 436 is a regular target, particularly between New Cross
and Victoria, a gang of inspectors and police officers will board one the
moment it stops, not letting anyone off, then taking them off as required,
I have several times seen up to a dozen people removed, and presumably
charged...

--
Martin

replies to newsgroup only please.

In article , (Andrew
Heenan) wrote:

wrote:
I also noticed signs about road works to improve the route 38.
Perhaps it's related to them?

Ken was planning VERY extensive works for the 38, including a
westbound route through Piccadilly Circus.

Has Boris canned this, either because of cost, or because it was
'bendy related'?

Apparently not, if the signs are to be believed. I've not seen any signs
of work near the Shaftesbury Avenue/New Oxford St junction.

--
Colin Rosenstiel