Well that's just selfish then. They've already paid to use the bus, why
should they have to wait for you to sort out your ticket? They should
be able to just walk straight on.

With respect, that is utter rubbish. In England, there is a noble tradition
(and actually a by-law requirement till it was repealed 2 or 3 years ago) of
queuing at bus stops. Those at the head of the queue are entitled to get on
first and should get choice of seat before anyone else. Type of ticket,
prepaid or not, is not a criteria by which some people can expect to get on a
bus before others.

Or, are you suggesting having 2 queues: one for pre-paid ticket holders and
another for the rest?

Marc.

In message , Neil Williams
writes
Those who've paid can get on at both doors; those who have not go to
the front, in no particular order. This is how it's done in Germany
and (I think) much of the rest of Europe.

That's a good idea. And until this idea is implented everyone can queue
to get on the bus like the rest of the country. Its only people in
London who seem to have this idea that a bus pass (or travel card)
entitles them to get on the bus before the cash customers.
If bus companies really want people with passes to get on before cash
customers there should be a sign inviting them to do this.
--
CJG

On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 20:19:46 +0100 CJG wrote:
} In message , Neil Williams
} writes
} Those who've paid can get on at both doors; those who have not go to
} the front, in no particular order. This is how it's done in Germany
} and (I think) much of the rest of Europe.
}
} That's a good idea. And until this idea is implented everyone can queue
} to get on the bus like the rest of the country. Its only people in
} London who seem to have this idea that a bus pass (or travel card)
} entitles them to get on the bus before the cash customers.
} If bus companies really want people with passes to get on before cash
} customers there should be a sign inviting them to do this.

What encourages the habit is the bar in the door of some buses that
leads people mounting on the left of the door to the driver to pay and
those on the right directly into the body of the bus.

The fact that it's designed for exactly that purpose should suggest to
you that yes "bus companies really want people with passes to get on
before cash customers"; or if not before then at least as rapidly as
possible to minimise the wait time.

Matthew
--
Il est important d'être un homme ou une femme en colère; le jour où nous
quitte la colère, ou le désir, c'est cuit. - Barbara

http://www.calmeilles.co.uk/

CJG writes
Its only people in London who seem to have this idea that a bus pass
(or travel card) entitles them to get on the bus before the cash
customers.

Really?

The equivalent to a Travelcard in Tyne & Wear is a 'Network
Travelticket'. The T&Cs for the Travelticket *specifically* mention that
holders do not have priority over passengers paying cash fares. The
fact that they have taken the trouble to insert this into the T&Cs,
leads me to infer that it must have become an issue at some point.

--
Dave

In article , Dave
writes
CJG writes
Its only people in London who seem to have this idea that a bus pass
(or travel card) entitles them to get on the bus before the cash
customers.

Really?

The equivalent to a Travelcard in Tyne & Wear is a 'Network Travelticket'.
The T&Cs for the Travelticket *specifically* mention that holders do not
have priority over passengers paying cash fares. The fact that they have
taken the trouble to insert this into the T&Cs, leads me to infer that it
must have become an issue at some point.

Interestingly, I remember such a condition being specifically inserted
on WMPTE Travelcards as early as 1977; it may still be there on modern
day TWM or Centro equivalents. Ivor?!

I seem to recall the same being on Senior Citizen cards. I'll have a
look at my mother's when I next see her!
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk

Neil Williams wrote:

On Tue, 29 Jul 2003 19:52:35 +0000 (UTC), Matthew Malthouse
wrote:

What encourages the habit is the bar in the door of some buses that
leads people mounting on the left of the door to the driver to pay and
those on the right directly into the body of the bus.

True - this is used in Germany as another means of dividing those with
tickets and those without - also, the pay-the-driver side often has a
barrier to prevent people trying to alight that way. That said,
elsewhere in the country where single-door operation is common, the
bar is more of a divider between joining and alighting passengers.

Yes, and Parisian buses have the validating machines in a suitable
position (including one at each door on bendies).

It's a shame the Oyster readers are on the side that will slow things
down. (Do bendies have oyster readers on the other doors? I guess not.)

They also have similar card readers on Edinburgh's LRT buses now, and
yes, these are also on the driver's ticket machine (and they seem to
take even longer than Oyster to validate)

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 14:51:58 +0100, Dave Newt
wrote:

It's a shame the Oyster readers are on the side that will slow things
down. (Do bendies have oyster readers on the other doors? I guess not.)

Not that I've seen - but I really feel it would be worth considering.

They also have similar card readers on Edinburgh's LRT buses now, and
yes, these are also on the driver's ticket machine (and they seem to
take even longer than Oyster to validate)

MK Metro, as I've posted before, have contact smartcards which are
inserted into the ticket machine. Stupidly, despite them all being
unlimited-ride tickets except the under-16 proof cards, a ticket is
still issued[1] and a destination (for statistics) entered - and the
whole process takes longer than taking a cash fare (including giving
change).

[1] One could argue this could be of use for inspections - but I've
not yet seen any evidence that MK Metro employ any travelling ticket
inspectors despite extensive use of their services.

Neil