Andrew Black (delete obvious bit) wrote:

There are signs saying the pre-pay users (and Saver ticket holders) get on
at the front.Â*Â*WhatsÂ*theÂ*difficultyÂ*withÂ*this?

The difficulty is that when I saw a bendy bus at a bus stop once, it didn't
open the front, and the driver motioned to people to the back doors. It
made me wonder how I'd use them if I they ever became a regular occurrence
in E6.
--
Ian Tindale

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:57:31 +0100, Ian Tindale wrote:

Andrew Black (delete obvious bit) wrote:

There are signs saying the pre-pay users (and Saver ticket holders) get on
at the front.**Whats*the*difficulty*with*this?

The difficulty is that when I saw a bendy bus at a bus stop once, it didn't
open the front, and the driver motioned to people to the back doors. It
made me wonder how I'd use them if I they ever became a regular occurrence
in E6.

that was the original (and somewhat daft) rule. Drivers tended to be
very awkward about opening the front door in order to "educate" people
that they could board via the other doors. The use of savers and pre-pay
cuts across this though so the front door should be opened to allow
tickets to be handed to the driver or cards validated.

The validators at the other doors apparently only work with Freedom
Passes and another software change is needed to make them work with
Pre-Pay.

We will soon have the great delight of witnessing the Islington and
Stoke Newington version of a rugby scrum when the 73 goes bendy in only
3 weeks time. I feel very sorry for both the 73 drivers and the
passengers as I am convinced this change is just not going to work.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

Paul Corfield wrote in
:


The validators at the other doors apparently only work with Freedom
Passes and another software change is needed to make them work with
Pre-Pay.


What! I can't even see the point in having a version of the software that
only works with freedom passes (there being nowhere that a freedom pass is
valid that a zone 1-6 travelcard isn't). Don't all on bus Oyster
validators run the same version of the software?

Am I missing something?

David

Paul Corfield wrote:
On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 13:57:31 +0100, Ian Tindale
wrote:

Andrew Black (delete obvious bit) wrote:

There are signs saying the pre-pay users (and Saver ticket
holders) get on at the front. Whats the difficulty with this?

[..]
The validators at the other doors apparently only work with Freedom
Passes and another software change is needed to make them work with
Pre-Pay.

In what sense do the validators "work" with Freedom Passes? I never
validate my FP when boarding a bendy bus at the "other" doors, nor have
I been told to do so.
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 18:28:47 +0000 (UTC), David Jackman
wrote:

Paul Corfield wrote in
:


The validators at the other doors apparently only work with Freedom
Passes and another software change is needed to make them work with
Pre-Pay.


What! I can't even see the point in having a version of the software that
only works with freedom passes (there being nowhere that a freedom pass is
valid that a zone 1-6 travelcard isn't). Don't all on bus Oyster
validators run the same version of the software?

Am I missing something?

I'm only recounting what I have heard - it may be wrong.

If you think about it the Freedom Card just needs to be read and
validated - a simple check and therefore the software is relatively
simple.

Pre-Pay is much more complex in that links back the ETM need to be
maintained, the card values need to be interrogated and various other
checks made. If you think about capping as well it gets more complex
again. I believe part of the issue is ensuring proper communication
between all the readers on a bendy bus and the ETM.

I would imagine that yes all the *remote* readers use one version while
the ETM mounted reader has different software - it has to as it can
process pre-pay now.
--
Paul C


Admits to working for London Underground!

If you think about it the Freedom Card just needs to be read and
validated - a simple check and therefore the software is relatively
simple.

Why does a Freedom Card need to be "read and validated"? Surely, it's valid in
any event, whether pressed against a reader or not.

Admittedly, that's a fundamental difference from an Oyster Card, which is only
valid once validated, and has the added complication of stored value etc. .
But, as the original questioner asked, why does a Freedom Card need to be
"validated"? What would be the consequence for a passenger who had a valid
Freedom Card but had not pressed it against the reader on entry to the bus?

Marc.

Martin Rich wrote:

On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 17:35:55 +0100, Annabel Smyth
wrote:


On Wed, 11 Aug 2004 at 14:01:12, Neil Williams
wrote:


Also, a good two-doored double-decker loads and unloads far quicker
than the single-entrance Routemaster.


NO WAY! And yes, I did mean to shout. People get on a Routemaster, sit
down, and then look for their Oyster or their fare. On a 2-door bus,
first of all the driver very often doesn't open the entrance door until
people have finished getting off, and then you have to wait while
everybody faffs around finding their pass or their Oyster, or getting
out a ticket, or even buying one, outside the central zone. Takes far,
far longer than on a RM.


Certainly between Finsbury Park and Angel where the two routes run
along the same roads it is common for a 19 (Routemaster) to catch up
and overtake a 4 (two-door double-decker) but very rare for a 4 to
overtake a 19

True, though IME this might be because a lot of 19 drivers drive like
maniacs, and the 4 drivers don't.

(I've noticed this, that certain routes do get driven differently - why
is this? Drivers of the 10 also seem(ed) to get a lot of criticism.)

In message , Mait001
writes
If you think about it the Freedom Card just needs to be read and
validated - a simple check and therefore the software is relatively
simple.

Why does a Freedom Card need to be "read and validated"? Surely, it's valid in
any event, whether pressed against a reader or not.

Admittedly, that's a fundamental difference from an Oyster Card, which is only
valid once validated, and has the added complication of stored value etc. .
But, as the original questioner asked, why does a Freedom Card need to be
"validated"? What would be the consequence for a passenger who had a valid
Freedom Card but had not pressed it against the reader on entry to the bus?


Possibly because the elderly persons' version can only be used after
09.00hrs during weekdays.
--
Kat

In message , Mait001
writes
If you think about it the Freedom Card just needs to be read and
validated - a simple check and therefore the software is relatively
simple.

Why does a Freedom Card need to be "read and validated"? Surely, it's valid
in
any event, whether pressed against a reader or not.

Admittedly, that's a fundamental difference from an Oyster Card, which is
only
valid once validated, and has the added complication of stored value etc. .
But, as the original questioner asked, why does a Freedom Card need to be
"validated"? What would be the consequence for a passenger who had a valid
Freedom Card but had not pressed it against the reader on entry to the bus?


Possibly because the elderly persons' version can only be used after
09.00hrs during weekdays.
--
Kat



Yes, Kat, that might be so, but this would only apply within an hour or so of
that time on weekdays. In any event, what would a reader situated at the rear
door of a bendy-bus do if a pensioner used his Freedom Card earlier that
9.00a.m. - sound an alarm in the driver's cab or what?

Marc.

Dave Newt wrote:
True, though IME this might be because a lot of 19 drivers drive like
maniacs, and the 4 drivers don't.
(I've noticed this, that certain routes do get driven differently - why
is this? Drivers of the 10 also seem(ed) to get a lot of criticism.)

205 drivers take corners quite fast, once so fast that my mum's
wheelchair went for a spin.
--
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