Prepaid tickets on Dublin Bus - can / do you skip the queue?

whiskeyman · 27-12-2008 07:07PM #1

I get the bus home from a busy terminus in the city centre and have a monthly ticket.
When the bus comes along, the (usually) long queue eventually splits up into those who have cards and those who have to pay the driver.
However, today some old woman accused me of trying to skip the queue. There was just a long queue of people with coins to pay the driver, and I wanted to hop and and swipe my card.
Isn't this the norm? I thought these cards were advertised to 'beat the queue' etc...
Sure enough, the by-laws state all passengers should form an ordely queue (not many bus routes do this! I think this is one of the few that still do!), and there's no mention of pre-paid ticket holders going ahead.

So, does anyone else go ahead if they see the right side of the bus door free, allowing them to swipe on instead of waiting behind the queues of coin payers?

Heroditas · 27-12-2008 07:13PM

whiskeyman wrote: »

So, does anyone else go ahead if they see the right side of the bus door free, allowing them to swipe on instead of waiting behind the queues of coin payers?

I certainly do!
The single biggest delay on buses is people who spend an age fumbling in their wallets/purses/handbags/pockets taking an age to pay the driver in 5c and 10c coins. :rolleyes:

RayM · 27-12-2008 07:29PM

I just sail past with my ticket. It's not really 'skipping the queue' anyway, because if you have a ticket, you're not part of the queue of change-fumblers. One benefit of the older non-low-floor buses is that they have a rail in the middle of the entrance, thus making it easier to get past fat people, etc.

27-12-2008 07:37PM

What annoys me is people fumbling for cash and asking the driver questions while they are standing too far too the right.
Not only are they holding up everyone who wants to pay cash, but also blocking the way for those with commuter tickets too.

Alun · 27-12-2008 07:38PM

whiskeyman wrote: »

However, today some old woman accused me of trying to skip the queue.

Next time, tell the nosey old bat to get herself a pre-paid ticket like yours, and then she can "skip the queue" and save money into the bargain as well!

It boggles my mind to see just how many people still pay by cash, including people, such as school kids, who obviously take the bus every day. Regardless of the time spent fumbling for change, they're throwing money away by not availing of these tickets. Not that DB make any effort in terms of advertising on the buses to make people aware of them. I guess they make more money in the long run by not doing so.

dsmythy · 27-12-2008 07:51PM

Isn't the theory that when a bus arrives there are two queues, one for the coin payers and one for the ticket holders? That's what always presumed. Unless your skipping fellow ticket holders then just ignore anyone complaining.

LiamD · 27-12-2008 09:02PM

I'd tell her to bugger off. She's probably getting on free with her free travel pass anyway so buy a prepaid ticket if she wants on early or STFU.

L1011 · 27-12-2008 09:41PM

Always 'skip' the coin-users to the right; sure in pre accessibility days there was a physical barrier to delineate the coin and card entry points!

noelfirl · 27-12-2008 09:54PM

Coin payers and card users split into two queues, left and right respectively. I've lost count of the number of times I'd like to murder someone clumping in from the right to pay with change and, inevitably, holding up the card queue.

edanto · 27-12-2008 10:18PM

I think that ol biddy was way off the mark, almost every bus I've been on had two queues.

Just while I'm on this thread - does ANYONE know why in the world they got rid of ten journey tickets and replaced them with those stupid 2easy things?!

The 10 journeys used to last for ages (I wouldn't use the bus a lot) but the 2 easys are just a pain in the neck.

I imagine the whole thing cost Dublin Bus a few million in "mawketing consultunts" but it annoyed me at the time and I've never really been able to understand why they did it. anyone?!

HonalD · 27-12-2008 10:18PM

LiamD wrote: »

I'd tell her to bugger off. She's probably getting on free with her free travel pass anyway so buy a prepaid ticket if she wants on early or STFU.

Liam, let's hope you never grow old - you might regret this post! If the lady has a free pass, she should be allowed go to the right, right? It's prepaid alright, prepaid by us tax-payers :rolleyes:

KC61 · 28-12-2008 12:11AM

edanto wrote: »

I think that ol biddy was way off the mark, almost every bus I've been on had two queues.

Just while I'm on this thread - does ANYONE know why in the world they got rid of ten journey tickets and replaced them with those stupid 2easy things?!

The 10 journeys used to last for ages (I wouldn't use the bus a lot) but the 2 easys are just a pain in the neck.

I imagine the whole thing cost Dublin Bus a few million in "mawketing consultunts" but it annoyed me at the time and I've never really been able to understand why they did it. anyone?!

They were withdrawn due to widespread abuse.

mikemac · 28-12-2008 12:16AM

What? An old person being cranky and complaining when there was no need to??

Everyone else has said it, you can queue to the right, it's always faster.

My rant for the day:
Please, if you're waiting a few minutes for a bus, there is no excuse not to have change ready.
Ok, you might not know the exact fare and maybe there is nobody around to ask but no excuse to hop on a bus and then go rooting around your wallet/purse for change :mad:

noelfirl wrote: »

I've lost times of the number of times I'd like to murder someone clumping in from the right to pay with change and, inevitably, holding up the card queue.

I've never seen that.......yet

AlekSmart · 28-12-2008 02:11AM

It`s a moot point as to whether Ministers for Transport and their Senior Civil Servants would be better served by reading and noting the contents of threads such as this than by signing cheques for Deloitte and Touchè.

Most posters are aware that the setting of Bus Atha Cliath cash fares a jealously guarded perogative of the aforementioned Department of Transport.

It speaks volumes for that Department`s affinity with the works of Charles Dickens that we can read a thread such as this while heading out of the first decade of the 21st Century.

Remember that from Jan 1 2009 the circus begins again with a round of imaginative and well crafted Bus Cash Fare adjustments...

€1.05 becomes €1.15
€1.50-€1.60.
€1.70-€1.80
€2.00-€2.20.

WOW...:eek:

By now I suspect most people recognize a lost cause when they see it.

Expecting THIS Minister,THIS Secretary General and THIS Department of Transport to display imagination,flair or initiative in relation to their area of operations is second only to expecting Elvis Presley to headline the 02 on Patricks Night. :pac:

The requirements are so simple.:eek:

The Department IMMEDIATELY sanction a Flat Fare structure within Bus Atha Cliath`s network.
ALL pre-paid ticketing to be in smart-enabled format.
A Minimum of 25% discount to be available for such pre-paid tickets with such discounts additional to those available on the Taxsaver scheme.

Crazy ...? Off the Wall ..?....Ok perhaps .......

But,consider this...how many EXTRA customers will raising the €1.05 to €1.15 attract to the Public Bus Service.....Now there`s a tough one

.....anybody got a direct line to Deloitte & Touchè.....

cbreeze · 28-12-2008 02:15AM

whiskeyman wrote: »

I get the bus home from a busy terminus in the city centre and have a monthly ticket.
When the bus comes along, the (usually) long queue eventually splits up into those who have cards and those who have to pay the driver.
However, today some old woman accused me of trying to skip the queue. There was just a long queue of people with coins to pay the driver, and I wanted to hop and and swipe my card.
Isn't this the norm? I thought these cards were advertised to 'beat the queue' etc...
Sure enough, the by-laws state all passengers should form an ordely queue (not many bus routes do this! I think this is one of the few that still do!), and there's no mention of pre-paid ticket holders going ahead.

So, does anyone else go ahead if they see the right side of the bus door free, allowing them to swipe on instead of waiting behind the queues of coin payers?

Course! that what prepay/monthly/annual tkts are 4!! 0qing!! The people who pay are randomers who use the bus occasionally - not like us shareholders who pay lotz in advance and may be rewarded bytax bak

Esel · 28-12-2008 02:46AM

AlekSmart wrote: »

Rant

Nice rant, but OT.

MiniD · 28-12-2008 02:48AM

When One Person Operation buses came into play in the late 80s, all buses had posters up displaying how to pay. The poster also instructed those paying cash to board on the left and anyone with a prepaid ticket to board to the right. It was to speed up the boarding process.

jahalpin · 28-12-2008 10:57AM

The old people with the FREE travel passes seem to believe that the right-hand queue is only for them, but it is really for people with prepaid tickets. As the driver is supposed to physically check the picture on the FREE travel passes they should be using the left-hand lane.

A few months ago I was waiting for a bus in O'Connell Street. I had a 7 day rambler and was using the right-hand land, when old biddy came up to me and told me that the right side was only for people with social welfare passes and the other old biddies around her agreed with her. I was very closes to explaining to her that I had prePAID for my ticket whereas she was using a FREE travel pass.

jimmycrackcorm · 28-12-2008 01:39PM

If a single queue was intended then the swipe reader would have been installed beside the cash box.

whiskeyman · 28-12-2008 02:21PM

LiamD wrote: »

I'd tell her to bugger off. She's probably getting on free with her free travel pass anyway so buy a prepaid ticket if she wants on early or STFU.

the thing is, when I looked at her, she had her OAP pass ready to show the driver... and she was still queuing with the coin fumblers!!

thanks for the replies folks

markpb · 28-12-2008 02:42PM

The same frail, old woman who will hobble down the street, looking like she might blow over in a gust of wind will become an aggressive, cane-wielding battle-axe when she comes within two feet of the door of a bus. It's an odd affliction but there's no point arguing because a) you can't argue with a frail old woman and b) there'll always be more of them hiding around the corner waiting to back her up. It's best either to let her go ahead of you or ignore her completely. (I only partly jest...)

corktina · 28-12-2008 03:24PM

I suppose the answer depends on whether there is room on the bus for all those waiting to travel , if there isnt I think there should be just the one queue or proper supervision of the queue by an approriate officail

fitzyshea · 28-12-2008 04:40PM

whiskeyman wrote: »

Isn't this the norm? I thought these cards were advertised to 'beat the queue' etc...QUOTE]

Yes this is the norm! People with cash to the Left pre-paid to the right. Her problem if she has coin.

AlekSmart · 28-12-2008 10:31PM

Corktina desires one of these...

.I suppose the answer depends on whether there is room on the bus for all those waiting to travel , if there isnt I think there should be just the one queue or proper supervision of the queue by an approriate officail

.

I can confirm that Bus Atha Cliath have been carrying out extensive in-service proving trials of just such an "Appropriate Official".
These comprehensive trials have been carried out at Penny`s on O Connell St (Well it was the BHS when the tests began....)
The 46A Stop on D`Olier St and occasionally at Heuston Station.

As a result of these tests the CIE group have signed a €378 Million contract with the New York based CheckerCab Manufacturing Corporation and the Japanese based Hojufukkdabusta corp.

The prototype "Appropriate Official" will then be disassembled in sterile clean-room conditions its functional organs stereoscopically inspected prior to being re-assigned to other duties on the Bus Atha Cliath network.

It is estimated that up to 1,184 of these "Appropriate Officials" will be required to take over the onerous duty of responsibility currently imposed upon the unsuspecting twavellin pubblick.
The Company is holding a competition to find a name for the new improved "Appropriate Official" grade with several early leaders in the race.....current favorite is.....Bus Conductor ...... :pac:

corktina · 29-12-2008 04:14PM

thats OK then....problem solved:D

Prepaid tickets on Dublin Bus - can / do you skip the queue?

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