Snapper
Have you got a snapper card yet? Honestly have you tried to buy one? Whatever you do, don’t ask if there isn’t a sign in the window. I made the mistake of asking at a couple of places where I’ve bought my trusty 10-trips in the past. I wont be making that mistake again. I’ve read the news reports that some of the retailers aren’t happy at what it will cost them. Now I’ve heard it from the retailers directly. $2000 to buy the machine to load the cards and those who weren’t part of the early trial are bitter at missing out on getting one free. I don’t know what they used to make from the 10 trip cards but they tell me they get 20 cents out of the 25 cents the user pays to top up the card – that’s if they don’t top-up online for themselves or set up an automatic payment. Plus you can top up at $300 a go – that’s a lot of 10-trip tickets so they must be losing out there as well. The list of grievances doesn’t end there either – I won’t bore you with them all but have you seen how much space the snapper machines take up on the counter?
So I don’t hate the concept but I think the roll out could have been smoother. I’m used to using an Oyster card and this will be no different. It is annoying having to keep your card out till the end of the journey though. Given the lack of bus shelters in the suburbs I’d rather have my umbrella in my hand in winter. The first time I heard snapper in operation on the buses I found the bubble sound the machines make kind of quirky but a week later it is as annoying as key beeps on a cell phone. I hope they can turn those off or the drivers will go mental.
Red Shoe Girl 
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