an interesting evening

Saw Thorndon on film at the Film Archive tonight.  I don’t know why I don’t go there more often. It was a collection of clips from 1906 to 1972 and they were fascinating.  The non-speaking clips had a live piano accompaniament which was really well done. There wasa little bit of unnecessary commentary – all she did was read out the titles of the clips which were already on the films themselves. 

My journey home was amusing.  Clearly the students are back in town and celebrating the beginning of their year. I heard one young man complain her kept getting ID’ed everywhere just because he was carrying a skateboard.

Waiting for the bus I had two guys sit beside me and promptly unzip a padded cloth case.  From it they retrieved some religious work.  One promptly started to read out loud, very loud, to his friend. At this crowded busstop they went on to discuss the meaning of what they were reading.

The bus trip itself was more entertaining. The woman ahead of me spent ages quizzing the driver before she finally got on.  It was quite annoying as it took a long time till she finally asked the question she actually wanted answered.
Passenger: Does this bus go up Bowen St?
Driver: No
Passenger: Where does it go?
Driver: Molesworth St
Passenger: How far up Molesworth St?
Driver: The whole way, then through Thorndon.
Driver: Lady, where do you want to go?
Passenger: Railway station but I don’t know where to get off.
Driver: Hop on and I’ll tell you.
Passenger: (Holding a snapper card) Will it just be a dollar?
Driver: (looking a bit confused) Yes, are you paying by snapper or cash?
Passenger: Snapper
Driver: Then just hold it up to the reader, it works it out for you.
Passenger: But how does it know how far I’m going

Meanwhile there’s about 10 people behind her waiting to get on the bus. She sits right up the front and everyone files on. Then the questions start. So many questions about the bus routes and timetables and fares and anything else about the busses you could imagine.

After about 5 stops the driver completely flipped out. He got up and collected one of every different timetable from the little plastic holders. Over and over he kept saying to the woman, “Take the timetables, they’re free, they’re full of all the information you’ll need, take the timetables.”  He did it in a way which was half creepy, half helpful. It was really odd but more bullying then anything. The passenger really didn’t want the timetables, she said she didn’t use the bus often.  She had a snapper but I don’t think she was a local yet the snapper made her look like she should know how things worked.  I thought it was kind of sad, she just wanted reassurance she was heading in the right direction.  I’ve caught enough buses in foreign cities where I know my destination but I don’t know the streets or suburbs along the way.  You rely on drivers or fellow passengers for help getting to where you want to go.  The driver, he didn’t help her, he made her feel stupid for asking for help.

passengers are an optional extra

Have you tried catching a bus lately? I’ve lost count of the number of buses which have just simply not bothered to slow down and stop to pick me and other passengers up from my stop.

It used to be that if a driver approaching a stop saw someone looking at the timetable they’d slow enough to check that the passenger wasn’t looking for that bus.  At the weekend while on a bus I watched a person signal a bus then turn to pick up their grocieries. The bus started to slow when signalled but then sped up and drove off while the person was picking up their groceries – that’s just mean.

I heard one bus driver complaining about the super gold cards - he thought more elderly folk are catching the bus and it is slowing the bus runs down – the super gold card users take longer to get on and off the bus and apparently expect the drivers to wait till they’ve found a seat. It seems therefore the best answer is to rush past potentially fare paying passengers in order to make up some of that time.  I guess they’ve run out of things to complain about with snapper so the free rides for the elderly is the next target. Where’s their christmas spirit?

mr grumpy drives the 14

Had the most hilarious bus ride home courtesy of the driver’s running commentary. That and his bad mood.

After I snappered on the guy behind me did likewise only to be told by the machine he had insufficient funds. He just shrugged and got out his wallet. He really didn’t seem that bothered. Then the driver started up. “bloody ridiculous things, stupid system, they should get rid of it”. The passenger pointed out it was his fault and was trying to hand over his cash. But no, the driver had’t finished “caused nothing but problems from day one” he added.

Doors closed and we drove off. We got to the next stop to find another bus already there, over-filled and taking on passengers. We were the second half-empty bus of two which had started 10 minutes apart and ended up together. “Typical” shouts our bus driver as he pulls up along side, “Thought it would be him, he never knows when  to stop”.

For the rest of the trip he directed his anger at cyclists not peddling fast enough.

hello mr snapper

On a Wellington bus:

[Passenger boards bus and swipes snapper card]
Snapper Machine: Please try card again
[Passenger swipes card]
Snapper Machine: Please try card again
[Passenger swipes card]
Snapper Machine: Please try card again
[Passenger swipes card]
Bus Driver: [Shouting] Hold it still
Passenger: [Startled] Its my first time
Bus Driver: [Semi shouting] Just hold it still
[Passenger gingerly places card on reader]
Snapper Machine: Don’t forget to tag off.
Passenger: [To the driver] Now I know why they named it snapper.  This was first time and I was nervous enough and now you’ve only made it worse.
Bus Driver: You just have to hold it still
Passenger: [To the driver] Snapper

The last hold outs are finally moving to snapper and of course a lot of them are reluctant or nervous or don’t like change.  This is the very time the bus drivers need to be patient. The main card which people use in their daily lives is their cash card or credit card and if they aren’t poking it into a machine they’re swiping it. It is a natural thing to want to swipe the snapper card. If you want the card held still design a better reader, make it one you put the card on top of. The current reader makes it hard to hold the card and place it on the reader – there’s no room for your fingers.

Some drivers could do with being a little more patient right now.  I know some of them hate snapper – one driver last week treated her entire busload of passengers to along rant on all that she hated about the system – I was pleased to get off the bus. She’s not helping her employer that’s for sure.  I did start to wonder if snapper is adding to the drivers’ impatience. They don’t have so much to do now without the clipping of cards so have to sit and wait for everyone to tag on.

stop reminding me to tag off already

Grrrr, as more and more passengers move to snapper it is really starting to grate.  Between the bubble noise and the reminders to tag off, I want to kick the snapper reader on my way off the bus.  Surely they can turn this off or down?

And yet again the number 14 timetable is on some other planet. Tonight the 6.20 arrived packed to capacity at 6.30 and didn’t stop.  Well, there was no room for anyone else so I’m sort of pleased it didn’t stop but it was raining and freezing cold so it added to my grumpiness. The 6.36 finally arrived at 6.45 but thankfully just had enough room for the frozen passengers who’d arrived just after the 6.03 left early. We need another bus during this time – it is ridiculous. The time it takes for the bus to shuffle and regurgitate its load before finally spitting out passengers at the bus stops as it travels through the suburbs is only adding to the delays.

And what makes me maddest of all?  Seeing all the 43 and 44 buses drive past practically empty during this time. Can’t we steal one of those for the 14 route instead?

little fish with a big mouth

Have you lost your snapper?  If you register it as soon as you buy it then if you lose it you can go online and put a stop on it. You’ll only lose as much money as someone can spend between you losing the card and realising this. Of course, given that you can spend your snapper funds other than on busfares someone could buy lunch for the office at Wishbone and clean you out.  If they don’t then you’ll still have to pay $10 for another card but your balance is transferred.

Fortuately I did not lose my card but I did find one on the footpath at my bus stop.  I phoned the number on the snapper card and they were very helpful, too helpful.  They told me the name of the person whose card it is. I didn’t ask for this information.  I offered a cellphone number the “loser of the card” could call or text to arrange the return of the card.  If I hadn’t stopped her would Ms Snapper have given me the address and phone number too? She didn’t but I still felt the other person’s privacy hadn’t been treated seriously.  Ms Snapped assure me she place my cellphone number on the person’s account so the next time they log in they’ll see the message.

a go wellington bus ate my arm

I got a bus from Lambton Quay just after 6.30. As usual on my run the bus was late and crammed full of passengers.  The driver didn’t seem to care how full the bus was and lurched from bus stop to bus stop. Maybe it is just a hard bus to control but there was no need to accelerate with such vigour with the bus so full. I spent the whole trip standing up as I usually do and finally got to my stop shortly before seven. I tagged my snapper and it didn’t work so I had to do it again. The driver decided not to bother waiting and started to shut the door and drive off.  Only problem was my arm was in the door. I can still see the abrasion and it is a little sore. I phoned go wellington when I got home – “Paula” was on the phone and asked that I leave a message so I did.  Do you think I’ve heard back yet? No of course not.

too old for sardines

Why do I have to pay to travel home on an overcrowded, late running, clapped out bus, driven by a wannabe rally driver? Why? Well, yes I could walk, ride a bike, take a taxi even but I choose to bus. Today I couldn’t decide whether to be grumpy with the driver, my fellow passengers or the sadist who came up with the timetable.

It was 6.30pm – hardly peak commuting time. The bus was late, 15 minutes late which puts it half way between the time it should have arrived and the next bus.  It was packed, well at least the front two thirds of the bus was. Sure enough, the very back of the bus had empty seats no-one could get to thanks to standing passengers who were “getting off at the next stop” but surprise surprise still on the bus when I got off. This bus route never NEVER never runs on time. And of course it only gets later and later as every stop brings a passenger who decided to grill the driver over his/her tardiness – as if that’s going to help the rest of us.

Then there’s the usual problem of Stagecoach Wellington bus drivers who drive as though they are on a racetrack. It would be entertaining were we to be all seated with the safety of a seatbelt.  Treating the standing passengers like dominoes to be toppled at every stop is not my idea of entertainment.