Fined on Dublin Bus!

rayfitz

Let me tell ye what happened on monday.
I was on my way into college on my local bus (only because i didn want to drive in as i usually do) where i paid €1.50. checked my ticket upstairs and hed underpaid as was meant to get off before my stop. shrugged and thought id be ok. get to 2 stops before mine and 3 inspectors get on. I saw them at the stop so decided i better get off. One stops me and asks for my ticket, i say its upstairs and he makes me get it. Say il pay the extra 25c but he says no.
Name address phone, etc. Proof of name and address. then phones to check the address. holds up the bus for 5 mins and then gives me a ticket for €30, the reason?
"Passenger had €1.50 ticket for a €1.75 journey"
So pay the fine or court appearance wit possible €500 fine or 3 months imprisionment.

so, has anybody been fined before? what happened? do i have to pay this ridicioulous fine?

thanks,
Ray

aliveandkicking

Its not a ridiculous fine, it is a justified fine because you knowingly didn't pay the correct fare. If every passenger on Dublin Bus paid 25 cent less than they were supposed to how many millions would Dublin Bus lose?

rayfitz

Why do you assume i "knowingly" didnt pay the correct fare? I thought that for a journey of less than 7 miles the fare would be €1.50 as on the bus i was on it used to be €1.75 into town 12ish miles. Have a car so very rarely get the bus, hence, was unaware of the correct fare. Talked to a few people about this and if they were short an inspector told them to just pay the additional money.

murphaph

rayfitz wrote:

Why do you assume i "knowingly" didnt pay the correct fare? I thought that for a journey of less than 7 miles the fare would be €1.50 as on the bus i was on it used to be €1.75 into town 12ish miles. Have a car so very rarely get the bus, hence, was unaware of the correct fare. Talked to a few people about this and if they were short an inspector told them to just pay the additional money.

Sorry for your troubles, but it's a basic premise that ignorance of the law is not an excuse, and the rules that govern fares are laws like any others. You'll have to pay the fine and be more careful in future. I'm glad to see CIE taking a hard line on all fare evasion-intentional or otherwise. It needs the deterrent factor that Luas currently enjoys.

mackerski

I'm an infrequent bus user too, so I understand how you mightn't know the fare. You seem to have chosen at random from the possible fares, which isn't an approach I've ever used - I usually state my destination to the driver, which is what Dublin Bus have been telling us to do for years. The fact that you stayed on after realising your mistake may not make you Mountjoy material, but you can't honestly be surprised at the outcome.

Remember that if we're to get a useful integrated ticketing system, it would help immensely if bus ticketing could move closer to a Luas-style honesty system, and that needs the kind of solid revenue protection that you experienced. Unfortunately, the chances of this happening seem about the same as your chances of being excused your fine.

Dermot

Metrobest

I don't blame your being angry, Ray. There is no coherent ticket control policy on Dublin Bus - I've seen people wheel out the lamest excuses and get away with just paying for the fare they dodged. You probably caught the inspector on a bad day but that's not good enough for a 21st century bus company, is it? If you feel strongly enough that you were treated unfairly, study up on the law and argue it in the courts. There may be a loophole for you somewhere. I read a story one time about a guy who got caught without a ticket on the Crumlin Road, but the inspector wrote "Iveagh Gardens" or something like that on the ticket. When the case came to court, the judge threw it out on the grounds that there was no bus route on the Iveagh Gardens.

If the system was simplified, these kinds of cases would be stamped out. A simple fare structure would be two zones - central (to canal), inner, and outer (maynooth etc.). Such a zonal system, albeit more complex, operates in Amsterdam. As the tram or bus moves into a new zone, an annoucment is made: "zone border". This completely eliminates the excuse of "I didn't know I had a wrong ticket". When paying for your ticket by coin on the bus, the cost could be 1eur to travel in one zone (valid on all buses in zone for 60 minutes), 2eur to travel in two (90 minutes) and 3eur to travel in three (2 hours). There would be discounts for pre-paid tickets. 1,2,3 .. A,B,C! Easy.

Goodshape

Dublin bus is a joke if you ask me. With regards your fine - you got caught, stinger. But it's the rules.

But seriously, the way they run things is dreadful, slow and ineffecient. As someone who's not in Dublin that much, I get on a bus and there's no indicator as to how much it costs - meaning I have to ask the driver who in my experience never seems best pleased about having to answer my question. There's also not a map in sight to tell me the route, no anouncement to tell me what stop is coming up or what stop I'm at... the bloody bus stops don't even seem to display the place name.

Good transport in a city is about as important as having running water. If people can't get from a to b then there's not going to be any money made - never mind your 'how many millions would Dublin Bus lose?'. They should be allowed to run a good service at a lose, with the government safe in the knowledge that money is being made BECAUSE of it, not in spite of it.

John R

I don't know if this means they are finally cracking down on fare evasion or the OP was just really unlucky. The former I hope as 90c is the most the vast majority of Dublin scum ever pay for bus journeys of any length.

If they are on their own the inspectors are far more likely to let people off the fine, especially if they are aggressive scangers. When there are several of them they will be much less likely to be lenient.


The whole system is fukked, on the rare times that the scum do get caught and fined they end up going to court where the judges let them off because they are on the dole and have no money.


All that being said, the OP had paid the incorrect fare, it was nobody's fault but his own. He could easily have given the driver his destination to find out the correct fare in the first place.

As for metrobest's zone idea, that is only slightly better than the current one, lazy people will still not bother to find out the correct fare and it still has the time waste factors as the usual types fumble around for change holding up the whole bus.

IMO we should follow the London model and just have one flat cash fare for all bus journeys, and it should be high. €2 would be simple, a small range of pre-pay tickets at heavily discounted rates would cater for those willing to go to a tiny effort to save money.

Of course neither is going to happen as cash fares are under control of the central government, they wouldn't even let DB amalgamate the two lowest fares into one simple €1 fare at euro changeover time.

HelterSkelter

John R wrote:

IMO we should follow the London model and just have one flat cash fare for all bus journeys, and it should be high. €2 would be simple, a small range of pre-pay tickets at heavily discounted rates would cater for those willing to go to a tiny effort to save money.

Of course neither is going to happen as cash fares are under control of the central government, they wouldn't even let DB amalgamate the two lowest fares into one simple €1 fare at euro changeover time.

That is a bad idea, why should someone going 3 or 4 stops pay the same as someone going from city centre to maynooth for example?? It would discourage people from using the bus. I went into town from Rathmines the other day, fare was 90c each way, if it was €2 each way I would definitely have taken the car instead.

To the OP, hard luck buddy but you should have stated your destination to the driver if you didn't know the fare.

By the way does anybody know the legal position with them keeping you on the bus if you don't have a valid ticket? Surely they can't hold you against your will. If you try to get off and they stop you is it assault?

Hagar

As an infrequent bus user I always tell the driver my destination and he tells me the fare.
Simple really, only takes a second and nothing further to worry about.

JackieChan

Have to agree with others. If you don't know the price of the correct fare then you should ask the driver.

murphaph

HelterSkelter wrote:

That is a bad idea, why should someone going 3 or 4 stops pay the same as someone going from city centre to maynooth for example?? It would discourage people from using the bus. I went into town from Rathmines the other day, fare was 90c each way, if it was €2 each way I would definitely have taken the car instead.

I disagree. If you go to a small bit of effort and get yourself a prepais ticket it would be the same cheap fare, if you don't-it's €2 each way. The sheer number of people still paying cash (including myself as an infrequent bus user!) definitely slows the whole operation down for everyone. If 90% of people used prepaid tix and they fit extra card readers (to have 2 readers as you enter the bus) the buses would run more efficiently.

I'd love if we had a more honest population whereby they could have 3 doors on a bus, all opening and allowing boarding with the honesty system-but we have a high 'scumbag per capita' ratio and they ruin it for everyone. The system could still be introduced someday, but fare enforcement will have to be increased a hundred fold and no excuses can be be accepted.

MrPudding

You may have made a mistake when paying but......

rayfitz wrote:

Why do you assume i "knowingly" didnt pay the correct fare? I thought that for a journey of less than 7 miles the fare would be €1.50 as on the bus i was on it used to be €1.75 into town 12ish miles. Have a car so very rarely get the bus, hence, was unaware of the correct fare. Talked to a few people about this and if they were short an inspector told them to just pay the additional money.

Unless I am reading the following line wrong, you realised a little later you had paid the wrong fare but chose not to pay the difference.

rayfitz wrote:

.......where i paid €1.50. checked my ticket upstairs and hed underpaid as was meant to get off before my stop. shrugged and thought id be ok.

I'm sorry but I fail to see the problem. You may not have knowingly paid the wrong fare but you seem to say yourself that you knowingly travelled on the wrong fare. Fair cop.

MrP

Vokes

John R wrote:

IMO we should follow the London model and just have one flat cash fare for all bus journeys, and it should be high. €2 would be simple, a small range of pre-pay tickets at heavily discounted rates would cater for those willing to go to a tiny effort to save money.

This is a good idea for people without pre-paid tickets, but perhaps flat E1.50 would be better.

To add to this then, a customer upon reproducing the ticket again for another bus journey, say within 3 hrs, would pay only an extra 50cent, and then each subsequent journey within the timeframe would be free.

HelterSkelter

murphaph wrote:

I disagree. If you go to a small bit of effort and get yourself a prepais ticket it would be the same cheap fare, if you don't-it's €2 each way. The sheer number of people still paying cash (including myself as an infrequent bus user!) definitely slows the whole operation down for everyone. If 90% of people used prepaid tix and they fit extra card readers (to have 2 readers as you enter the bus) the buses would run more efficiently.

Well another time I wanted to go into town, I had no change so I went into a ticket agent to buy a ticket and guess what, you can only buy them in packs of 10!! What a joke. I rarely use the bus, I don't want 10 tickets, I only want to go into town and back home again!!

kenmc

What you should have done, is pretend to be asleep.
When the inspector wakes you up you look all flustered that you missed your stop and it wasn't your fault you fell asleep....
Either that or you should have put your hand up to your mouth like you were going to throw up and had to get off the bus, he'd probably have let you get off.
Sorry you got caught.

MrPudding

kenmc wrote:

Sorry you got caught.

This seems to be a very typical attitude down here that I am having difficulty coming to terms with. He knowingly did something wrong, why would you feel sorry for him?

MrP

SickCert

kenmc wrote:

What you should have done, is pretend to be asleep.
When the inspector wakes you up you look all flustered that you missed your stop and it wasn't your fault you fell asleep....
Either that or you should have put your hand up to your mouth like you were going to throw up and had to get off the bus, he'd probably have let you get off.
Sorry you got caught.

It is a game to some.
But dont worry more pack inspectors will return!

rayfitz

"The former I hope as 90c is the most the vast majority of Dublin scum ever pay for bus journeys of any length."

Just to clarify that i dont consider myself as scum. I was getting the bus into a certain university which scummers generally don't attend.

secret_squirrel

rayfitz wrote:

Name address phone, etc. Proof of name and address.

Just out of interest do DB inspectors have any power to demand this? Cant you just refuse? Surely only a Guarda can legally demand id from you with no right of refusal.

Also can they legally hold you on the bus?

Dublin buses fares arent the most clear tbh. I regularly get one of 2 routes to the same place that travel fairly different routes to get there. To this day Im not sure if the same fare applies to both. I usually use a rambler to avoid the brain ache.

Plus I notice the new ticket machines on the buses are far more precise about where you got on and got off. Although last time I looked at one I could have sworn that the place it said I boarded was about 2 stops before the one I got on at. If an inspector got me then I would have been screwed.

Bogger77

secret_squirrel wrote:

Just out of interest do DB inspectors have any power to demand this? Cant you just refuse? Surely only a Guarda can legally demand id from you with no right of refusal.

Also can they legally hold you on the bus?

If you don't give under the details or false details when they check over the fone, they are impowered under the by-laws to hold you until the cops arrive.

Bogger77

rayfitz wrote:

Just to clarify that i dont consider myself as scum. I was getting the bus into a certain university which scummers generally don't attend.

and if that's your attitude, I've no sympathy with you. You tried fare evasion, by knowingly paying less than the legal fare.

I've travelled the number 27 quite a bit over the years, and tbh, I can't recall any occasions when the bus was held up due to a scumbag passenger, yet you got that bus held up for 5minutes, by your own admission.

Why didn't the inspectors let you pay the amount you under paid?
cos you lied and tried to dodge them.

pity the standard isn't more, but then again, pointing at the OP , it's usually the lower classes that fare evade.

Trampas

The new ticket machines on buses will have the price for everystop on the route from the stop you get on.

No excuses for not having the right fare.

Pay your fine and stop complaining

HelterSkelter

secret_squirrel wrote:

Although last time I looked at one I could have sworn that the place it said I boarded was about 2 stops before the one I got on at. If an inspector got me then I would have been screwed.

This happens a lot. A good few times when I looked at my ticket it said I should have got off a few stops before the one I got on at!!

HelterSkelter

Bogger77 wrote:

If you don't give under the details or false details when they check over the fone, they are impowered under the by-laws to hold you until the cops arrive.

How can they hold you? What if you just try to walk away and get off the bus. Surely they can't pin you down and hold you until the cops arrive???

murphaph

HelterSkelter wrote:

How can they hold you? What if you just try to walk away and get off the bus. Surely they can't pin you down and hold you until the cops arrive???

I wouldn't expect they'd try-would you try to pin some scumbag down while the ferral tracksuitwearing burbery topped knacker is trying to bite you? We need a tansport police to back the inspectors an drivers up. The transport police in germany are armed and are respected. I'd love if they could have linked the new digital CCTV on buses to a central facial recognition database-checking everyone getting on and comparing them to a database of known fare evaders. Inspectors could take photographs of those caught evading their fares and the driver of the bus could be alerted automatically that a known scumbag is boarding. Casinos and department stores use it to alert them that card counters and shoplifters have just entered their premises.

daymobrew

HelterSkelter wrote:

How can they hold you? What if you just try to walk away and get off the bus. Surely they can't pin you down and hold you until the cops arrive???

The General Information page doesn't specify the permissible means of restraint.

Dublin_Bus_Info wrote:

Passengers who fail to give a correct name and address, or who give a false or misleading name and address, shall be detained by the Inspector until the arrival of the Garda Siochana (S.7 Dublin Transport Authority (Dissolution) Act 1987).

You can read Section 7 of that Act. It doesn't detail the permissible means of restraint either. Maybe pinning someone down would be acceptable though I guess it would be done as a result of an assault on the inspector as the passenger tried to escape.

rayfitz

Bogger77 wrote:

and if that's your attitude, I've no sympathy with you. You tried fare evasion, by knowingly paying less than the legal fare.

I've travelled the number 27 quite a bit over the years, and tbh, I can't recall any occasions when the bus was held up due to a scumbag passenger, yet you got that bus held up for 5minutes, by your own admission.

Why didn't the inspectors let you pay the amount you under paid?
cos you lied and tried to dodge them.

pity the standard isn't more, but then again, pointing at the OP , it's usually the lower classes that fare evade.

lower classes yeah? You back that up with what? Fair points raised but i think that was out of order. could almost guarentee that i am higher up the class scale than you.

LegacyUser

I usually tell the driver which stop I am getting off at and let him work out the price.

Funnily enough .. I only use CIE a few times a year (car getting serviced etc) .. the last time I noted it was different going into town as it was coming out.

Bogger77

rayfitz wrote:

lower classes yeah? You back that up with what? Fair points raised but i think that was out of order. could almost guarentee that i am higher up the class scale than you.

Are you? Strangely enough, I own, in my own name, land and property worth 500,000 euro, at the last valuation. Where does that place me on your scale.

I've never been fined for Fare Evading, you have.
Since you're so smart, I'll let you do the figuring out where that places you on the scale. I mean, you couldn't even get down for a decent effort of fraud, attempting to defraud Dublin Bus of less than a euro and getting caught for it. You're going to the laughing sock,when Fionn and Oisin and the rest of the rugger boys hear.

It'll be fun watching you in district court if you don't pay. And you'll even get you name listed in the Irish Times as a fare evader. Fame for you at last!

SteM

rayfitz, you come across as being a tw@t by your actions on the bus and what you've posted here since.

Pay your deserved fine or enjoy your day in court - I'm hoping you go for the court option myself but I'm sure your daddy will pay the fine for you.

SickCert

I'd love if they could have linked the new digital CCTV on buses to a central facial recognition database-checking everyone getting on and comparing them to a database of known fare evaders.

Dont worry as some routes have marked in drivers that see the same faces every day. The new CCTV system is a huge bonus in getting these people too!

Would an inspector stop an animal? One sat on one once after an assault!:eek:

rayfitz

Bogger77 wrote:

Are you? Strangely enough, I own, in my own name, land and property worth 500,000 euro, at the last valuation. Where does that place me on your scale.

I've never been fined for Fare Evading, you have.
Since you're so smart, I'll let you do the figuring out where that places you on the scale. I mean, you couldn't even get down for a decent effort of fraud, attempting to defraud Dublin Bus of less than a euro and getting caught for it. You're going to the laughing sock,when Fionn and Oisin and the rest of the rugger boys hear.

It'll be fun watching you in district court if you don't pay. And you'll even get you name listed in the Irish Times as a fare evader. Fame for you at last!

I'l be paying the fine (my dad didn't get fined so why would he pay?) so don't worry about my court appearance. Don't play rugby or go to u.c.d so don't know why the rugger boys would be laughing and finally property of €500,000 means you own a house possibly. Dolores McNamara (Euromillions winner) has €115 million but it doesn't make her upper class in my opinion.

LegacyUser

It doesn't sound to me as if you deliberately skipped paying the full fair. However, you shouldn't really try to make a guess at these things!
It was just unfortunate that the inspectors got on the bus when they did.

I think the talk about fraud is absolutely ridiculous. Tell me, other people on this thread .. you've never made a mistake with a fare on a bus before???

SickCert

Good point.
But if you realise that you have made a mistake, do you get an excess fare ticket from the driver or take your chances?
Another side is the inspectors hear the same excuses PER bus check and can be a good judge of genuine cases. These boys are not evil but check about 500 tickets a day and have seen most situations before.

Irishstabber

Is buying a dublin bus ticket effectively entering you into a contract with dublin bus?
If so then how can the authorities prosecute minors since they aren't eligable to enter into legally binding contracts?
Just a question that always bothered me...:rolleyes:

Red Alert

the new machines on dublin bus still operate by the 'stage' system - not every stop is a stage change. on the old machines, the stop you got on at is the number beside the route number with a small "ST" symbol beside it.

which brings me to the point that the new ticket machines are essentially a waste of money. they are slower than the old machines and do not intrinsically do anything different.

Trampas

Red Alert wrote:

the new machines on dublin bus still operate by the 'stage' system - not every stop is a stage change. on the old machines, the stop you got on at is the number beside the route number with a small "ST" symbol beside it.

which brings me to the point that the new ticket machines are essentially a waste of money. they are slower than the old machines and do not intrinsically do anything different.

Are you a bus driver?? The new machines have the pice to every bus stop.

All it takes is the driver to press a button to display all stops.

The old tickets never said what stop you got on but the stage you got on and what stop you have to get off buy.

They are slower but nobody has no excuses for not having the right ticket

Victor

Isn't there a little sign that says "please state destination"?

HelterSkelter wrote:

I went into town from Rathmines the other day, fare was 90c each way, if it was €2 each way I would definitely have taken the car instead.

And pay how much for parking?

Zebra3

Was on DB in Lucan a few weeks ago and three inspectors got on. They gave one lad (about 15) a fine for not paying the correct fare yet let off a girl in her twenties with paying the difference. :rolleyes:

newgrange

I suppose like most things in life, a person's attitude and demeanour will determine how someone else deals with them.

A: Eff off you Buster, I'm not paying you greedy cnuts...
compared to
B: Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise, how much extra do I owe? (rooting for purse/wallet)

Regardless of how true either statement is, we know which person will get fined. It's about playing the game, or at least making a good pretence at doing so.

secret_squirrel

newgrange wrote:

we know which person will get fined.

Yea both of them if the OP's story is true.

dRNk SAnTA

<quote>the new machines on dublin bus still operate by the 'stage' system - not every stop is a stage change. on the old machines</quote>

So how many stops are in a stage? The whole thing is so unclear, unless u check online how are you supposed to know what the correct fare is unless you're very familiar with your departure stop? it becomes impossible to work out for oneself what the correct fair should be.

I know what a lot of peoples answer is - ask the bus driver
but let me tell your what happened to me recently.

I was at the bus stop across the dual carraigeway from main entrance to ucd and wanted to go to stillorgan.

I looked at info on the bus stop to see if I could find out what i should pay, the only info was about number of stages for each fare. So I thought 90c for 1-3 stages sounded about right (I thought giving 2 stops was a conservative estimate) so I got on the bus and asked for "2 90's please" (myself and girlfriend). The bus driver (not suprisingly) asked where I was going, to which I replied stillorgan village. And he angrily goes "thats not 90, thats 1.40". I was taken aback, 1.40 to go to stillorgan from UCD is a joke. And so i said to him 'oh I read on the bus stop that 1-3 stages is 90c" and he said "well stilloran is 1.40". And so I said to him "but 1.40 isnt even a fare, theres 1.30 or 1.50". The response I got was "are you a bus driver!?". I just said to him "no but I read the fares on that bus stop" and he just said "well you misread it". Anyway, in the end i insisted on only paying 90 and he made me get off at top of mt. merrion avenue (by stoping the bus, rudely staring at me in his mirror and not saying anything).

Now, I've since rechecked and there is no 1.40 fare in existance on dublinbus.ie which Im sure a lot of you already knew. If I had simply asked this bus driver how much i should pay he would've given me that made up number.

By looking at dublinbus.ie, 90c would've gotten me to the stop just before the one at the shopping center in stillorgan, so neither me or the bus driver were right. Why does this confusion have to exist?

A couple years ago I know that on a 46a busstop I was at, it had the full list of bus stops on the route, the one you were standing at highlighted, and then it told you exactly what stops were in which stages. Since then new timetables don't have this. Why are we ****ing regressing? I've gotten a travel ticket just so I dont have to deal with this anymore, plus does any1 else think there should be a fare between 90c and 1.30?

Victor

Irishstabber wrote:

If so then how can the authorities prosecute minors since they aren't eligable to enter into legally binding contracts?

Minors can be bound to contracts for necessities. Context can have an influence on what defines a necessity.

Otherwise, Johnny can walk home from school.

daymobrew

dRNk SAnTA wrote:

By looking at dublinbus.ie, 90c would've gotten me to the stop just before the one at the shopping center in stillorgan, so neither me or the bus driver were right. Why does this confusion have to exist?

A couple years ago I know that on a 46a busstop I was at, it had the full list of bus stops on the route, the one you were standing at highlighted, and then it told you exactly what stops were in which stages. Since then new timetables don't have this. Why are we ****ing regressing? I've gotten a travel ticket just so I dont have to deal with this anymore, plus does any1 else think there should be a fare between 90c and 1.30?

I hope you contacted Dublin Bus to complain.

I remember, when the City Switch 39 route started out, it had the same full list of bus stops as you describe. It was genius, and the listing of locations the route passes was useful. Since we don't have a flat fare system or change facilities, such listings should be everywhere.
I do like the local area maps that are on bus shelters now, along with a list of timetables for routes servicing the stop.

HelterSkelter

Victor wrote:

Isn't there a little sign that says "please state destination"? And pay how much for parking?

€2.80 for one hour, I'm a quick shopper!!

Victor

HelterSkelter wrote:

€2.80 for one hour, I'm a quick shopper!!

And fuel and wear and tear?

jonny68

aliveandkicking wrote:

Its not a ridiculous fine, it is a justified fine because you knowingly didn't pay the correct fare. If every passenger on Dublin Bus paid 25 cent less than they were supposed to how many millions would Dublin Bus lose?

An employee of Dublin Bus are we :rolleyes:

_Kaiser_

Well in my time with Dublin Bus (thankfully now the exception rather than the rule since I got my car) I've frequently had tickets that show the wrong fare (despite my paying the correct one), wrong destinations and even nothing at all (noone bothered to refil the ink it seems).

In regards to knowing the correct fare.. I've put in what I thought what the correct fare is while the driver watches, hits the button for that fare and only THEN smugly tells me I paid 25c more than I needed to.

Alternatively you ask them how much and they'll overcharge; eg: I was charged €1.50 on a 39 from the Halfway House on the Navan Road to the Clonsilla Road. I remember arguing this as to me it seemed far too much given that you can go all the way from the City Centre to Ongar for only 25c more but yer man insisted it was correct. However, I was subsequently proven right a week later (and several occasions since) when I was only charged €1.30 so even the DRIVERS haven't a clue what the fares should be, nor is there any logic to how these figures are arrived at.

Besides, Dublin Bus keep increasing their fares and with no appreciable rise in service to accompany it (it'll be €2 to town soon I bet), not to mention that the timetables are like the picture on the Cornflakes box: a serving suggestion only - at least the Cornflakes box is honest to admit that's all it is!

Red Alert

both the old and new machines know every stage, not every stop. each stage is usually about 2-4 stops long. there's only four or five fares on dublin bus: 90c 1.20 1.50 1.75 and some higher one, the new machines show each and every stage and the fare, the old one's the driver has to know which fare the stage falls into. still doesn't excuse the fact that they're painfully slow.

and no i don't work for dublin bus nor have ever.

dRNk SAnTA

Red Alert wrote:

both the old and new machines know every stage, not every stop.

Ive always wondered how the machines know which stage/stop they're at, not that they're always right but they've been within a couple stops, give or take, the couple times I've checked.

Red Alert wrote:

each stage is usually about 2-4 stops long.

If this were always true then I would find the fares a little more fare. There may be cases where this is true but I can show you that on the 46a 1 stop = 1 stage.

If you look at http://www.dublinbus.ie/your_journey/viewer.asp?route=46a

and scroll down to the bottom of the page you can see the list of stages. The part of the route I know best is 36-40. Booterstown Avenue to Merville Rd (across dual carraige way from Bondi). According to dublin bus, these 5 consecutive stops are 5 stages. This tiny journey will set you back 1.30. Obviously a 90c fare will get you a rediculously short distance. I know these are small amounts of money but if you're a regular bus user it really does add up.

I'd also like to know why dublin bus need to raise ticket prices again (they are applying for raise), considering they raised it 9% not too long ago and a similar sum the year before that. They might consider letting go a few of their dead-wood bus drivers if they need the money.