What happened here, is it a fixed fare error ?

[Fares_Fair]

I found this on my go card log.
Have I been charged the $10 fixed fare when I touched on correctly.
First time I have seen this on my card.

10-Aug-11 08:11:59 AM   Touch off   Central   -11.16    *
10-Aug-11 06:21:45 AM   Touch on   Palmwoods       
09-Aug-11 06:46:37 PM   Touch off   Palmwoods   -11.16    *
09-Aug-11 05:00:42 PM   Touch on   Central       
09-Aug-11 08:19:00 AM   Touch off   Central   -10.00    *
09-Aug-11 08:19:00 AM   Touch on   Central       
08-Aug-11 06:19:12 PM   Touch off   Palmwoods   -11.16    *
08-Aug-11 04:28:47 PM   Touch on   Central       
08-Aug-11 08:12:58 AM   Touch off   Central   -11.16    *

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[shiftyphil]

09-Aug-11 08:19:00 AM   Touch off   Central   -10.00    *
09-Aug-11 08:19:00 AM   Touch on   Central       

It never registered your real touch on that morning.

[somebody]

when I touched on correctly.

How sure are you about this?  The system isn't recognising it.

[Fares_Fair]

It was last Tuesday and I always touch on, this is the first time I have ever seen this occur on my card since I started using it on 22 January this year.
I do see what you mean, there's no touch-on recorded that Aug. 9 morning at Palmwoods. Oh dear.
I have contacted my station to see if there were issues with the reader that day but the station lady wasn't aware of any.

Can I clear this blemish to my record ? or find out what may have happened ?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Stillwater]

What's the ancestry of your family, FF?  We might have to deport you back to the country of your family's origins. 

[Fares_Fair]

LOL yes, the thought did occur to me too.  

and I only found out about it today, a week after the occurrence.
I feel bad, my perfect record is blemished by this.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

Can I clear this blemish to my record ?

No, I think not.

[Fares_Fair]

Can I clear this blemish to my record ?

No, I think not.

Well I contacted TransLink to see if there were issues with the reader at the station on the day in question.
He said that none had been reported but that did not mean that there was not an issue with it.

I asked if it could be corrected as the fixed fare is less (by an amount of $1.16) than my usual fare.
He said not to worry about it and that it was ok. They could see from my history that it isn't a regular occurrence and that this was the first time in 8 months of card use.

I believe that there must have been an issue with the reader at Palmwoods on 9 August at approx. 6:20am and will ask other users that day to check their histories.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

The dark side of this FF is on the day in question you were a sitting duck for a fare evasion offence, to be thrown in the brigg and deported to heaven forbid Melbourne town ... lol

You have a defence in a sense though that a:  you had credit on your go card, and b: a regular travel history.

BUT technically FF you were 'fare evading' even though not your fault.  This small point is going to cause much grief. There are many folks who think they have touched on but haven't.

In some cases they cannot read screens or hear the beeps. Other occasions it red lights and the user is blissfully unaware of such occurrence.  THEY ARE GUILTY poor souls ... guess they will have to throw them selves at the mercy of the court and this is not always a sensible outcome is it?

[Fares_Fair]

Absolutely agree.

Last night for example the beeps didn't go off on the reader as I touched off so I was actually unsure if it had been registered.
The balance showing seemed to be about right but it piqued my interest enough to check my history this morning and that's when I discovered this event from 7 days ago!

This is abysmal if that is how it works, or in many cases doesn't work, the card holder is guilty unless he can prove the machines are faulty?
Is that justice Queensland style?

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[ozbob]

Before this weekends published events there was already a lot of widespread community anxiety and fear with respect to the go card, failed touches and culpability for fare evasion offences.  It is now in overdrive.  I haven't seen a statement from TransLink or Government in attempting to clarify the situation.

I expect they will just be thrown out of government next election.  The failure to actually do anything meaningful is getting to the masses ...

[Fares_Fair]

You know, as a point of observation, this would never have happened if weekly, monthly, 3, 6 or 12 month tickets were still available.

The government (through PTAG) are supposed to 'review' the 6 and 12 month tickets.
I look forward to hearing the response at the next PTAG meeting.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[STB]

You know, as a point of observation, this would never have happened if weekly, monthly, 3, 6 or 12 month tickets were still available.

The government (through PTAG) are supposed to 'review' the 6 and 12 month tickets.
I look forward to hearing the response at the next PTAG meeting.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

So, after eight months of zero problems, you all of a sudden get a mis-touch whether human error or machine error which is yet to be determined, and now you want the paper tickets back???

Must be a Gen Y/Z thing, rather than a Gen X/Baby Boomer thing but from what those people tell me, thanks to uni, Go Cards are the future.  Our generation gets it for the most part from what I've seen/heard from mixing with these sorts of people and comparing it to mixing with the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

For the record, I've only had a few occurrences of mis-touches/GPS errors, but that doesn't bother me that badly, as I can see the benefits outweigh the rare negative. Namely, improved data on travel patterns for Planners, faster boarding on buses, and not having to remember which zone I'm in.

Just as a side note from a Gen Y-er and it might be just me in general.  But, I'm loving not having to ever work a 9-5 job again!  From myself currently working on a TV show/uni with hours of 7am to 10pm to the next day of 12pm to 5pm and other variances, which makes PT travel interesting .  And I no longer feel like a 'robot', doing the same thing everyday!

[Fares_Fair]

You know, as a point of observation, this would never have happened if weekly, monthly, 3, 6 or 12 month tickets were still available.

The government (through PTAG) are supposed to 'review' the 6 and 12 month tickets.
I look forward to hearing the response at the next PTAG meeting.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

So, after eight months of zero problems, you all of a sudden get a mis-touch whether human error or machine error which is yet to be determined, and now you want the paper tickets back???

Must be a Gen Y/Z thing, rather than a Gen X/Baby Boomer thing but from what those people tell me, thanks to uni, Go Cards are the future.  Our generation gets it for the most part from what I've seen/heard from mixing with these sorts of people and comparing it to mixing with the Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

For the record, I've only had a few occurrences of mis-touches/GPS errors, but that doesn't bother me that badly, as I can see the benefits outweigh the rare negative. Namely, improved data on travel patterns for Planners, faster boarding on buses, and not having to remember which zone I'm in.

Just as a side note from a Gen Y-er and it might be just me in general.  But, I'm loving not having to ever work a 9-5 job again!  From myself currently working on a TV show/uni with hours of 7am to 10pm to the next day of 12pm to 5pm and other variances, which makes PT travel interesting .  And I no longer feel like a 'robot', doing the same thing everyday!

I'm happy that you are happy with it all.
A protest held on St Patricks Day, 17 March called for them to return.

Interestingly enough I find that forum members perceptions here do not necessarily represent the majority views of people 'out there' when it comes to these types of issues.
That's not a bad thing necessarily, merely a point of note and possibly demographicly related as you indicate.

This forum is the best thing since sliced bread and a massive credit to it's creators and organisers and an essential tool to highlight rail (and other) transport issues.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[SurfRail]

You know FF - you may forgive me for asking the question, but why does this particular error matter?  You have paid less than your actual fare due to, presumably, something that was TransLink's fault.  

Asking for an adjustment here appears to make about as much sense as asking for a smack in the mouth! 

[Fares_Fair]

You know FF - you may forgive me for asking the question, but why does this particular error matter?  You have paid less than your actual fare due to, presumably, something that was TransLink's fault.  

Asking for an adjustment here appears to make about as much sense as asking for a smack in the mouth! 

Hello SR,

Fair question.
Because bringing something to light is an appropriate course of action for me (not that doing nothing is dishonest per se),
but if I hadn't checked my history I would never have known I unintentionally 'fare evaded' that day!
I would have preferred to pay the extra and correct the history.

I wanted to highlight the situation and come forward beforehand.
The realisation that I may have inadvertantly done something perceived as dishonest does not sit comfortably with me.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.