Local news and topics of interest

[Achilles Tang]

Got this in my email... sounds interesting... can anyone verify this? This ezlink thing has been getting so much bad press recently and now this....

---------------------------------------------

Hello, some information want to share with you..........

Recently some of you may see a Ө sign appear on the ezlink card reader screen when you going to alight from the bus (as shown above). What shall you do if you see this sign??? Many of you may thought that the card reader is out of order, so just get down from the bus once the door is open, without tapping your ezlink card. Last week I saw many of the passengers didn't tap their card.

Now then I found out that this is a new feature of ezlink card reader. The Ө sign will disappear after the door is open and the card reader will resume normal function. This new feature currently just install in some of the card reader only.

So in future please wait for the door to open then tap your ezlink card if you see the Ө sign.

Tibs & SBS never announce this new feature may be they want to cheat people money, they thought that passenger will just alight when they saw this sign & many of them may not claim back the money because it is just few cents only.

Please inform your friends and family members about this new feature. so that they won be cheated by bus company.

Best regards

Oh Liak Chee

16/12/2002

----------------------------------------------

[Phang]

Yap... Its true.... the bus driver confirmed this when I was on one of those SBS bus home.....

[spade]

Yap... Its true.... the bus driver confirmed this when I was on one of those SBS bus home.....

u were busy brainwashing the bus driver to go SPS???

ok ok ... this would be my last poke

[Phang]

[Morgan]

Encounter this on a SBS bus. Surprise that it was not advertise before implementation.

Think they are (the bus companies) trying to cut down on those who cheat.

[Achilles Tang]

So you mean to say that before the bus comes to a complete stop at the bus-stop and I am already standing at the reader, I can't tap until the doors open?

No beeps to indicate the status?

[divinesloth]

Yes, you cannot tap for exit. You have to wait till the door open, wait for the "NO ENTRY" sign on the card reader to change before you can alight. Sucks doesn't it.

Also MRT's video camera doesn't record....so they're gonna install recordable ones in phases after all the accidents have happened. Its all our fault cause our fares barely cover anything <_<

[Achilles Tang]

It's such a small world.. you know the recent fatality at AMK MRT station?

My godsister's sister knows her well... heard she was prone to fainting spells. And it was slippery on the platform that day coz of the heavy rain. No one knows what really happened. I feel so sad for her husband as they were newly married.

Another friend of mine was THERE when it happen. He was amazed it took them only 6 mins to clear everything away.

[divinesloth]

Its really sad...and it really pisses me off with the fact that SMRT can have a camera that doesn't record. Does it take a scientist to figure out that accidents will happen especially on a non covered platform? And the worst thing is that Singaporeans can do nothing...can't boycott, can't sue...

I guess by now you should know that I'm full of angst

[dodo]

can have a camera that doesn't record

i dun believe tis crap... mus be *cough* *cough* something. even local security firm are very much surprised at the fact

[Achilles Tang]

Yeah what if a crime takes place on the platform? Robberies, molests, murders? No proof coz no video evidence?

Perhaps they were hoping nothing happens, so they won't have to spend money doing up sliding doors on open platforms to prevent people from going onto the tracks... or buy video recorders to absolve from any blame or having to change the tiles coz they could be potential hazards during rainy seasons.

If I knew the person personally, I would be extremely angry with SMRT because they have no answers for what happened.

Let's hope they do something really quick before a similar incident happens again.

[pospeh]

It is really idiotic to install a camera system at tens of thousands of dollars and yet not install a recorder which costs a few hundred dollars.

What is the point of having such a camera?

Those station attendants certainly do not look at the camera images constantly.

This is just another example of a GLC waste and lack of common sense.

. . .

And about this new tapping system on buses.

It is really a hastle to get out your wallet again in order to leave the bus.

I though the old farecard system worked fine. Why change something if its not broken. They implemented this new system to stop fare cheats, yet they still could not stop fare cheats.

So now they won't let people tap out until the door open. What is that going to do? The cheats are just going to tap their cards at earlier stops.

They just have to accept that people will always find ways to cheat if they really want to. The law abiding majority should not have to inconvenienced for it.

Plus the bus drivers sometimes fail to update the zones so people end up paying the wrong fares anyways.

[TanGo]

Hmm.. Nowadays we have to learn how to take bus on the internet! hehehe..

I think I better go buy myself a easylink card and go for a bus ride sometimes.. To catch up with technology.. hehehe

[KingFish]

Talk about appropriating money in the wrong places, don't you think installing PLASMA TV to inform passengers how long before their next train arrives is a huge, and I mean HUGE waste of money......?

Oh I miss the train... so what? Its gonna be here in a couple of minutes !!!

What can I do with that 4 mins.... hmmm... maybe I can go take a pee, oh darn... no washroom ... maybe I can go something to eat ... shucks... no snack bar ...

Its not like catching a flight and I have an hour or so to browse around ... totally of NO value add at all.

I know this a little retrospective but I think its time for them to rethink where are they spending OUR money...

[KingFish]

Here's a little something to think about:

Why do they need our IC number when we purchase our Ezylink card?

Technically, they can track every single public commuter for as long as the system is in place. They know now I am, where I work and where I frequent the most.

Soon ERP will be charged though some GPS system....

So....drumroll.... that means public and private transport commuters can be tracked.

If its for statistical studies, for ways to relieve transport woes, its fine. But if its used to *ahem* 'optimise' collections, then we're in for it .... <_<

[pospeh]

So....drumroll.... that means public and private transport commuters can be tracked.

If its for statistical studies, for ways to relieve transport woes, its fine. But if its used to *ahem* 'optimise' collections, then we're in for it ....

I am more worried about "big brother" watching where I go.

[Achilles Tang]

Living in this high-tech edge means we are all nothing more than numbers... easily tracked wherever we go, whatever we do... even if you go out of the country... Big Brother knows which flight you were on, which outlets you go to when you use your credit cards, what your spending habits are like, who you call, what time you made the call and even where are you when you use your handphone, how much money you have in the bank, in your cashcard, in your farecard.... no one is truly anonymous... especially even on the internet...

Like how BIG BROTHER AT here knows who everyone of you are... even if you use multiple IPs, proxy servers, ISPs, different login names, emails coz.... I know the tricks of the trade in tracking every one of you down....

Muhahahahahaa!!!!

*evil laugh as I stick my little finger at the corner of my mouth*

Your bosses will be informed of your active participation in this forum when you should be working... unless... unless... I'll PM you my bank account number... and you know what to do...

Muhahahaahahahaha!!!!!

*pets my hairless dog sitting on my lap*

Seriously... won't be surprised if there will come a day when we'll be helpless without electricity and we can't do shit.

[SunkistC]

It's such a small world.. you know the recent fatality at AMK MRT station?

My godsister's sister knows her well... heard she was prone to fainting spells. And it was slippery on the platform that day coz of the heavy rain. No one knows what really happened. I feel so sad for her husband as they were newly married.

Another friend of mine was THERE when it happen. He was amazed it took them only 6 mins to clear everything away.

correction... took 6 mins to resume MRT service coz they diverted the north bound train to use the center lane... they took hours to clear the place.

Was sitting at the center bench waiting for the train when it happened... didn't see how the poor lady fell so not able to provide info on tat... it was a traumatic experience when such accident infront of ur eyes

[pospeh]

In exchange for total anonymty, can I be your mini-me, please boss, oh please

[wedgee]

Well couldnt resist chipping in here: For those complaints and incompetencies that we ALWAYS see, and continue to see;

THEY ARE HERE TO STAY!!!

Why? Cause all BIG BROTHER agencies and linked companies (including those they claim to be pte ltd) have the same lousy management and attitutde:

If something bad happens, then correct it... And who are the people behind all these lousy attitudes? The so called 'cream of the crop' top level management. They are the ones who get max pay, least work. But they have a great responsibility though - that is to ACT. Act busy, Act efficient, Act like true professionals...

And the disease spreads downwards the chain of command...

[divinesloth]

Hah, thats why I say we can't do shit about it

So what choices do we have....if SBS pisses you off, take TIBS...which happens to not ply the same route most of the time! Now I heard that the new NorthEast MRT lines will be run by Transit...so there are competition now.... <_<

Right, competition.

[Creetin]

competition my a**.... i tink all along this competition thing doesnt make sense.... wat, i dun take TIBS so i CAN CHOOSE to take SBS....it doesnt work tat way...i recall an article in a local newspaper asking for a merging of all the public transport services into a single entity which would better take advantage of cost savings thru the entire chain, leverage on technology, and provide us consumers wif a better system altogether (*ahem* perhaps at lower costs too).... this competition thing in the transport sector is killing us...mabbe not the erm shareholders but definitely, us consumers... like wat was said earlier, plasma tvs for info that doesnt serve much purpose and all other white elephants shld be stopped. We want high tech yes, but not technology thats rated as "nice to see but no use at all".

[pospeh]

[kelstorm]

Now I heard that the new NorthEast MRT lines will be run by Transit...so there are competition now....

Right, competition.

[Achilles Tang]

You know what irks me? In today's papers, they said they need 3 years to complete installing video recorders on all MRT Stations!!!!

That's MORONIC!!! What? Are they installing one every 3 months or what??

Gee... first no one knows how that boy got dragged by the train, then the woman teacher who got killed last week... sigh.... if there is a terrorist act in a MRT station, no one will have an idea WHAT REALLY HAPPENED!!!!

DUH?