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Tram Nazis Try It On Again

Talk about little dicks trying to screw people again. How about this...

If you happen to be unlucky enough to travel by public transport in Melbourne - and I hope you soap yourself down thoroughly once you've done so - watch out for even more Nazi-like behaviour from the fare coppers.

The would-be-real-cops-if-they-could-bes have been told they should put commuters on the rack if they are found to not have a ticket - even if the fare machines are not working.

In other words, just because you can't get a ticket because the operators put in a crappy system - they'll still treat you like a criminal.

The reasoning, and I use that word exceedingly warily, is that the companies running the transport system say that people should not hop on to trains, trams or buses without a valid ticket. If you do, then a $100 fine is the penalty.

Mind you, there is a push to increase fines to $150.

I have absolutely no problems with fare evaders being caught and punished. They deserve what they get.

I do, however, object to honest people being subjected to public humiliation and pressure by morons who are following unreasonable - and possibly illegal - sets of rules.

After all, you are innocent until proven guilty and even theft has to involve a deliberate intention to deprive someone of their property. Honest mistakes do not make criminals.

If the transport companies are not making enough money then they should try something radical and get more people back on the tracks. They could do this by lowering the fares and making it easier for people to buy tickets.

Mind you, despite being a Greeny I have a loathing of public transport and the idea of having to put up with smelly people next to you, cancellations and the general riff-raff, I am not interested.

Maybe we should do away with it all together and just have better roads? Nah, the bastards would make it so that you'd need a ticket to drive your own car and if you didn't then some erk would wander around with a little pouch going "fares please".

If there is something that has really got up your nose, let Grumpy Old Coot know at grumpy@webwombat.com