a beautiful day in melbourne

Why Connex trains should have nice straps from the ceiling

2008-10-27T02:05:00.000-07:00

I'm on the Connex train again and its strikes me how unfit for purpose it is.

I'm squeezed in at one of the doors on the 8.15am Frankston train, and there are 25 people squeezed in (I've counted)

Each person is balancing, yes balancing like on a surfboard, as there is nothing to hold onto. Couples hold each other (often the taller one, usually the man, will have an arm stretched to a solid object.

There are no straps hanging from the roof. There are vertical bars beside the door that lucky commuters can grab. Ceiling bars are there, but are directly above the seating arrangement, so I stare at them unused.

This train is dangerous. My 2 hour ticket costs almost A$2.80 for a 15 minute journey, and for that I get to balance on this shocking ride. Where's the music, where's the straps?

The seats are great when the train is empty, but at rush hour they are just in the way.

The Melbourne train system astonishes me every day

2008-10-22T01:02:00.001-07:00

The Melbourne train system astonishes me every day. Today I realised something - the design in the carriages is all wrong. It's built for seated passengers. 4 seats across, a narrow corridor up the middle of the train, barely allowing 2 people to pass with bags. Wrong wrong wrong.

Seated passengers are sitting comfy (until they need to struggle through the crowds to get off !) while those standing are squeezed together sardines. Lots of sorries and excuse me's as the fat passengers squeeze past to the door.

There's no straps to hang from. Sorry, that's not true. There are approximately 10 straps in the WHOLE CARRIAGE, the hardest part in the morning can be finding something, ANYTHING, to hold onto. Unforgivable. Today our train was delayed for a few minutes as a lady had collapsed, no doubt due to claustrophobia.

Contrast this with Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway, or Tokyo's efficient train system. Most the carriage is for standing. Lots of things to hold on to.

Simple.

Then just to hammer it in, once you get to Southern Cross station, passengers are bemused that staff are literally loitering at the turnstiles, at the exit gates, STARING as the frustrated passengers stick their Daily Ticket through the turnstile. What are the wanting? What are they looking at ?

The new sign beside ANZ machine on Bourke street

2008-05-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

Car swallowed up by Melbourne tram

2008-05-17T00:49:00.000-07:00

This unfortunate driver looked like he tried to take on a tram - not a wise move. I don't think anyone was hurt, but made for some curious onlookers.

A rainy Saturday afternoon in Melbourne

2008-05-17T00:07:00.001-07:00

It was a rainy cold day here in Melbourne, this Saturday afternoon.

Chapel Street was quieter than usual, I suspect most people were rugged up at home, keeping warm with the heating high, and maybe a bottle or two of wine for company.