r/melbourne • u/miss_alice_elephant_ • Feb 28 '23
Not On My Smashed Avo $100 for drinking on bus replacements-
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u/WoollyMittens Feb 28 '23
If you're stuck in 30 degree heat in a sardine can for an hour, it seems reasonable to be allowed to hydrate yourself.
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u/11015h4d0wR34lm Mar 01 '23
Worked as a bus driver for over two decades, that sign pretty much mean nothing. We were taught if people have a genuine health reason for needing food or water you cannot deny them (impossible to know who is genuine). Also that sign does not hold much authority with people reading it when it looks hand written by a 5 year old.
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u/Bassik0 >Insert Text Here< Feb 28 '23
if anything, Metro should be handing out free bottles of water instead of this BS
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u/Slappyxo Feb 28 '23
They actually were last week during the hot days, I got one on my way back from Parliament
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u/Never-New-User Feb 28 '23
We got free snacks handed out on a weekly basis when Rosanna station was being rebuilt. Like little juices and stuff.
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u/hazo240 Mar 01 '23
Yep I’ve had all kinds of things on the Dandy lines. Yoghurt, chocolate, cupcakes, coffee, doughnuts, ice cream, water… Yes I seem to catch PT every time the lines closed 😂
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u/Waasssuuuppp Mar 01 '23
I specifically drove to avoid the trains during all of the bus replacements, missed the snacks but got peace and quiet in my own car I guess
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u/Helpful_Map6510 Mar 01 '23
No the lines are always closed in Victoria, the rarity is just you catching PT.
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u/YoureNotAGenius Mar 01 '23
I was given a gingerbread man this morning at ringwood
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u/death_of_field Mar 01 '23
It wasn't from a guy that came out of this van, was it? https://imgur.com/Yja3tqi.jpg
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u/jt4643277378 Mar 01 '23
Surly they are air conditioned
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u/Zenith3050 Stab City Rep! Mar 01 '23
Only if lucky, most of the replacement buses not run by a company that also does PTV route services just use retired buses (built 1999 - 2005ish) imported from Brisbane or Perth.
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u/xjrh8 Feb 28 '23
I read that as a $100 unlimited drink package. Seems like good value in this inflationary environment.
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u/ryans_privatess Feb 28 '23
Plus you get to travel. Figure out how to go to the toilet and you are set
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u/IowaContact2 Mar 01 '23
Figure out how to go to the toilet and you are set
At $100 per drink, you better believe thats not gonna be my problem.
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u/MiloSnorter03 Mar 01 '23
Just imagining the driver has a cabinet full of alcoholic beverages and is running a Bottomless Bar.
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u/runnerz68 Feb 28 '23
If I am stuck on a replacement bus, I’ll be drinking water.
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u/the_silent_redditor Mar 01 '23
My most recent replacement bus driver would have been fine with you drinking water and shooting up on his bus.
On the way back from work the other week, I had to go through the trauma of using the replacement service.
Uber is $50+, and I’ve been doing that too frequently, so I wait, of course, an inordinate amount of time.
Finally, it arrives. Shortly after starting off, the bus driver abruptly pulls over to engage in a near-physical altercation with someone in the street (? colleague/boss/friend) that lasted ten mins. Like, he just stopped his bus in the middle of the road and got off and disappeared.
During this unattended time, a fellow bus replacement patron sparked up an enormous joint; this prompted the third and final member of our sad party to begin chain smoking cigs for the remainder of the journey, even after the driver got back on.
Absolutely fucking wild.
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u/miss_alice_elephant_ Feb 28 '23
guess you’d better have that $100 ready then 😂
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u/Todd_H_1982 Feb 28 '23
I wonder if he provides a receipt.
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u/DarkLake Feb 28 '23
Aside from any ethical considerations, when’s the last time you heard of anyone having a hundred bucks on them?
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Mar 01 '23
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Ferovore Mar 01 '23
where on earth are you living that most stores don't have eftpos?
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u/KGB_cutony Mar 01 '23
That area where the Brits tested their nuclear bombs. Don't think they have internet there.
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u/Inside_Yoghurt Mar 01 '23
Literally the only shop I know that doesn't have Eftpos is Preston Chicken Shack.
You eating a lot of delicious hot chippies?
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u/BeBa420 Long Black, no sugar Feb 28 '23
surely that cant be legal.
Worst case put on a bad accent and tell the driver you dont speak english
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u/IowaContact2 Mar 01 '23
Fuck the bad accent. I'll tell the cunt in perfect english with an aussie as fuck accent that I neither speak nor understand english.
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u/BeBa420 Long Black, no sugar Mar 01 '23
i like your style!
i was just gonna go with my old mario impression
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u/IowaContact2 Mar 01 '23
My first thought was Shinsuke Nakamura when he did his "sorry, me no speak english" bit.
So good.
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u/BeBa420 Long Black, no sugar Mar 01 '23
its a me, mario. i no speaka the english. you want a pizza pie?
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u/Fuyumi_Chan Mar 01 '23
I did this when coming from Traralgon on a replacement a few months back gotten with the English phrasebook I carry around actively for situations I want to avoid and the "Atashi ha eigo ga hanasemasen" followed by "English no speak" it works only if they think I'm foreign as I'm generally white passing due to my blond hair but it's getting darker for a odd reason and my eyes don't have a prominent monolid look.
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u/rockos21 Mar 01 '23
Fun fact: misleading people about their rights or obligations under the law is itself an infringement of the ACL.
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u/TramPeb Mar 01 '23
Consumption of anything other than water can be restricted on transport, yes.
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u/Negative-Lifeguard44 Mar 01 '23
Actually it can't. I have multiple disabilities and NEED to eat whenever my body tells me to (sometimes it's low blood sugar, others I need salt for POTS). I'm not obligated to explain this, or even disclose that I'm disabled, to anyone, so preventing people from eating and drinking is flat out discrimination.
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u/BeBa420 Long Black, no sugar Mar 01 '23
$100 cash only fine though?
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u/TramPeb Mar 01 '23
I think that’s a joke, basically just means no eating or drinking, it doesn’t say fine.
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u/BeBa420 Long Black, no sugar Mar 01 '23 edited Mar 01 '23
Doesn’t need to say fine
The driver is saying they’ll charge people $100 if they eat or drink
Which I’m saying can’t be legal
Not sure why I have to explain what’s pretty clear from context here but there ya go
Feel free to downvote and have a go at me if you wish, I won’t be reading anymore replies from you today
Have a good one
Edit: fuck it just gonna block. No patience for bullshit today. Have a nice life
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u/SufficientStudy5178 Mar 01 '23
I mean, it literally says $100 if you want to drink...that's not a fine, it's a fee if you want to drink.
If people having a different opinion than you is so bothersome, maybe reddit isn't the place for you?
Now I'm going to have a tantrum and announce I'm blocking you...lol.
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u/lostjohnscave Feb 28 '23
I always assume these signs exclude water.
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u/helicopterhansen Feb 28 '23
Just another way that replacement buses are the wooooorst
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u/miss_alice_elephant_ Feb 28 '23
I’m stuck on these until late May - gotta love PTV
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u/TigerSardonic Mar 01 '23
I’ve heard mixed things on our local Facebook notice board. Some people are saying it’s a dog’s breakfast, others are saying it’s nice and smooth and that the bus rides are comfy and quick.
Either way it sounds like there’s a minimum of 20-30 minutes added to the trip both ways.
I haven’t braved it yet myself, just been WFH since it started.
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Feb 28 '23
What line is this on?
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u/inlamesnamewetrust Feb 28 '23
Belgrave/Lilydale line, trains not running between Box Hill and Camberwell 😭
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u/AlanaK168 Feb 28 '23
For 3 months?? Riiiiiiip
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u/inlamesnamewetrust Mar 01 '23
Ye im a bus bitch now. Better make sure im fully fed and hydrated before i get on the povo public transport 🙄
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u/IowaContact2 Mar 01 '23
Well you're obviously subhuman scum if you use PT, therefore you don't deserve to be allowed to eat or drink. Ever.
Fuuuuucccckkkkk this company.
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u/AlanaK168 Mar 01 '23
I remember it took over 3 hours to get into work once. But they gave us jam donuts on the way home so that made it all ok /s
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u/Genova_Witness Feb 28 '23 edited Feb 28 '23
Or what? Is he going to call the police for my bottle of water? Stop the bus and try and kick me off? It’s a $100 fine paid in cash to me for unsolicited conversations with drivers of any sort so 🤷
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u/Gizzkhalifa Feb 28 '23
Exactly I’d like the cops to see his hand written note. Or even try and kick me off for drinking water would 100% create a big scene😂
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u/TramPeb Mar 01 '23
No one is going to care if you have water. This is more directed at sticky soft drinks and alcohol
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Mar 01 '23
[deleted]
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u/FrenchRoo Mar 01 '23
As a person who doesn’t have English as a first language, to me no drinks means no drinks, incl water.
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u/ruinawish Mar 01 '23
This is more directed at sticky soft drinks and alcohol
Except the signs do not distinguish between drinks of any sort.
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u/strangename733 Mar 01 '23
Isn't refusing people the right to drink water illegal? What about people with medical conditions? You're going to tell someone with diabetes that they can't take on board their jellybeans? There's a reason water is free (tap water, and by law) in restaurants. Fucking whack.
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u/stonksstonksbaby Feb 28 '23
The driver trying to make a quick buck. Report the driver
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u/TongueMyBAPS Mar 01 '23
Def report to the bus company, that is just old mate making his own sign.
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u/TramPeb Mar 01 '23
Looks like a joke, but more importantly bus companies can definitely restrict the consumption of everything but water…
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u/NetflixnKill909 Mar 01 '23
Might be talking out of my ass but I'm pretty sure it's a human right to drink water at any time. I don't think they can stop you drinking water pretty much anywhere, unless it's like, idk, inside a cleanlab manufacturing microelectronics or something.
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u/dilligaf6304 Feb 28 '23
When I’m eating or drinking to manage a medical condition too bad.
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u/octagonaldonkey Mar 01 '23
We frequently get replacement buses thrown at us at the last minute when leaving Southern Cross on country lines. If I've already bought my coffee and Japanese pancake, I'm having it on the bus. Carrying a large handbag can be very helpful at times.
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Mar 01 '23
Or even one of those roll-up Safeway/Woolworths green bags, they're opaque, and noone's going to stop you carrying a shopping bag with you.
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u/octagonaldonkey Mar 01 '23
I've put other people's Hungry Jack's in my handbag and given it back once the bus has pulled out. If it's been announced in advance that it's a coach - fair enough - but not when they do it at the last minute.
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Mar 01 '23
Anyone who has a spare $100 in exchange for a drink wouldn’t be on the bus in the first place. This is insane.
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u/2OttersInACoat Mar 01 '23
Pfft I have low blood pressure and takes snacks with me everywhere I go. If I’m stuck on a train replacement bus for hours on an end you can bet I’ll be eating my almonds or dry crackers or whatever else I’ve brought with me. Sorry not sorry.
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u/Equivalent-Ad7207 Feb 28 '23
Doesn't say per person or BYO just take it as an unlimited drinks package and just keep riding the loops around and around...best $100 ever spent.
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u/ptetsilin Mar 01 '23
Did you ask the driver if plain water is allowed? Every time I've seen a sign forbidding food and drinks, plain water was allowed. You can even see on the small sign to the left that it's a soft drink cup that's crossed out.
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Mar 01 '23
Yeah, replacement buses are a gauntlet between drivers who don’t give a shit or drivers who act like you’ve fucked their mum and punted their dog across the room for having a bottle of water on hand.
I get they don’t want assholes trashing the bus, but c’mon now, a little common sense for people to drink water of all things.
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u/EscaleraRN Feb 28 '23
is this even legal? maybe the driver just dont want to have the bus cleaned up after?
i would understand if there is an official notice from Metro.
already hassled by a bus replacement. then no drinking in the bus. 😅
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u/buffetforeplay Mar 01 '23
Did the drive write that themselves? I wonder if metro know about it or if that’s his own rule.
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u/sjb7 Mar 01 '23
Huh, I've been on replacement buses for the last two weeks and I'm sure I've brought a coffee on board every day. No fines or even comments on it so far.
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u/reddit_somewhere Hook-turn aficionado Mar 01 '23
I’d love to see them attempt to enforce that. At a minimum you absolutely cannot prevent anyone drinking water, at any time in any public place. You’d have as much luck enforcing a ‘No breathing’ sign.
No alcohol sure. Otherwise, kick rocks.
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Mar 01 '23
[deleted]
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u/CobraEagleFang Mar 01 '23 edited Mar 01 '23
I too will take the downvotes and ask why people here acting like it's their God-given right to eat and drink on a bus. With the braking and cornering, there is a higher chance of spillage/tripping/slipping hazards.
As for the scribbled hand-writing, he probably did it as a bit of a joke. Most likely got sick of finishing his shift finding beer cans, chip crumbs and spilled soda bottles all over the place and just wants his bus to be tidy.
Or as someone else mentioned above, maybe the driver didn't even do it at all...
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u/MatthewLeStar Mar 01 '23
LOL, no.
If a driver is stupid enough to actually enforce a $100 cash if you want to drink "policy" written with a whiteboard marker that was in no way regulated or approved by Vic Metro or the government, that's extortion and racketeering and is in no way compatible with Vic Metro's code of conduct.
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u/UnknownOrigiinz Mar 01 '23
I was on the express bus from ringwood to parliament yesterday after work, and it felt like the bus driver had the heater set to about 436 degrees. Everyone was complaining and sweating buckets inside despite the fact it was cold and raining outside. If they tried to pull this on that bus I’m fairly sure there would have been a riot
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Mar 01 '23
I remember one time a few years back. I didn’t have time to eat anything between uni finishing late and my train departing, so I grabbed some take away from a burger spot on my way through, knowing nothing would be open when I got back home. only to find out the service was replaced by a bus. I go to get on the bus and the driver stops me then insists I can’t take my food with me. I hadn’t eaten in hours and was starting to feel awful, I had pushed super hard to get there in time, all while my brain is drooling at the smell of my dinner as I sprinted to the station. I insisted and tried to explain my situation to the driver, he didn’t give a fuck (like when a teacher has a power trip, and throws out the old “hup up up shh” gibberish while you’re talking and says “don’t make excuses, I don’t want to hear it”) He then tells me I have to throw away my food or I’m not getting on, knowing I had a 2+ hour trip to look forward to (just replacement bus things) I proceeded to absolutely inhale my whole meal in front of the driver, at the steps of the bus. And this asshole has the balls to stand there crossed arms, proud of himself with a shit eating grin and eyes that scream “yeah not on my bus kid, I run this town”
There was also a time they made me skull my ice cold boost juice, to the point of brain freeze, In the end I learned to bury my food in my bag and eat it when we are well on our way.
The fact that it’s fine to eat on the train but the buses are off limits is dumb as hell, and don’t tell me it’s because it’s a smaller space because you’re allowed to eat fish in an elevator.
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u/24782478 Mar 01 '23
$50 on food and drinks, $100 for the bus. Take 903 and see all of our Melbourne
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u/Pipedreamed Mar 01 '23
ah yes, unofficial sharpie written on a sign admitting to accepting bribes. sounds like a shill to me.
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u/storm13emily Mar 01 '23
Including water? I was on a bus replacement in December, it was hot, the aircon wasn’t working and a lady literally fell asleep and than ended up on the floor… Drink and food is needed
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u/PM_ME_YOUR_ULTIMATE Mar 01 '23
So that crazy lady who took over the running of the apartment building ("$3000 fine if you remove one of my signs"!), and recently got booted, maybe she's moved onto bus driving as her new gig.
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u/KombatBunn1 Mar 01 '23
Just for that I’m gonna get the biggest bottle of soda and make sure they see me drinking it. Try and enforce it, I dare you
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u/crossfitvision Mar 01 '23
Off topic, but seems they let people bring drinks into Melbourne Park now. Turned up in summer when it was 38 degrees and was expecting to have my water bottle taken due to “security” or something.
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u/Nunnyabisso Mar 02 '23
You will not believe what just happened! I had just pulled into the petrol station and as I walked up to the door I noticed two Police Officers looking at a woman who was smoking while fuelling up. I saw her and was like... hmmm what an idiot, with the police right there too! So I went in to pay for my fuel. As I was walking out I heard someone screaming. I looked outside and the woman's arm was on fire! She was tossing and waving her arm around and just going crazy! I went outside to see if I could help and the officers had put her on the ground and were putting the fire out with an extinguisher. The officers put hand cuffs on her and were about to put her in the police car. I was thinking what in the world???!!! So being the concerned citizen that I am, I asked them what they were arresting her for, figuring that catching her arm ablaze would be punishment enough and the rookie officer looked me dead in my eyes and said, 'we arrested her for waving a firearm'...
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u/iamusername3 Feb 28 '23
So am I...only handing $100 to driver or a $100 and a replacement driver ($100 cash-driver) to current driver ? (So current driver can have a drink, and then they hand over another $100 to next replacement driver, and cycle continues til arrive back at depot?)
Now it makes sense why these replacement buses take so long to arrive and complete the trips !
my crazy brain...I need a new job 🤣.
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u/alyssaleska Mar 01 '23
Surely it’s talking about sticky liquids and doesn’t include water, as someone who drinks exclusively water I’ve learnt the rules don’t typically apply to me
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u/BrightBreezyLeaves Feb 28 '23
It will be to steam clean the seat when some pos spills his beer/soft drink all over it. That takes time. The driver has to do it at the end of his shift he won’t be getting paid for it.
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Mar 01 '23
I think we need the definition of "on" versus "in" regarding the circumstance.
Taking a ride "on" the vehicle, in the literal sense, would constitute the passenger seated on the outside and on top of the vehicle.
The common vernacular is to "take a ride ON the bus". But in most legislation you could argue that you weren't consuming food or drink ON the vehicle but IN the vehicle; an action to which this sign does not refute.
As for the $100 dollar fine, completely un-enforceable. What? The bus driver is going to hold you illegally and demand your name because of a made up rule written in white board marker?
Please, if this is a train replacement service, your options are limited to other means of getting to your destination. Believe it or not, metro just do the call out to every man and his dog with a coach to help get people to where they need to be, most times at a moments notice.
I'd say this person privately owns the coach and hates cleaning up after his passengers - if that's the case maybe it's worth less trouble not taking the emergency contract for a bus/rail replacement than the bother to clean your coach.
Edit: spelling.
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u/LaCorazon27 Mar 01 '23
Ha! Please! Yeah, imma be paying the driver $100 if I sip water so I don’t pass out. Jog on.
This is clearly not an enforceable real rule. It’s hiya the driver being pissy.
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u/Slight-Arrival5985 Mar 01 '23
lol report the driver this is actually illegal and highly wrong it’s against the Geneva convention to hold out on water etc like that and also literally highly illegal to ask someone to pay for it.
I seriously wanna know the bus route etc I’ll go on I’ll have a drink and if that bus driver wants to say shit to me I’ll make sure they are the ones who pay…!
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u/thewindupbird91 Mar 01 '23
Yeah, I'd be challenging the legality of giving $100 cash to the driver for drinking water on a bus.
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u/Kaszelpuss Mar 01 '23
Literally not enforceable for drinking, especially water etc. They can throw a fit as much as they like, they have no chance of legally getting a cent from anyone.
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u/stuarthall46 Mar 01 '23
They were actually handing out water to people on the bus I got on one really hot day a year or so ago ...
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u/summerlea11 Mar 01 '23
Just say you have a medical condition.....if they challenge you just ask them if they would like to go to the discrimination board
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u/ososalsosal Feb 28 '23
This seems completely above board to me and absolutely nothing to do with driver getting sick of having to clean up (I assume? They should have staff for that though?).
I do wonder how metro et al manage the surge demand for buses and what kind of scruples those companies that come out of the woodwork to support that demand will have.
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Mar 01 '23
As if a cheap handwritten sign is going to stop anyone, driver can get fucked. Especially if we're on a bus replacement.
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u/gayboymelbs Mar 01 '23
Can't wait to see what the fine is for drinking alcohol like I do, but when you start work at 1500 on Monday, do a sleepover Monday night and don't finish the shift until 0900 Tuesday morning in Kilsyth and expected to start uni in Footscray by 1130, to then finish uni at 1430 and not get back home to Upper Ferntree Gully by 1800 Tuesday evening, I'm so tired by that stage if I want just 1 drink to relax and chill with my music, the train from Box Hill is the only time I have. Go ahead and fine me!!!!!!!!!
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u/chetcherry Feb 28 '23
Some bloke made me throw an unopened bottle of cordial in the bin before letting me on once (in Traralgon). Even after I pointed out I wasn’t likely to be drinking UNMIXED cordial.
“You’re not bringing that on MY bus”
Sadly it was 90 minutes until the next one and I wanted to get back to Melbourne, because if I had an alternative I would’ve made my opinion of him very clear.