Oddbean new post about login | logout 🆕 blog! “Let's close all the ticket counters” I bloody hate this cartoon that's doing the rounds (I think it's by the incredibly talented Len in Private Eye). Here's what I want the caption to say: OK, one more time: Get here at least 30 minutes early because the queue barely moves and you'll inevitably be stuck behind someone trying to pay for […] 👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2023/09/lets-close-all-the-ticket-counters/ ⸻ #culture #future #trains
@2fd7551e I think a lot of the mistrust around this is that station staff will also be cut. There are clearly people and situations where help even with ticket machines is desirable or necessary, and there are many more situations where station staff are important for people. If we had government that treated cost saving responsibly, as opposed to slash and burn, I think we might have a different discussion.
@2fd7551e having been through systems i’d consider ‘universally easy to use’ with family members who struggle with technology and the language, i disagree with closing all of them i think the majority of users will benefit from the machines, sure, but there’s a minority that needs support that only a person can give, and they deserve to travel independently too this is without even considering the aspect of all those workers being fired, which i think they will be
@2fd7551e I would be more in favour of closing ticket offices if the ticketing system were simpler. In the UK there’s constraints about dozens of railcards, whether a train stops on the way, the route, the company, how many people are travelling etc. Without a person to explain, people could be liable to a large fine.