Comments for The Inadequacy of Public Transport... at http://www.rivierareporter.com , comment 1 to 10 out of 10 comments http://www.rivierareporter.com Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:03:55 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-395 Last Thursday I had to go to Nice, something I try to avoid. As ever when I decide to use public transport, there was a strike and neither the TAM enquiries (pleasant but useless) nor the staff at the Gare Routiere in Sophia (ditto) were able to tell me which buses were actually running, as opposed to scheduled. It is unacceptable that the TAM operators do not know what their own drivers are doing, and it is unacceptable that the staff at the bus depot in Sophia are not provided with information about the movements of some of the buses which serve, or rather, don't serve, the depot. They only have information about the 'Envibus' services. This goes back to my original complaint about lack of coordination between services. Last Wednesday my son wanted to take the 1435 TAM 530 service. He arrived at the station at 1415 to see a 530 leaving. At this point we do not know whether it was the 1330 leaving 45 minutes late, or the 1435 leaving 20 minutes earlier. Either is unacceptable, and in the event he had to wait until 1510 for a bus. In fairness I have to say that my letter of complaint to TAM (transport-tam@cg06.fr) was answered promptly with a promise of a full investigation. I would encourage anyone who is incovenienced by poor timekeeping and unreliable services to complain. This is the only was to get any action. I try to use my car as little as possible, partly out of respect for the environment, and because I believe we should support public transport. It is becoming increasingly harder to justify using public transport, whilst the roads become more and more overcrowded and hazardous. - Mike P Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:43:28 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-370 The 230 is OK-ish. Fair comment. Unfortunately ok-ish is not good enough for a service which serves the airport and which people use when they have deadlines, ie flight check in times, to meet. Timings are unreliable and the buses are often full and leave people behind. The solution is to get one bus earlier than the one which would get you there in time, in other words to have a back up. This is not always practical due to the long gaps and irregular service intervals which are timetabled, and the fact the buses often run well behind the scheduled times. I'd prefer to see a more frequent and reliable service at a higher cost. It has gone from one extreme to the other, previously €9.5 and now €1. Even though I'm a shortarse, I do have sympathy with Iain as the seat pitch is very tight, but then the average journey is only 30 minutes. - Mike P Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:58:24 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-367 I always find the 230 to Sophia ok-ish. No bus company caters for tall people.....its discrimination but yet another thing the vertical-competant man just has to deal with. - Iain Sat, 13 Sep 2008 10:42:21 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-366 I live in Nice since 2006. Spanish Public Transport are undoubtely much better than public transports at the French Riviera. Just try to take the TAM bus 230 and be ready for the nightmare. - Ratwulf C Mon, 08 Sep 2008 18:31:54 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-211 Seriously....it is really necessary to tell English people not to spit on public transport workers. - Nigel H Sat, 24 May 2008 16:27:17 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-203 Spitting (on the staff) on the London Underground had become so common that in 2003 DNA kits were issued. Here's a telling quote from The Guardian: "At least two train operating companies - and the London Underground - have this year issued their conductors with portable DNA swab kits to allow their hard-pressed, spittle-flecked staff to preserve the traces of liquid insults flung their way and pass them on to police for identification." Wonderful. - SmartyPants Fri, 23 May 2008 11:55:05 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-202 So what's different about French people? When they sign up for an annual London Regional Transport card here's what tfl deems necessary to tell English people in the document they are given: 1. No person shall use any threatening, abusive, obscene or offensive language. 2. No person shall behave in a disorderly, indecent or offensive manner. 3. No person shall write, draw, paint or fix anything on the property of the railway. 4. No person shall soil any part of the railway. 5. No person shall damage or detach any property on the railway. 6. No person shall spit. 7. No persons shall drop litter or dump waste. 8. No person shall molest or wilfully interfere with the comfort or convenience of any person on the railway. - SmartyPants Fri, 23 May 2008 11:48:57 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-201 Maybe it is just as necessary as telling Londoners not to urinate in public stairways. I saw that sign on the way into to an underground parking garage near Harley Street. From the way it smelled, someone couldn't read. Perhaps they should also put "Don't vomit on passers-by" outside British pubs on a Sturday night. I've been a target twice. Once in Pinner and another in Ruislip. - SmartyPants Fri, 23 May 2008 10:53:25 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-200 I seen an interesting notice on a bus to Sophia one day...it read "No Spitting". Seriously....is it really necessary to tell French people not to spit on public transport? - Iain Fri, 23 May 2008 10:19:17 +0100 http://www.rivierareporter.com/content/view/867/126/#comment-196 Mr Preston seems to have done his homework. My experience is that most places aren't any better than here for public transport and some are worse. Only a few manage to really do it right. I haven't been everywhere so this might just be my view point. - SmartyPants Mon, 19 May 2008 15:23:16 +0100