[vinair]

There really is no need to overreact here: the member posted a comment, he did not write a "thesis". Also, what you have stated is not "fact", it's an opinion. Having been at the receiving end of such comments to my face during my time in Bangalore (and elsewhere), let me tell you it's not a very pleasant one, either. One tries one's best as a new resident of a city to "fit in" and pick up whatever one can to get along. To blame all the woes of society on a migrant population, especially in a city that has chosen to define itself as a buzzing IT hub, is not right.

It is not a over reaction but a natural one mate. Our country being so vivid with multiple languages and cultures, it should come naturally to anyone to adjust to a new place and get accustomed to the new practices, than bad mouthing the same. period.

Thanks!!

[Recompose]

Originally Posted by noopster

[b]OP Oxy didn't realise that he was buying a pass that was valid only from a future date, which if you ask me is a perfectly reasonable assumption to make. It was the conductor's duty to inform him beforehand, since issuing a ticket for the current trip is his primary responsibility, and he failed to do so.

Would OP encash a post dated cheque before its date?

Sorry OP, it seems pretty obvious to me that you may not use a December pass in November. Why the expectation to use a service you haven't paid for?

[DWind]

A quick question! When OP was told the pass was for Dec was there something written in the pass to confirm it it indeed was for the month of Dec? If not, how do we make judgement on conductor conning on the bus-pass. I understand that the conductor was conning for the tickets for the travel. Even in that case I feel the OP should have insisted on ticket for 90 Rs from the conductor.

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by DWind

A quick question! When OP was told the pass was for Dec was there something written in the pass to confirm it it indeed was for the month of Dec?

Yes it is. There is a provision in the pass to select the month. Normally conductor will punch the month before issuing the pass.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by vinair

It is not a over reaction but a natural one mate. Our country being so vivid with multiple languages and cultures, it should come naturally to anyone to adjust to a new place and get accustomed to the new practices, than bad mouthing the same. period.

Thanks!!

Sorry but where did the Local vs Outsider argument even come from in this thread? And how did you get an illusion of me bad mouthing some person/some place?

If this is not over reaction, then what exactly is?

As noopster said earlier, I have had a fair share of bad experiences due to my language barrier here in Bangalore. And needless to say, such jibes do not feel pleasant.

Originally Posted by Recompose

Would OP encash a post dated cheque before its date?

Sorry OP, it seems pretty obvious to me that you may not use a December pass in November. Why the expectation to use a service you haven't paid for?

I asked the conductor on 29th November if a monthly pass was available. He said it was, so I purchased it. I agree it was my mistake to assume that I can just purchase the pass and use it from that moment onwards. However, if it was not so, the conductor should have told me that I cannot use it immediately BEFORE punching the December month on the pass and collecting the money. And how did the pass work on the other bus is still a mystery to me.

Originally Posted by DWind

A quick question! When OP was told the pass was for Dec was there something written in the pass to confirm it it indeed was for the month of Dec? If not, how do we make judgement on conductor conning on the bus-pass. I understand that the conductor was conning for the tickets for the travel. Even in that case I feel the OP should have insisted on ticket for 90 Rs from the conductor.

The months and years are listed on the pass. The conductor just has to punch the relevant month and the year on the pass before handing it out to the user.

[bejoy]

This is the monthly gold pass. This one is to be used along with a BMTC photo ID card (costs Rs 100, for 3 Year validity) and one has to write the name/address/photo id number and put signature after purchase. Two holes are punched to denote the year and month for which the pass is valid.

[Recompose]

Originally Posted by Oxy

I asked the conductor on 29th November if a monthly pass was available. He said it was, so I purchased it. I agree it was my mistake to assume that I can just purchase the pass and use it from that moment onwards. However, if it was not so, the conductor should have told me that I cannot use it immediately BEFORE punching the December month on the pass and collecting the money. And how did the pass work on the other bus is still a mystery to me.

As mentioned earlier, the passes of the next month's are available from the last 2-3 days of the current month. I believe the conductors and drivers work on a commission basis, i.e they take home a percentage of the tickets/passes sold. No wonder he didn't mention to you that the pass would not be valid for the current month. The conductor must have (incorrectly) assumed that you had one for November. When it came down to returning your Rs. 50, the idea must've struck him.

Did the conductor of the second bus verify the pass to be that of December's? In most cases they do not bother checking the credentials of any pass. Sometimes they even skip asking the possession of a pass!

I've travelled by the Tech park provided Volvo service where you are given a 'dedicated Volvo' BMTC pass in addition to the 'XYZ Tech-Park' pass. These are provided through the employer. Since 29th was the last working day of the month, the second conductor probably assumed you traded your November's BMTC pass.

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by Recompose

Did the conductor of the second bus verify the pass to be that of December's? In most cases they do not bother checking the credentials of any pass. Sometimes they even skip asking the possession of a pass!

Yes, he did take a long hard look of the pass as well as the ID.

[D-nav]

Originally Posted by bejoy

This is the monthly gold pass. This one is to be used along with a BMTC photo ID card (costs Rs 100, for 3 Year validity) and one has to write the name/address/photo id number and put signature after purchase. Two holes are punched to denote the year and month for which the pass is valid.
Attachment 1173991

Guys, i guess it helps to know local language. Those who know kannada, please read the last line (just above the volvo bus pic). It says- (translation) "valid from last 28th of previous month"

So, seems like the first bus conductor indeed try to con and that is why the other conductor didnt ask anything after seeing the pass

[Oxy]

Originally Posted by D-nav

Guys, i guess it helps to know local language. Those who know kannada, please read the last line (just above the volvo bus pic). It says- (translation) "valid from last 28th of previous month"

So, seems like the first bus conductor indeed try to con and that is why the other conductor didnt ask anything after seeing the pass

Oh wow!!

So here goes guys. End of the debate.

[Karthik1100]

My Father-in-law who is the chief for training new BMTC conductors, will show him this thread and may be he can use this thread as a case study during the training too!

I liked the twist at the end especially because I was supporting BMTC all the way.

Oxy: You won it!

[DWind]

Karthik! Maybe you should also let your FIL know BMTC is leaving room for such unscrupulous act by bus conductors by printing the validity in only one language when most people who buy Gold pass are not literate in Kannada. I see that except for this point the other info is printed in both languages.

[sansvk]

Our company has Volvo's as part of the transport and below is the pass I used to get from office (don't use the office transport now). It clearly mentions the month i.e. JUN 2013 in this case. We used to get it in the last week of the month around 26th/27th and during the first week of the next month the conductor used to punch it.

[funkykar]

Wow! Nice read. Super turn around on the last few posts :d

In my experience, BMTC is reasonably sincere. As long as you have the right change, absolutely no issues for regular commutes. Of course, in India, corruption is very rife. As someone pointed out earlier, they take home literally peanuts. Again, I don't mean they should look for corrupt ways. But that's some of them make ends meet, while many corrupt politicians choose to do in 100's of crores.

Next time you get a good and sincere behaviour/experience, tip them. After all, we tip at hotels even though the servers are paid their salary. I have done this several times asking them to keep the change, the elation/smile is priceless.

I do the same with honest auto driver's too. On contrary, I never get into an auto where driver doesn't comply by meter or asks "meter mele x extra"

[kavu75]

Originally Posted by Oxy

Oh wow!!

So here goes guys. End of the debate.

Pardon my ignorance. I was not aware it was valid from 28th of previous month. Taking back my words.