MVG crack-down on non-ticket holders

For the first time in over nine years the ticket checkers stepped into action in my morning bus (178 to Petuelring) and reaped ripe harvest - except for me because I was quick enough to realize a: I forgot to change my monthly ticket; b: I have a strip-ticket; c: They are checking in front of me and behind me, act fast!
So I handed the lady my ticket, still hot from the cancelling machine and angelically announced, "I just got on".
Anyway, bewares, they are probably hitting the streetcars (trams) as well.

Jolly good - keeps the fares low for the rest of us if people are scared into paying more often.

I was interested in the comparison between the Munich and Berlin inspectors. While here they generally grunt an order while flashing their card, in Berlin they entered the compartment and politely announced who they were and please could they see our tickets. Both ways are effective but in Berlin it was much friendlier, and didn't leave the bad impression that I generally get when 'controlled' in Munich.

I agree Benpanter and they need to be checking tickets more often, not just having the Schwarzfahren posters around to try and guilt people.

I think the public transport here is worth paying for!

dito! Totally agree.

There was a swarm of ticket checkers this morning on the middle platform at Ostbahnhof. And they did have that funky smile on their faces. They didn't check me, they just did a nice smile and continued away.

Oh, they were perfectly polite. They flashed their little ID cards and said, "So, die Fahrscheine, bitte!" in resigned voices knowing what they were up against.

They guy next to me did punch a ticket but he was re-using an old one ... Then he starting ranting on how the MVG owed him € 350 damages for an arm caught in doorway and he'd been waiting for payment for 6 months and they wouldn't see a red cent from him blablabla. They could not contain him and called for the cops - too bad I had to get off and miss the fun. The guy had an Alsatian, could have got interesting.

If you ride the sbahn regularly you'll know they do check quite often. I usually get checked a minimum of 2-3 times per month.

That being said I forgot my wallet at home this morning so hope they keep their focus on the bus and trams today.

I think its great, been checked a few times this summer on buses, I have a monate Isar 9 card, so I am okay (unless I go somewhere before 9- then I punch a stripcard).
There are too many people that ride for free, and those buggers should be caught.

On the S-Bahn they do, sure. On the U-Bahn too, I got checked last night. But buses and trams? Never. Well okay, nearly never. Which has always amazed me.

some are nice some are real fucking pains in the arse. i was stopped a couple of weeks ago using an "old streifenkarte" ie one from the previous price structure blissfully unaware that these tickets had three days befor become invalid, even if they hadnt been used! they were hopeless, didnt know what to do, couldnt provide a solution to the problem, and when i told them "look i havent got time for this i'll get of at pasing and by a new ticket" they ended up shouting at me down the train. worst piece of customer relations ever, and really ovrly agressive. but there again i've met some who were a total laugh.

They usually check the buses on the outskirts of the city. I've been checked on the bus that goes from Garching Hochbrück to the TU several times, and that is only a 10 minute ride. Also on the buses that go from and to Eching I've been checked. I've no idea how often they check the tram 'cause I almost never use them.

Really? I think that I get checked about once every 2-3 months. Could it be that some routes are checked more than others?

BTW... I've always wondered what costs more money: having an "honor" system like here in Munich, but hiring people to actually go check, or more New York style, where everything is fenced of and it's damn hard to go anywhere without a ticket. Any ideas?

@JerseyBoy, various countries must have decided on different ways for valid reasons, would be interesting to know the financial ones. London is like that too, barriers everywhere.

Whilst I was working for my previous employer we were doing a project in Munich...
Involved us moving quite a bit between Marienplatz & some place else. S/U-Bahn
all with correct tickets.

I recall one day the inspectors jumped on, checked the tickets, got out at next
station & at same station another bunch of inspectors jumped on
and were most amazed when all in the compartment said we'd just been checked

Saw a strange incident a few weeks ago involving buses and ticket checking at D-brücke. There were two buses waiting, but one had two bahn police talking to the driver and filling out paperwork (also looking at his logs or something) and issuing a fine (it appeared) to the only rider left on the bus. I surmise they had found a bunch of schwarzfahrers and the bus driver was in trouble for not checking tickets as it was after 9 pm. The next bus pulled up and that driver VERY carefully checked every ticket (actually looking at times, etc.). After several people were turned away or begrudgingly bought a ticket, one guy got on, wouldn't show a ticket and refused to get off. The guy finally got off after about 10 minutes of arguing and threats to call the police over. Then the driver made some really old bavarian guy get off at the next stop (single-stripe ticket or maybe no ticket?).

(I could be wrong about the first bus, but it's the only thing that made sense given how nervous the second bus driver seemed when checking tickets. Maybe there was an assault or something on the first bus and the police were taking witness/victim statements?)

The schedule for those lines (53 and 133) were screwed up even more than usual that night.

So, question is, can bus drivers get in trouble for not checking tickets at night?

solution for today: ride your bike. such wonderful weather for it!

Tomorrow, honey. The last 3 days were not bike riding-days for me but that's another forum.

A few weeks ago I got checked on a tram. Just to answer the old myth that ticket inspectors can be spotted a mile off, the 2 men on the tram wore khaki shorts and hawaiian shirts. To be honest they looked like tourists. And to be fair, they were very relaxed and mellow. Fortunately, everybody had a ticket and so they did not have anybody to contend with.

The MVG cant compare to Cityrail in Sydney for extreme methods. There, they come in a pack of 6. 2 of them guard the exits of the carriage to make sure nobody leaves.
In the meantime, the other 4 go off and check people. They are armed, and they really impose themselves on every passenger. Whilst I understand the need for precaution (some nuts in Sydneys west would no doubt get violent when checked) They were also harrasing pensioners for not having the 'right disability identity' because it was from another state and fining them the maximum $110. Real police state tactics from City rail.

But to be fair, they only want to make sure people pay for the right to arrive at work on average 40 minutes late, if their train stopped at their station at all (its not uncommon for the drivers to skip a station when behind schedule)

I spoke on this issue with a Munich city councillor who was involved in the transport stuff and he told me it is cheaper to have a barrierless system.

London is moving in the direction. More and more buses are open to baord via several doors as well as the DLR and Croydon Tramlink.

Dont forget, that it is also an issue of crowd control.

Take into account the current fear of terrorism, it is much more advisable to have a barrierless system.

Some cities are entertaining the idea of having Iso-like cards with a chip to register their trips. Someone without such a card will have his photo taken when he passes the entry point and if identified will be as fined... However I dont know if this system will be effective... (heaven forbid Bigbrother introduces ID cards with a chip that everyone must have...)

London already has this system, as does Hong Kong.

You have your monthly pass on a smart card, so they KNOW you entered that station at that time etc.
You can still get anonymous ones though they don't have full functionality.

They have dropped the orifinal planned idea to also use them as payment cards for small ammounts which ould have been able to control your activity down to the level of when you bought a newspaper!

Them 'undercover' ticket dudes are not too tough to spot either. They'll be wearing crappy clothes, have very lame haircuts and have a little bag at their side with a notepad sticking out. Back in my poor and rebel days, I used to be able to spot these gimps a mile away and I never got caught. That was all true till a mid-twenties bloke with a notepad tucked away in his jacket busted my ass!! Rather than protest, I just held up the €40 and said, "You got me!"

I ain't poor enough anymore to justify getting away with it. However, for those of you out there that wanna do it: Know your enemy!! Don't just relax and start reading a newspaper. That's how you'll get busted. You can relax if you're on a busy train. Know what they look like and you'll be able to spot them. The last tip is to collect a bunch of old tickets and start flashing them one at a time if you get checked. They'll get bored eventually and leave you alone. Worked for a friend several times.

But if you have the money, just buy a fucking ticket!! Least you can read your paper in peace.

actually they are getting better plain clothes people checking. Not as easy to recognize now a days IMO. They are not wearing the blue jackets and the the writting pads are smaller.

Right, just like the 2 Punk looking chicks (Uni Age) that were in Club type garb, checking tix.. No way to tell them apart from the normal club scene people. Or the Old couple (In there 60/70s) who used to/still work the S2 out towards erding.. Yes there old and can't chase you if you run, but they
do have radios/handys. Don't think you'll be running faster than radio waves

Yup, during the World Cup a hot girl wearing jeans and a cropped Brazil top got on the U5 and bang, Tickets Please! She'd gotten everyone's attention before even saying a word.

OK moral question for the group.

As I mentioned earlier, I left my wallet (including my monthly pass) at home. What would you do in my situation?

a. borrow money from a coworker for a ticket
b. risk getting caught

Depends on your own morals dunnit?

I would get a ticket. The journey back home would be more peaceful and you avoid the risk of paying the 40 euros. It would cost you a few euros only and it's the 'right thing' to do. But that's just me.

Tell the ticket guys to sniff your hands and escape while they're passed out.

borrow the money, but I am an extremely honest person.

live on the edge girl

Actually my first post was phrased wrong. The question doesn't have anything to do with morals or honesty as I've already paid the fare, it's more a question of risk asessment.

And? Did you? Were you?

I was a wuss and bought the ticket. Didn't get checked

ER the odds are against not getting caught, but if you did get caught, can't you then go down to the "agency" and show them your monthly and have the penalty dismissed?

I could probably have it reduced but not dismissed, there wouldn't actually be any proof that the monthly pass is mine and not borrowed off someone else so it's more or less at the discretion of the person at the counter.

In Berlin, the checks come in a surge for several weeks, then stop.

Also, the people look like those who are out of work.

It was put together for me, by another: they are the people collecting Hartz IV. When a job comes up, as Ticket Inspectors, they have to take it if they are able. They get a commission and have to get 50 people without tickets before they can move off 'Ticket Inspector' job.

The 'Ticket Inspectors' have ID, which I've loved seeing a german woman next to me scrutinize before she would show him her pass. Sometimes going from three transports (sbahn, metro, ubahn) I've been carded three times, and I think it gets annoying to some people or who don't like the unprofessional looking plain-clothed undercover aspect of it, which is a bit creepy.

-s2s2

Before I got a job in Munich, I had little cash. I would use my girlfriends old stripe ten cards. I would stamp between the ones not used, eg 2 4 6 8 10 used. So I could get 1 3 5 7 9 thats 5 trips. I got caught by the securtiy guards, I just told them I only Speak Aussie, 2 mins later he explained in English that I cant do this. He just smiled and he said have a nice day.

I just played really dumb (it comes easy to me )

Aussie Steve

I take it back - last night I was controlled by someone who was very polite and even friendly to the chap who he caught. V. impressed. Also, for the first time ever they did the only-open-the-front-door ticket-check thing at Garching Hochbruk. Grumpy old Bavarian guy bashing on the rear door window told to get his ticket checked was somewhat non-plussed, which was nice.

I've been happy to be checked finally the last couple of weeks...been checked about every other day. ...then again, on a normal day I take the S-bahn, U-bahn, trams, and buses.

In 2.5 years of doing this, I have NEVER been checked on a bus, tram, or U-bahn. Oh well, at least my monthly tickets are checked everyone once in a while on the S.

more beer, it helps.

I've been going back and forth to Germany for the last 16 years and living near Munich for the last 2. Admitedally, I am not in Munich every day, but often. I have never been checked. I always buy a ticket, but think off all the money I could have saved

Thats funny, I get checked frequently on the tram, makes me happy too. I ride mostly on the 17 so you get a lot of people trying to sneak a ride to the Englischer Gartens. And yes the MVV workers are usually very polite. I saw one guy get exasperated by a young girl who was trying to cry her way out of it and claiming not to understand the system. But she really looked like she was putting on a show. Crocodile tears and all. Well, at least when she realised it wasnt going to work she paid up and had the good sense to at least look a little embarassed.

I find that funny, then the guys ask, passport please or Ausweise bitte, and they present it, and the person has been living here 5 years or so, or they are from Munich, but try that- I always drive, I don't know the system very well. Pisses me off, I always walk past and say, funny, german is not my first language and I understand the system.

I make a point of doing that myself. Tit for tat. And then compliment on the new hairstyle/moustache/glasses etc.

So what are you saying, sarabyrd? Next time the crop-top Brazilian gets on to check tickets I should show her my tat, and in return...?

No, you flash your manly boobs and she beats a Brazilian tattoo on them.

They are really trying hard this week to catch people. I've already been controlled three times. And on tuesday it was kind of funny because two guys came into the u-bahn to check tickets and there were already another four sitting in different places waiting to check as well.

Overkill this week cos the Wies'nstarts on Saturday and they'd not have much luck checking then huh?

Yup, I was checked yesterday on my daily treck between Hackerbrücke and Ostbahnhof. After doing it for about 3.5 years, that was the 3rd time I have been checked on that stretch.