Procès Verbal
The kids are slowly settling into their school-term, but it's hard for everyone. An added complication is the tram card.
Both children get unlimited tram and bus travel for 17€ per month each - including going back and fore to school.
Great.
The drawback is that you have a photocard with an electronic chip that you have to carry and swipe on every journey. Which is hard if you have mislaid your card since last night or if you go charging off to school leaving the card at home.
Which is how Gwilym got caught by the inspectors, who hunt in packs. The nice lady told him that since he had a season ticket then his fine would be 5 euros, but he was still concerned about who would pay.
I said (I think I told you this before) that he could do it the little boy way (I pay and I give him a hard time about forgetting his card and then nag him to remember his card) or the big boy way (he pays and we say no more about it.) He chose the big boy way.
He went off to pay the fine, but at the office they told him that he had to wait for the letter to come.
We waited.
It came on Monday.
46€ - if you pay within 20 days of the offence. More if not.
So we went to the office. Gwilym was planning to forego a month's pocket money and clothing allowance. I said it would be better for him to pay us back in instalments.
We go to the office. A lady blatantly and rudely cheated the queue, so we were not all that blissful by the time we got to the counter.
"Ben, since you have a season ticket it's a 5€ fine. However it's the first time you've forgotten your ticket, so we ignore the fine. You have a right to one offence a year." (you just HAVE to love that)
So the letter ?
Basically if the inspectors are told the person has a seaon ticket then they say OK it'll be 5€, but some of the people who say they have season tickets are actually lying. (GASP !)
So the computer system automatically applies the maximum fine of 46€ and if you go into the office to pay it then they check if you have a season ticket and reduce it to 5€.
("Yes", I thought, "and what if you don't go into the office, but just send off a cheque...")
So a 46€ fine averted, we went home happier.
Both children get unlimited tram and bus travel for 17€ per month each - including going back and fore to school.
Great.
The drawback is that you have a photocard with an electronic chip that you have to carry and swipe on every journey. Which is hard if you have mislaid your card since last night or if you go charging off to school leaving the card at home.
Which is how Gwilym got caught by the inspectors, who hunt in packs. The nice lady told him that since he had a season ticket then his fine would be 5 euros, but he was still concerned about who would pay.
I said (I think I told you this before) that he could do it the little boy way (I pay and I give him a hard time about forgetting his card and then nag him to remember his card) or the big boy way (he pays and we say no more about it.) He chose the big boy way.
He went off to pay the fine, but at the office they told him that he had to wait for the letter to come.
We waited.
It came on Monday.
46€ - if you pay within 20 days of the offence. More if not.
So we went to the office. Gwilym was planning to forego a month's pocket money and clothing allowance. I said it would be better for him to pay us back in instalments.
We go to the office. A lady blatantly and rudely cheated the queue, so we were not all that blissful by the time we got to the counter.
"Ben, since you have a season ticket it's a 5€ fine. However it's the first time you've forgotten your ticket, so we ignore the fine. You have a right to one offence a year." (you just HAVE to love that)
So the letter ?
Basically if the inspectors are told the person has a seaon ticket then they say OK it'll be 5€, but some of the people who say they have season tickets are actually lying. (GASP !)
So the computer system automatically applies the maximum fine of 46€ and if you go into the office to pay it then they check if you have a season ticket and reduce it to 5€.
("Yes", I thought, "and what if you don't go into the office, but just send off a cheque...")
So a 46€ fine averted, we went home happier.
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