Reversing UK mobile rail tickets
Nobody who cheers "mobile tickets" has ever watched a guard or ticket
inspector do their job.<p>In the UK, a guard with good eyesight and a sprightly, cheerful manner
can almost run through the carriages shouting "tickets please!" and
see, with a single glance, all s/he needs.<p>Then she gets to the muppets with phones. They faff, fumble and
fuss. They scowl at being interrupted watching videos, browsing social
media and listening to music. They can't load their app. They huff and
sigh disrespectfully. The guard can't get focus. For a moment they
point phones at each other like cowboys in a gunfight standoff. She
doesn't have a wifi signal, so now there's a long and embarrassing
delay while passenger and guard stare at each others feet.<p>Finally a joyful <i>beep</i> releases them from technological tension.
Everyone in the car sighs with relief and she moves on to the next
grinning smombie.<p>The whole technology is a festering shitshow foisted on people by
over-zealous tech peddlers.<p>Paper tickets rule.