Automatic gate behaviour

[Class172]

On the Barcelona metro the older turnstile type ticket gates (as seen here) require the ticket to be put in on the left-hand side, the newer "portal" type gates (as seen here, image from trenscat.com) need the ticket to be put in on the right. The turnstile gates are being replaced with the rollout of the T-Mobilitat smartcard though, so in the near future likely all barriers will need the ticket on the right.

Ah yes, now you've linked the pictures of the portal type gates, I do recall going through them also, but it was definitely the turnstile ones I was alluding to. I suppose didn't really remember the newer type simply because they weren't unusual.

 

[Route115?]

The problem I used to have was letting the person in front of me through (always innocent looking) the gate and then not able to get through myself thanks to passback. I'm more careful now & don't put my touch ticket until the gate has opened for the person before.

The poor confused tourist (for it was usually that) might have had trouble at the other end of their journey...

One issue have had is leaving a station to see if there was a bus when there were no trains, and not being able to get back in when there were not (I though that there was a facility called zig zag to allow this but apparently now.) Luckily I have a retired staff pass & London Over 60s Oyster card which saved me last time.

 

[Spartacus]

Begs the question of why someone in an unfamiliar environment is NOT paying attention- surely their prime responsibility!

What do you direct your attention to? Sensory overload awaits!

 

[Benjwri]

What do you direct your attention to? Sensory overload awaits!

Exactly, someone on an unfamiliar train system is going to be focusing on what platform their next train is, where they are going, wether they’re going to make their train, rather than barriers they assume are similar to ones at home.

 

[Turtle]

I'm not sure I said I'd send them flying. That would be a bit unnecessary.

Better a forward shove than having a pile up of people behind you. I'm thinking here primarily of people descending an escalator.

 

[Annetts key]

Roughly 90% of the world (according to google) is right-handed, so most gates would have the reader/whatever on the right by default. Off the top of my head I can’t think of any systems that have it on the left.

I’m right handed, but keep tickets in my left pocket, so use my left hand to retrieve them, and hold them. Not a problem if I’m not carrying anything in my right hand, as I can exchange hands.

Otherwise, I have to reach over with my left hand.

I’ve also been too quick with presenting my ticket, so, the person ahead of me gets let through and I get trapped .

Also, if it’s busy, especially there is a queue, if someone is blocking the sensors, or because of the number of people, you yourself may step too far forward and block the sensors yourself, the gates will refuse to open .

The other really annoying problem is if you go out the wrong exit (perfectly possible if visiting a station for the first time, where you don’t know your way around), in most cases, the machine retains your ticket and you then have to go and explain to a member of staff…

Tickets gates, like so many other systems on the railways (and in modern technology) definitely gives me the impression that there has not been enough thought put into them from a human factors point of view.

 

[spag23]

Beware the arrangements in Budapest. There is no entry gate (at the station we used), so we waved our tickets at the inspectors at the top of the escalator. But it transpired that, after buying your ticket, you're supposed to touch it on an inconspicuous validator in the corner of the concourse before approaching the down escalator. At the destination we were manually checked and fined for having an unvalidated ticket. Our protest at being tourists was met with "You'd have been charged four times as much in Central London". (The Hungarian RPI seemed to bear a grudge!) This of course ignores the fact that London has proper barriers that prevent unticketed access.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Roughly 90% of the world (according to google) is right-handed, so most gates would have the reader/whatever on the right by default. Off the top of my head I can’t think of any systems that have it on the left.

I'm right handed, so if I am carrying a bag it is usually my left hand which is free to hold a ticket. This requires a bit of juggling or contortion to reach a ticket slot on the right hand side.

 

[chris_in_salop]

Surely part of the preparation phase for trips abroad is familiarising yourself with local public transport, ticketing arrangements, whether you need to validate your ticket, etc.

 

[Haywain]

Surely part of the preparation phase for trips abroad is familiarising yourself with local public transport, ticketing arrangements, whether you need to validate your ticket, etc.

Or, indeed, for trips in your own country.

 

[spag23]

Surely part of the preparation phase for trips abroad is familiarising yourself with local public transport, ticketing arrangements, whether you need to validate your ticket, etc.

Firstly, this trip wasn't supposed to involve any public transport. It was booked as a Danube river cruise. But on arrival the operator told us the Danube had dried up and was unnavigable; hence the transfer to a city hotel. So no public transport research had been expected.
Secondly, a "helpful" local spent several minutes assisting us in buying the tickets at the machine, but despite our obvious unfamiliarity with the local system, she didn't then finish by pointing us to the obscure - but vital - validating post.
Thirdly the presence of inspectors stationed at the down escalator suggested a visual check of "tickets held" was the norm.
Four: the destination RPIs could have shown discretion to tourists; after all, the Subway had lost no revenue. But one of the RPIs seemed to be exacting retribution for his own experience in London.
Anyway we shall be wary in future! And hopefully this account may help future visitors to Budapest avoid a £20 PF.