How much is 13 minutes worth?

This advert caught my eye as i was reading an article online. It's part of the advertising for Brisbane's latest in a series of ill-advised toll road/tunnels.

If this road's main achievement is cutting 13 minutes on airport travel - is that really worth 4.8 billion dollars? If 13 minutes is so crucial, wouldn't it just be smarter to leave home 13 minutes earlier? I'm sure there are much better things to spend 4.8 billion on - such as public transport for one. That kind of money could buy more than a few buses or trains.

Birthday Express

This week i enjoyed a friend's birthday dinner. I also enjoyed the trip there. For a 19km journey (including through the city in peak hour) it took just 26 minutes on the express train. Friends (including the guest of honour) spent as long as that stuck in traffic.

For the record it also results in about 1/9th of the greenhouse emissions according to the Queensland Rail Emissions Calculator.

Record Low Price

For those who read last week's post about 5 days of free travel, no i did not set a new record for number of free trips in a week.

But i did set a new record for economy. The entire week's travel totalled $27.56 (for 18 journeys) which is quite a bargain compared to the 3-figure weekly cost of car travel.
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ps. of course, the maximum i pay per week is 9 x $3.58 = $32.22, but when some of the 9 paid trips are off-peak or 1-zoners, that amount goes down.

Lunchtime Conversation

Today I had a celebratory lunch with colleagues to mark the completion of a recent project. During the talking the subject of travel came up.

While some were talking about places for "cheap" parking ($10 per day) and others mentioned getting $75 parking fines for leaving their car somewhere too long, i mentioned that i was already on free travel for the rest of the week.

People were impressed (and slightly awestruck). I explained that along with my daily commute, i had attended a lunchtime seminar on Monday, and visited a friend in hospital on Tuesday, and so Wednesday morning 8am was my last paid trip for the week.

Even the bus fare to the lunch was free. As will every other fare for the remaining 4 and a half days this week.

Stay tuned - i may set a new personal record :)

Paid for 9, Got 10 free

This is the ad for the new '9 trips then free' deal. On the flyers (they were handing them out at train stations) it says "What a break" under the picture - which i guess explains the billiard balls.

Speaking of which, i set a new personal record for free trips last week. My 9th trip was Thursday morning. Then for free i travelled...

Thursday 3 more trips, Friday 3 trips, Saturday 0 trips, Sunday 4 trips.

All up, i paid for 9 and got 10 free. A new personal record - and quite good value.

A pleasant exchange with an elderly man

I did a quick jog tonight - to catch the 5:19 train. Catching my breath in an almost empty carriage, an elderly man asked me if this train stops at Albion. Between catching my breath, and the station announcer on the loudspeaker it was hard to hear his gentle voice.

"I beg your pardon." i said

"Albion station?" he asked again.

"No, that's the other way." i informed him

"Isn't this platform 4?" he said, puzzled.

"No, It's platform 3. Platform 4 is just there." i said, pointing the way.

"Oh, thank you very much." he said, and made his way quickly off the train. Well, quickly for an older man. ;)

I felt good about it. I saved the man some confusion and probably half an hour of being lost (had he stayed on board). It was another one of those pleasant little stranger-exchanges that i enjoy on the public tansport network. :)