extra SkyTrain fee
my disdain and loathing for TransLink is growing by the day. not only do they give themselves raises in private closed doors meetings while charging users extra to go the airport, they don’t even understand how the internet works yet. their “Linking Terms and Conditions” state that sites linking to theirs:
- … must always be (a link) in the form of an active link directly to http://www.translink.bc.ca…
- … must in no way disparage or send any negative, inaccurate or misleading message with respect to TransLink or its products, services or business…
- … may not use a Link from any web site which contains content which could be construed as distasteful, offensive or controversial…
- (and that) TransLink reserves the right, in its sole and exclusive discretion, to terminate your right to use a link to its web site…
this means that by directly linking to their “Linking Terms and Conditions” (oops, there i go again) as above, i’ve contradicted point 1.
by saying that the TransLink board sucks because they are a bunch of private sector conservative thieves who probably don’t even ride public transit because they are too busy stuffing the their pockets with public money, i’ve violated points 1 and 2 again.
it also leaves me wondering who the fuck, exactly, is going to determine what “could be construed as distasteful, offensive or controversial”. you know, like if a blogger were to say “fuck you, translink, you bunch of trigger-happy-taser-toting, no-authority-tax-imposing, bridge-twinning, public-money-pocket-lining-shmucks”, who would determine if that was distasteful or offensive?
i know i’ve been on a rant about TransLink lately, but these guys believe they can do whatever they want. they even think they can terminate your access to their web site (see Right to Terminate Access in their terms and conditions). i’d love to see them try.
finally, this morning, i determined that i am not going to pay my daily skytrain fare until i, as a user of translink services, stop paying to have translink employees clean up all the extra free daily news rags that get handed out at all the skytrain and bus transfer stations while the private companies that print this wasteful trash make money from advertisers off the backs of our public transit system and it’s users. is translink getting paid to allow these companies’ employees onto their property to hand out papers? i doubt it. how much extra is it costing to allow this to continue? can i go and and set up shop to start handing out flyers too? again, i doubt it (you propably need a permit).
i’d love to hear what you have to say about this.
One Comment, Comment or Ping
crystal
Ah, that explains your sour mood last night :)
There is an absolute conflict of interest to have board members, who are being paid $1200 per meeting (after their 500% raise) to award contracts to companies for which they are on the payroll (as upper management) making salaries in excess of $150,000.
The conflict of interest is particularly unjust considering those same board members are requesting access to public taxpayer money (even as going as far as proposing increased taxes) to pay for the contracts they are awarding their companies.
I laugh at their attempts to restrict linking to their sites. I’m going to piggy back on your post and encourage readers to investigate “Net Neutrality” and its implications on your personal freedom of access. Imagine your phone carrier restricting access to specific telephone numbers and either charging more to access other, more popular phone numbers, or denying access altogether. The threat is real and I encourage you to be aware of it. Oh, and while, we’re on the subject of ISPs, I encourage you to “Free The Web” by opening up access to your network for free use, particularly if you’re not using it (that is, of course, if you have a firewall).
Apr 11th, 2008
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