Martin Bienwald

GG schrieb:

    > I think you're on to something here. Could it be that some RATP agents who
    > don't speak English are reluctant to try to explain how to use the carte
    > orange plus a coupon?

However, the Paris Visite pass is used in exactly the same way, with plastic
pouch and small coupon for metro turnstiles. The only difference may be that
it contains instructions in English.

... Martin

B Vaughan

On Wed, 3 Nov 2004 18:04:07 -0500, "GG" <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >> ... > There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >> ... > when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students
    >> arguing
    >> ... > with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >> ... > was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >> ... > were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    >> ...
    >> ... Both "Mobilis" (day pass) and "Carte Orange" (weekly/monthly pass)
    >> ... cover buses and RER in addition to the metro. AFAIK anyone can buy
    >> ... them,
    >> You are right.
    >> It's likely that metro clerks tell this tale to anyone not speaking
    >> French.
    >I think you're on to something here. Could it be that some RATP agents who
    >don't speak English are reluctant to try to explain how to use the carte
    >orange plus a coupon? It's certainly less complicated for them to sell the
    >Paris Visite pass.

The metro clerk in question was speaking excellent English to the
tourists who wanted to buy the metro pass. Either she herself was
misinformed or she was trying to rip them off. They knew exactly what
they wanted; they showed her the expired pass they had bought the week
before. I thought they were being a bit unreasonable, but now I'm,
beginning to understand their anger. There were four of them and the
difference in the cost of the passes would add up to quite a lot of
money.


--
Barbara Vaughan
My email address is my first initial followed by my surname at libero dot it
I answer travel questions only in the newsgroup

Frank F. Matthews

B Vaughan wrote:

    > On Wed, 3 Nov 2004 18:04:07 -0500, "GG" <[email protected]>
    > wrote:

    >>>... > There is another pass that covers the metro only and costs less, but
    >>>... > when I was in Paris in August, I heard some American students
    >>>arguing
    >>>... > with a metro clerk who wouldn't sell it to them, because she said it
    >>>... > was for residents only. They had bought one a few days earlier and
    >>>... > were pissed to be refused this time. I don't know who was right.
    >>>...
    >>>... Both "Mobilis" (day pass) and "Carte Orange" (weekly/monthly pass)
    >>>... cover buses and RER in addition to the metro. AFAIK anyone can buy
    >>>... them,

    >>>You are right.
    >>>It's likely that metro clerks tell this tale to anyone not speaking
    >>>French.

    >>I think you're on to something here. Could it be that some RATP agents who
    >>don't speak English are reluctant to try to explain how to use the carte
    >>orange plus a coupon? It's certainly less complicated for them to sell the
    >>Paris Visite pass.

    > The metro clerk in question was speaking excellent English to the
    > tourists who wanted to buy the metro pass. Either she herself was
    > misinformed or she was trying to rip them off. They knew exactly what
    > they wanted; they showed her the expired pass they had bought the week
    > before. I thought they were being a bit unreasonable, but now I'm,
    > beginning to understand their anger. There were four of them and the
    > difference in the cost of the passes would add up to quite a lot of
    > money.

Since they had the ID pouches I wonder why they didn't just go to the
machine and buy the ticket for the week?

Frank F. Matthews

Mxsmanic wrote:

    > Frank F. Matthews writes:

    >>Not really. While I attempted to as for the pouchett in French I doubt
    >>that even the most unaware Metro clerk wouldn't instantly ID me as
    >>american. Well maybe they did give me one because I did try the French.

    > They don't really know whether or not you're a resident based on
    > language. They might assume that anyone who speaks no French at all is
    > likely to be a tourist, whereas someone who speaks a little French might
    > well be a resident (many Americans live in France for decades and never
    > learn more than a few words of French).

Well, maybe they felt that there was an infinitesimal risk that I might
be a resident. I really doubt it though, given the camera and general
looks. I suspect that either they felt there was no restriction or they
were just being nice.