Categories
transport

Metro changes to achieve punctuality: good and bad

The Herald Sun reports today that Metro punctuality figures have improved markedly in the last 12 months, including the figure on the Frankston line jumping from 68.4% to 87.1%. Certainly this is due to some changes in the way the trains are run. The question is, are these changes good, or bad? Good: Departing platform  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh News and events

Lest we forget: ANZAC Day 2012

I was passing Bentleigh RSL in early March when I noticed a new sculpture being installed out the front. (The bloke installing looks a tad grumpy…) Nearby on a truck were some more of the figures, ready for installation. The completed sculpture nicely captures representations of all the services. They went with songs to the  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh driving

Lock up your motors

My neighbour Bob had his car broken into this morning. He said he heard noises outside and went out to find a bloke smashing up the steering wheel and console, apparently trying to hotwire it. When the bloke realised Bob was out there he shouted “I’m coming out mate, I’m coming out!” He did so,  ... [More]

Categories
Politics and activism transport

Anti-Baillieu flyers spotted this morning around Bentleigh

These anonymous flyers appear to have popped up overnight (at least I didn’t spot them yesterday) around Bentleigh station. (Note another similar pink one in the background on the small pole opposite.) I might note that since the 2010 timetable was introduced (and the tweaks in 2011), the morning commute is slower, but I for  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh

Anti-pigeon defences

And now for something completely different: anti-pigeon defences. Pigeons can get everywhere, making nests, leaving droppings. These ones seem very interested in the next trains from Caulfield. It’s probably gone mostly unnoticed, but over the past few years, various methods to prevent them roosting have become commonplace. In the case of Caulfield station, they’ve put  ... [More]

Categories
Consumerism

eBay ads target retail – and retail building owners let them do it

I wonder if accepting these ads (seen on the walls of retail buildings around Bentleigh) the owners are killing the goose that laid the golden egg? “Brand new items. Huge retail markups and pushy salespeople not included.” “Buy new. Buy eBay. Bye retail.”

Categories
Bentleigh Consumerism

Yes, some mornings, it does feel like I’ve left my brain in Bentleigh

Yes, there are some mornings that it does feel like I’ve left my brain at home in Bentleigh. (The various ads at Richmond have different stations named depending which platform you’re on.) I’m not sure a Dare Iced Coffee really will fix this screen.

Categories
Bentleigh Net

We spotted ourselves on Google Street View

In January 2010 we spotted a Google Streetview car passing the post office in Bentleigh. Google Streetview finally updated its pictures, and it includes imagery from that day. Alas, it wasn’t shooting when the car passed us, but it did once it entered the nearby side street — that’s why you can see it turning.  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh Politics and activism transport

The Fkn line and the state election result

A number of seats in the November state election were won and lost because of public transport — and the Frankston line in particular. Statistics continue to show that the line is the worst for punctuality in Melbourne, with a 12 month average of just 69.6% of trains on-time within five minutes. Perhaps it’s fitting  ... [More]

Categories
transport

Bentleigh crossing

Last week a lady was tragically killed on the level crossing at Bentleigh station, when she walked in front of an express train. I’d never do it, but unfortunately far too often people do take the risk. It’s not difficult — despite the upgrade, if you approach the crossing from the right hand footpath, you  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh

New drains

This week’s events in Queensland are a reminder that precautions need to be taken to minimise the possibility and effects of flooding. So it’s good to see around my neck of the woods that the drains are being upgraded. These huge Lego-like pipe sections have appeared in some streets. Presumably they’re big enough to cope  ... [More]

Categories
Bentleigh Politics and activism

Long live the queen

The electorate office of new member for Bentleigh, Elizabeth Miller, has been vandalised. The stencil, which reads “Long live the queen” with an image of Miller, appears to indicate some preparation was involved. Given the “The king is dead, long live the queen”, I can’t work out if this is pro-Miller, or pro-ex-member Hudson, or  ... [More]