ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Now that the southeast corner of our fine state has reopened for business, a local advertising executive decided it might be nice to take the train to the airport for his trip to Brisbane this time instead of calling a taxi.
Mark Dalpooley likes to support the taxi industry, something he likes to tell his friends often. When they’re leaving the theatre, he insists they walk to the nearest cab rank instead of calling an Uber like a ‘bloated coke pig’ would.
“I just think companies like Uber should pay more tax here and treat their drivers better,” he said.
“But that’s not why we’re having this discussion today, is it?”
Today marks Mark’s first time on a train since October.
He’s about to board a train on the Bjerke line out to the Remienko Memorial Aerodrome, where he’ll slip through priority security and into the safety of the Qantas Lounge.
It’s 11am on a Sunday.
“How good is this? So relaxing. No smelly cab driver to make conversation with! The train is on time, it was just a short walk from my apartment. I don’t know why I don’t do this more often,” he said.
“I’d get this public transport to work if I didn’t need the walking exercise,”
“To be honest, I don’t know why people complain so much about it. It’s a cheap, reliable source of transport. If I lived up in Betoota Heights or out in The Ponds, I’d be getting the train to and from work every day. I don’t even know how much this cost! [laughs] I just held the Centurion Card up against the RortoCard scanner and waited for the cha-ching sound. That means I’ve paid the fare, right? [laughs]”
Last year, Mayor Keith Carton was confined to a wheelchair for six weeks after being shot through the pad of fat hangs from under his chin when he fronted an angry mob protesting the overcrowding on the Betoota Metropolitan Underground.
The mob demanded more trains and more frequent services, which Carton denied was necessary. He was also stripped naked by the mob and dragged through the streets on Betoota Heights before being hung up by his feet from a streetlight and pelted with warm cans of Powers Gold.
Carton responded to the violence by having those who stood accused of the crimes against him placed into the foundations of the new Betoota Heights Westfield.
Betoota’s public transport system remains overcrowded on workday peak hours and probably will for some time.
More to come.
