Caught in Cashless Transport

Dear Readers,

Have you ever heard or shared the experience of being unable to board a bus because you are not in possession of a pre paid plastic card or a ticket which you can only buy from certain newsagencies? Well let me share with you a personal experience of getting on a bus at a bus stop in George Street, Sydney some two months ago. 

I wanted to go to Sydney University some three kilomteres away just at the junction where Broadway becomes Parramatta Road. I took the step from the kerb to the bus looked the driver in the eys and attempted to hand him $5 note and expecting a change. The driver shook his head and looked at me as though I was some sort of a moron. I said: 'what, you think this is a fake $5 note or I need to give you more money, I only wanted to go to Sydney University'. The driver shook his head again and looked at me as if I was a moron or smelled. At the time I was wearing suit that had some come out of the dry cleaners and an expensive tie. I was lost for words and waited for the driver to speak. He took a deep sigh and spoke: 'mate this is a cashless bus can't you read'. I said: 'I am not here to rob you I am giving you money'. 'Funny' said the driver with a sarcastic smile. I could see people on the bus watching and listening to the conversation. I said: 'with respect to you I don't think you can refuse taking my money the $5 note is a legal tender and I an tendering to you legally for my fare to Sydney University'. Someone shouted from the middle of bus 'yeh bloody oath tell him mate'. The driver appeared lost for words as other busses starting to que behind the bus. the driver finally said: 'bloody lawyers or smarty pants. Get in mate you don't have to pay'. I said: 'I don't want yiur charity or free journey keep the $5 and give it to whoever you think should receive it'. I walked inside the bus and took a seat next to a middle aged lady who appeared to have been distressed by my conversation with driver. On the second stop the lady finally said to me there is a sign on the front of the bus that says 'Pre Paid Only'. 'Ah I said I thought that was an advertisment'. When I pressed the button to get off at the next stop I made sure that I exited through the back door. Going back to the city that afternoon I made sure that the bus I casught did not have the 'Pre Paid Only' sign. 

For the rest of the day I wondered whether the trend toward cashless society had cirumvented and masde useless the Reserve Bank Act 1959, the Currency Act 1965 and Section 51(xii) of the Commonwealth Constitution giving the Federal Government the power to make laws.