The Rudeness of Ticket Inspectors

I read an article on an mX reporter's unfair treatment by Metro ticket inspectors this week.  There was a faulty validating machine and hence she was waved through by a station officer.  Then, on the train, inspectors checked her unvalidated ticket, called up the previous station and told her the validating machine was in fact working, basically branding her a liar and telling her to expect a fine.  It made me really mad, and it reminded me of an unpleasant experience with a tram inspector just over a year ago.

I had just gotten onto a tram with MerlinFan on Swanston St - the tram was near empty so we both took seats beside a validation machine.  MerlinFan validates her ticket, and I am waiting with my ticket in hand when suddenly a ticket inspector comes up from the back of the train demanding to see my ticket.  I show it to her, telling her I just got on and am waiting for my sister to finish validating her ticket so I can validate mine.  

The ticket inspector says to me "I saw you just now - you got on a few stops down, didn't you?" in an accusing tone.  I was shocked and disbelieving, I told her, "No, you're mistaken, I just got on at the last stop."  

The ticket inspector proceeds to accuse me of being on the tram for a while without validating my ticket and trying to evade my fare, until a nice passenger sitting across from me tells her very firmly, "Excuse me, it's true, they just got on NOW."

The ticket inspector just looks angry and says rudely to me "You're not supposed to sit down until you validate your ticket" before marching away.  No apology, nothing for making a wrong accusation.  

Unbelievable.  There is no such rule that states I must stand and wait to validate my ticket (when I can sit right beside the machine considering the tram is near empty), especially since the tram can make sudden stops and sharp turns.  I thank the good samaritan passenger sitting opposite me for speaking up and putting the inspector in her place.

Ticket inspectors, you need to catch the real fare evaders (Where are you when they are jumping turnstiles and squeezing behind fare paying passengers through mechanical gates everyday?) instead of making honest fare paying passengers like us feel like criminals.