A long time ago, I had a lovely conversation with a lady who explained to me that she would get on the bus at the Free Ride Area, look at what the transfer is for the day and find a matching one. Then she would show that when she got off the bus, and keep showing it the rest of the day. After that, I’ve seen it a few times on the bus, but I never knew what to do about it.
I figured that when they eliminated the Free Ride Area, that would be the end of that. But I’ve seen it again. Now (at least the two times I’ve noticed it since the Free Ride Area went away) people (it might be the same person, it was the same route and I didn’t pay that much attention to them, despite the fact that I’m making a post about it now) pretend to be looking through their bag, and are like “just a minute, just a minute” while they find the right transfer. Since they’re right by the driver, and haven’t done it yet, this would be a better time to say something. Still, I’ve been quiet again. I feel terrible, but I don’t know what saying something would do. And I don’t want to be that guy if it’s someone who maybe can’t afford to take the bus otherwise, and who might be armed.
So should I say something to the driver? Should I call the person out on it, either before they show the transfer, or after? Should I just keep doing nothing? Does anyone else notice those, and what do you do?
The transfer has three characteristics: Color, letter, and time. Color and letter change daily, and of course the time is where it’s torn.
If someone is either cheap or obsessive enough to keep a bag full of enough transfers well organized enough to be able to find the correct color and letter in relatively short notice, then by gum, THEY GET A FREE RIDE.
And really, the driver will call them on it if they need to. Let it go, sez me.
If a Wall Street investment banker tries to pull this shit, I say call him out. If it’s a bag lady, let her go. America can survive a poor person stealing a bus ride. It can’t survive a cabal of banksters trying to steal the whole country. You have to look at things in proportion.
I’m sure the drivers are aware that this is going on. I’d just leave it alone.
In another city (in a different country) with the same type transfer system, I used to do that when I was a student. All I had to do was look in the trash by the bus stop to see what the day’s new color/letter was.
I rationalized it two ways: 1) I was poor, and I didn’t have the energy every day (or the tolerance for bad weather every day) to do my 20-mile round trip commute by bicycle; and 2) public transit ought to be free anyway. Which it should. (And that was in a country where such a notion isn’t unthinkable.)
In retrospect, it seems ridiculously petty. But when you’re 21 and broke, it makes all the difference. I’m with @2 on how to respond. And honestly, that kind of petty cheating pales next to the crimes against public transit being pulled by the state legislature and the feds.
Hey, Not only should you call them on it I have. The people who do thid are nothing but thieves. However, most drivers just let it go.
I do not begrudge a poor person a free ride on a bus.
I do begrudge a system that turns a poor person into a thief.
Yes …. I see the word FREE was removed from the unaffordable healthcare site. It is not hardly free with a 1.8 trillion dollar price tag.
Yes …. I see the word FREE was removed from the unaffordable healthcare site. It is not hardly free with a 1.8 trillion dollar price tag.
I begrudge a poor preson stealing to ride the bus. I am a poor person and I always pay. If I cannot pay I do not ride.