Wmata to target fare evaders on metro busses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

You have a condition. Seriously seek help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have they tried having working fare boxes?

This. Or make it easier to pay with cash or credit card if your fare card doesn't work for some reason. Twice recently I had the problem of my card not working but I was getting on with my child (whose card did work) and I did continue onto the bus because there are currently no options for me to remedy. Unlike with metrorail I can't buy a new farecard on the bus and the machine won't accept cash.

I do regularly see people just get on (often at the back door) without even bothering and that is frustrating too but I also think that the payment mechanism enables this behavior because it's so bad that I think drivers get used to waiving people on when they try to pay and can't.

+1. Also, the fareboxes themselves don't work more than 50% of the time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve witnessed fare evaders with my own two eyes. I felt stupid for even paying and thought perhaps the bus was free.

Yeah I have felt similarly.

Reading these articles it is clear that it is because bus operators don't feel safe confronting people who don't pay or preventing them from boarding, which is fair.

I don't think that should be the bus operators' job. I also think there are alternatives to making the bus completely free. When I lived abroad bus operators didn't stop anybody from boarding the bus but you could be randomly stopped and fined by police if you hadn't paid.

WMATA is cash strapped and I think these new enforcement efforts are a good idea. If we want to make boarding the bus easier, don't make people pay the fare when they enter the bus. Just have a few fare boxes in the bus, people can enter from any door and scan their card/phone at their convenience, or not pay at their own risk of a hefty fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

i swear I’m the only person who comes to a complete stop. Now Montgomery county has a lot of no right turn on red signs and people don’t even stop for those. I had someone beep at me for not turning despite the sign being there. One guy even tried to squeeze by me on the right

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

i swear I’m the only person who comes to a complete stop. Now Montgomery county has a lot of no right turn on red signs and people don’t even stop for those. I had someone beep at me for not turning despite the sign being there. One guy even tried to squeeze by me on the right

I've had drivers go around my car on the left and then turn in front of me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who is saying that it would be racist? The linked article makes no mention of such opposition.

if you look at the replies , BLM DC says it would be racist https://x.com/tomroussey7news/status/1859662705982046318?s=46&t=Rw_jX1uyupQwvEwsjuQulQ

That doesn't say going after fare evaders is racist. It said the police have a history of racism.

No one is calling it racist. Some are questioning whether it is worth it, or whether public transit should be free.

the only reason you want it to be “free” is to protect poc from being fined or prosecuted. What next make food free to reduce shoplifting?

This is crazy. Race has nothing to do with this and no one would suggest that it does. I actually worry about the drivers. They shouldn't have kick people off and then risk their personal safety.

[Anonymous]

They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

Imagine if drivers had to get out of their cars and scan a payment card every time they wanted to get on a road. How much would they complain? Why do we make it seamless for them to drive long distances, cross jurisdictions and "transfer" between roads but make it a real expense and chore to bus riders to do the same?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

Imagine if drivers had to get out of their cars and scan a payment card every time they wanted to get on a road. How much would they complain? Why do we make it seamless for them to drive long distances, cross jurisdictions and "transfer" between roads but make it a real expense and chore to bus riders to do the same?

Imagine that toll roads exist? You truly are scraping the barrel of whiny complaints.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

Imagine if drivers had to get out of their cars and scan a payment card every time they wanted to get on a road. How much would they complain? Why do we make it seamless for them to drive long distances, cross jurisdictions and "transfer" between roads but make it a real expense and chore to bus riders to do the same?

And if you fail to pay, you are mailed a ticket to your address. How does that work with someone with no ID and no fixed address?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

Imagine if drivers had to get out of their cars and scan a payment card every time they wanted to get on a road. How much would they complain? Why do we make it seamless for them to drive long distances, cross jurisdictions and "transfer" between roads but make it a real expense and chore to bus riders to do the same?

Imagine that toll roads exist? You truly are scraping the barrel of whiny complaints.

If you want whiny complaints, put a toll on Connecticut or Georgia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They could try to put fare boxes on the outside. Maybe like scan your card or insert money, and then the doors open. It would slow things down and suck for customers that were already paying.

It is possible to install turnstiles inside buses. I've seen them used in Rio and Moscow. But I could see US agencies balking at inside turnstyles for egress reasons. I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

i swear I’m the only person who comes to a complete stop. Now Montgomery county has a lot of no right turn on red signs and people don’t even stop for those. I had someone beep at me for not turning despite the sign being there. One guy even tried to squeeze by me on the right

I've had drivers go around my car on the left and then turn in front of me.

What does this have to do with bus fare?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the aversion of some people to just following the law?’

Low expectations and entitlement.

That's exactly what I tell myself, every time I see another driver rolling through a stop sign or red light to turn right, which is basically every single driver.

i swear I’m the only person who comes to a complete stop. Now Montgomery county has a lot of no right turn on red signs and people don’t even stop for those. I had someone beep at me for not turning despite the sign being there. One guy even tried to squeeze by me on the right

I've had drivers go around my car on the left and then turn in front of me.

What does this have to do with bus fare?

There’s this one GGW intern who is sock puppeting in this thread and dropping bizarre analogies to driving that literally only 5% of the population agrees with. This is the type of person who unironically refers to drivers as fascists but then heralds right wing Denmark and The Netherlands are the only civilized countries in the world.