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

Low expectations and entitlement.

Given the cost of enforcement(direct and indirect), they might as well just make bus rides fare-free. Its really the equivalent of being able to ride without a toll on most roads.

It would also make the job of the bus driver far less dangerous while reducing loiter time for the bus. Its kind of a no-brainer.

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

I even saw some drivers going 65mph on the beltway today!

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

Anonymous wrote:Enforcing fare rules is racist.

troll harder

Enforcing fare rules is racist.

I ride the bus a lot, and the metro very rarely. I have not had a bus driver let me add to my card since the pandemic. If I scan an empty card, and it makes the noise, I'll ask, but if they wave me back, I'll go back onto the bus and not worry about it.

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.

https://ggwash.org/view/amp/69171

There is no thing that GGW won’t try to ruin. They seem allergic to taking the correct side in any argument.

After the streetcar fiasco and the fact that they never even did a mea culpa about their advocacy for that waste, I very quickly developed the heuristic not to believe anything they say unless it can be corroborated by unrelated and reliable third party independent experts.

Streetcars! Streetcars! Streetcars!

If Big Oil hasn't killed streetcars back in the 1930s, we would still have a coast to coast transit network of glorius light rail.

Take your kid on the bus with you. I think mine actually shamed some people into paying, saying loudly, "Why did you pay, Mom, when almost no one else on this bus does?" The bus driver actually laughed. Barring issues with the fare box, pay up, people. We have let this slide for too long and it is time to course correct. There are subsidy programs for seniors, Kids Ride Free, etc. that people can access if cost is an issue.

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.

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.

NOTHING is free. The money comes from somewhere.

Anonymous wrote:They should raise fares on the 20% of suckers who pay to cover those who don’t. That’s typically how this works.

And for some, that would also be considered racial and economic justice.

They should raise fares on the 20% of suckers who pay to cover those who don’t. That’s typically how this works.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

https://ggwash.org/view/amp/69171

There is no thing that GGW won’t try to ruin. They seem allergic to taking the correct side in any argument.

After the streetcar fiasco and the fact that they never even did a mea culpa about their advocacy for that waste, I very quickly developed the heuristic not to believe anything they say unless it can be corroborated by unrelated and reliable third party independent experts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

https://ggwash.org/view/amp/69171

This is from 2018 dimwit.

I think you should go see a therapist. Also, if this issue is so important to you perhaps you could just educate yourself. All you need is Google.

DC decriminalized fare evasion in 2019 based on pressure from transit advocates like GGW that enforcement was racist.

2019-2022 WMATA was fully fair optional.

In fall 2022, due to growing public uproar, WMATA tried to step up fare enforcement on Metrorail but got significant pushback from civil rights groups and lawyers. So WMATA decided to install those plastic gates.
https://www.wusa9.com/article/traffic/mission-metro/metro-to-issue-fines-fare-evasion/65-07f0a0ae-7f5b-40ae-9077-ccb97bc9d0b1

In 2023, DC changed the law to reinstate as minor penalties as possible. But more importantly to give WMATA power to enforce fare evasion again. Here is what Brooke Pinto had to say:

“It’s important to acknowledge how we got here and where we are, as we pursue the careful balancing that this bill attempts to get right. The council had justifiable reasons for wanting to decriminalize fare evasion, given the racial inequity and how fare evasion has been enforced. Recognizing those issues, the bill allows for only a very limited expansion of fare evasion enforcement.”
https://dcist.com/story/23/10/11/dc-council-hearing-fare-evasion-bill/

So yes, as WMATA expands fare enforcement to Metrobus racial justice is and has been a big part of the story.

Or you can just keep clowning yourself.