you ain't nothin' but a pig to me!


this posting was inspired by a blog entry by danny offer, so here is some background info of how light rail works for all ya'll from his online journal (via myspace):

For those of you who do not know how the whole light rail operation goes (bear with me. I actually talked to someone last night who didn't get it. You can't take anything for granted.), you go to the station, buy a ticket from the machine, then board the light rail.

There are no ticket checkers, to make sure you've actually bought a ticket before boarding, except for the random check that happens approximately once a month. Regional Transit has found that the most effective way to make people pay for their tickets rather than just hopping the trains for free is to use the honor system- with a reminder every once in a while in the form of fare inspectors- little men in blue shirts and short black shorts.

The fare inspectors wait at a station, board the train, then block off all the exits, so train-hoppers can't escape before being written a ticket for $50.

i've had my share of light rail busts (well, about 3) back in the day, and some were completely unjustified.

see back in the olden days, the ticket machine only accepted coins, and next to the ticket machine was a change machine that gave you quarters for your dollars so you could buy a ticket from the ticket machine. simple enough, right? i soon found out that if the ticket machine is busted at your stop, you are not obligated to pay, since it would be impossible to do so, but if the change machine was busted, but all you had on you were dollar bills, you were still obligated to pay. no biggie if you were across the street from a friendly corner store or laundry mat and had a couple extra minutes. one day all i had were dollars, and i was on my way to work, short on time. the change machine was broken at the light rail station, so i took my chances but decided to get off at the next stop and try to by a ticket there. i got off and the change machine there was busted too! i thought i'd try again at the next staion. by the next stop time was beginning to run out and i'd be late to work if i had to get off at the next stop and wait for another train. at the next station the change machine worked great, but there was a fuckin' lackey fair inspector standing right next to it. i was so furious that i started shouting at the dude, he threatened to get the cops and i contemplated making a run for it through the field. can you even imagine me in this maniacle state? i came to the conclusion that it would probably be best for me to just suck it up and sign the ticket and not try to "keep it real" and get hauled away. to this day i still swear it was a conspiracy. ah those were the days.

ever since i've sold out i haven't gone near the light rail for obvious reasons (but do take a mid-town bus once and a while for 50 cents).

when i was in front of the crest the other day, i took a look at the light rail ticket machine outside and noticed they now accept bills. about friggin time!