Okay, hypothetical question here. Let’s just say a young, smart, attractive girl, I’ll call her “I/me”, has gotten into a bit of trouble with the wannabe law. I live in a city where public transportation is supposed to be among the best in the world (leading me to believe that some cities get around via burrowing tunnels in the dirt, but I digress). Anyway, with our train system, one must either have a pass or purchase a ticket before boarding the train. No paying on board. Today, I had to run to catch the train, and had no time to buy a ticket, which is usually all right since I only take it one stop. Not this time. When the collector came by, I made some lame attempt to find an imaginary ticket, then got a ticket for a 100 FRICKIN’ DOLLARS.
Here’s the thing. I didn’t have proper ID on me, just some flimsy school card from years ago. So, he got my name, my birth date, and part of my address- he made a slight mistake with the postal code, and failed to write that my street is North (as opposed to South. Usually when I don’t specify, the mail goes to the wrong place). He also didn’t get my social insurance number, which he wanted. So, where does this put me? I know I can’t contest it, because even a guy who had a subway cop yell racial slurs at him didn’t get his ticket written off. I have 30 days to pay this thing. Is there any chance I can just forget about it and it’ll get, uh, lost in the system, because of the vague address? Anyone?
Yes. There is a chance it’ll be lost in the system.
However, I suspect a more useful question to ask would be “What is the chance it will be lost in the system?” Sorry, but I doubt there’s a factual answer to that one.
Welcome to “POP,” or Proof of Payment. A passenger buys a ticket at the station, and unless it’s a monthly pass or the like, must also have the ticket time-stamped by a machine on the platform just before boarding the train. On a random basis (the key to the system), fare collectors or cops will appear on the trains and check tickets. If you have no ticket, your ticket is supposed to be time-stamped but isn’t, or the ticket has expired according to the time stamp, then the fine is substantial. IIRC, it can be up to $500 on some systems like Los Angeles Metrorail.
It’s the fad among the new light rail systems, since it avoids the expense of having turnstiles or other access control methods (which at street-level stations on some systems isn’t even practical) like older subway/metro systems, or fare collectors on each train like most commuter rail systems. But the system doesn’t work if the fine is too modest (chance of being caught is relatively slim, so price of being caught has to be high) or if the collectors let a large percentage of passengers get away with unstamped tickets (buy a one-ride ticket and hold it until caught) when they plead ignorance.**
**Which isn’t to say that fare collectors on a POP system are wrong to ever give such a break, just that they should have well-tuned bullsh*t detectors.
But THIS is ridiculous! I dunno if your mass-transit system are private-only companies, but the MVV (Münchener Verkehrsverbund, our local railway system, including commuter trains, trams, busses and subways) is HEAVILY subsidised. Fining kids 500€ for not paying a 1€ fare stinks bigtime.
They don’t have turnstiles or fare collectors either.
Being young, smart, attractive or a girl doesn’t figure to be especially relevant here. Unless you can find someone really knowledgeable about this in your town who’ll advise otherwise, I’d say pay and sin no more.
Most cities that get into this sort of thing are savvy enough to have the appropriate infrastructure in place. This means not just agents to write $100 tickets, but reliable ways to track down those (understandably) tempted not to pay, and additional fines/interest/penalties sufficient to make them wish they had (and, if asked, to ruefully advise their friends not to fall foul of the rules).
The Straight Dope isn’t going to help you evade a a valid ticket. If it were a matter of “help me put on a defense to contest this ticket” it would be different, but you admit you’re guilty. This thread is closed.
