I just had an interview in St. Louis, and took the metro back to the airport. I bought a 1 day pass last night, and went to the security guard to make sure it was valid for 24 hours (it was not, which I was quite angry about as the vending machine certainly made it sound like it would be good for my return trip).
As I went to the security guard, I noticed a guy loitering around the ticket machine. When I came back to get a new ticket, he approached me and offered me a ticket. I asked him why, and he said he already had a ride. I’m not very city smart, but the guy didn’t seem genuine so I bought the ticket and left.
I’m pretty sure the episode was a scam of some sort, but I don’t understand the motivation. He didn’t ask for any money. Did he have some sort of racket with security? Did he get kicks from getting people caught with fake tickets? What was his purpose?
Sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes… posting via mobile.
I’ve done similar things. I’ve given away a day pass when I knew it was still good. I’ve given away a monthly pass when I wouldn’t be using it but still had a few days use on it. There may have been a scam or he might have just been a nice guy.
He genuinely wanted to help you out - I’ve noticed that there are alot of nice people in STL
He received the ticket from someone who wasn’t going to use it again, and then expected/hoped for some payment from you - probably the more likely possibility
The ticket he gave you is a transmitter that took all of the information on all your cards and documents in your wallet and sent them to him in his underwater submarine base of villainy.
Honestly, unless he asked you for money or tried to preach, he was probably trying to be nice.
My family and I went on a vacation to NYC recently and got (IIRC the seven day pass/card). We were only there for five days. So at the airport near the pass vending machines, the five of us were offering people our cards.
Explained the whole, look, we’re on vacation and cheap/frugal—there are two days left on these…do you want them? (Very obviously fat Texans except my sister who is vegan).
We got several thank yous and it was mostly positive.
I’ve done the opposite at beer festivals where cash buys tickets and tickets buy beer. We’d hang out by the exit and bum tickets off people who were leaving. They’re non refundable, and they are always a different color the following year. In under an hour, we could each have well over $50 in tickets at $2-$3 per beer. “You’re just going to throw them away,” is a sound argument to sober people let alone drunks.
Yes. I did hold onto every years’ ticket stash long enough to see that color return in the rotation. Before I moved out of state, I gave my astonished friends my sizable, color-sorted ticket stash.