MetroLink citation. no fare/tampering. how much? (Rea: living, professionals)

[arch_genesis]

marksman geez it was light hearted -- I myself have been fined by metro. if I really wanted to run off the tourists on a message board (??) I would.

Metro is dying because of st. louis county but I'm confident Prop M will pass in 2010. More people in the St. Louis region supported the sales tax than those that didn't. Problem is the city and county voted on Prop M separately.

Yes the system has been ran poorly in the past but from what I understand there are new people at the mantle. I'm hopeful for Metro. If Missouri would get its act together that would be even better. Illinois gives 20 million a year to metro and people wonder why the train goes to St. Clair.

[oscottscotto]

Originally Posted by arch_genesis

and you transplants abuse the system.

Haha I totally missed that this was aimed towards me the first time I read over it. Thought you were speaking to the Oregon tourist at first glance. I'm actually quite flattered that you know my screen name and remember that I am transplant to Saint Louis from another home town. Didn't know anyone paid that much attention on here.

Fwiw, I do not call double-stamping 1 time out of over 300+ rides "abusing the system". It just so happens to be the one time we decided to actually test the system, and we got caught. The other 300+ times, paid in full (although I usually used monthly passes). It just so happened that day, after a St. Patrick's Day parade downtown, that we spent our last bit o' cash on liquor. Next time, won't be too lazy to go back to an ATM.

But I guess I will apologize for a one-time "abusing" of your Saint Louis metro system. I also apologize for living in your city.

[TechmanOR]

So what was a legitimate excuse of them to put down my friend's address on my citation.

It's like a cop pulling a driver over, then citing a passenger for something, but putting down the driver's address on passenger's ticket even if the passenger is not cohabiting.

[Marksman84]

Originally Posted by oscottscotto

Haha I totally missed that this was aimed towards me the first time I read over it. Thought you were speaking to the Oregon tourist at first glance. I'm actually quite flattered that you know my screen name and remember that I am transplant to Saint Louis from another home town. Didn't know anyone paid that much attention on here.

Fwiw, I do not call double-stamping 1 time out of over 300+ rides "abusing the system". It just so happens to be the one time we decided to actually test the system, and we got caught. The other 300+ times, paid in full (although I usually used monthly passes). It just so happened that day, after a St. Patrick's Day parade downtown, that we spent our last bit o' cash on liquor. Next time, won't be too lazy to go back to an ATM.

But I guess I will apologize for a one-time "abusing" of your Saint Louis metro system. I also apologize for living in your city.

Now that's a much better use of cash resources! WTG!

[AJohnston_STL]

Perhaps they didn't handle it the best way, but people like you all are the reasons that 10 of their buddies just got laid off. Make sense?

[oscottscotto]

Originally Posted by AJohnston_STL

Perhaps they didn't handle it the best way, but people like you all are the reasons that 10 of their buddies just got laid off. Make sense?

In general, it makes sense. However, let's say I rode 350 times so far while living here and 349 of the times I paid. In essense then, "people like me" help keep the jobs. Of course, there is no way for the officer to know my personal situation like that. For all the officer knew, I could have never paid and was a freeloader and I understand that. Still, beyond that, I have the right to call a duck a duck - and there is absolutely no reason for an guard to call for backup just because a simple question was asked in a civil manner. I'm not exactly intimidating at 5'9/160 either .

Unrelated, but they really should figure out a better way to subsidize fare prices if they want more ridership. I have a good job - so I still pay and ride because I like public trans ... but no way would I pay the fare money they require if I had a normal job.

[Todd.LA]

Originally Posted by arch_genesis

serves you both right. Metro is dying for funding and you transplants abuse the system. For shame!!

Ah yes, it's the outsiders fault! It's not at all the fault of cheap St. Louis voters (the vast majority of whom are not transplants)...

As a decaying city (and metro area) that has been losing population and national influence for decades, you'd think that St. Louis would be more welcoming to new folks moving in.

[sixtwobaldguy]

No, most of us live in the burbs and couldn't care much less what's going in the "city", or I guess the crumbling remains of where a city used to be lol All the metro does is make it easier for poor people to get into other areas.. why do you think edwardsville, IL doesn't want metrolink going up there.

[oscottscotto]

Originally Posted by sixtwobaldguy

No, most of us live in the burbs and couldn't care much less what's going in the "city", or I guess the crumbling remains of where a city used to be lol All the metro does is make it easier for poor people to get into other areas.. why do you think edwardsville, IL doesn't want metrolink going up there.

[arch_genesis]

smh. its probably best that we identify the myopic suburbian views on metro so they can do a better job of framing the debate next time Prop M is up. The region needs metro and todd no one more than me loves transplants.