My first attempt at fare evasion.
Last friday I was caught up in that mess with the fire. My train made it one stop and just sat there with no ETA. So I got off at lafayette and went back home. Back at WC station, the agent told me to exit out the swing gate and just tell the agent on monday that I was part of the fire delay and they'd let me in free (well, not really free, but I wouldn't have to pay for my friday "ride")
So this morning I get to the station and there is no one in the booth. I wait about 20 seconds. Some ghetto looking guy walks thru the swing gate constantly looking over his shoulder. The gate doesn't sound an alarm or anything. Then he heads for the bathroom, still occasionally glancing over his shoulder. Now I hear my train coming, so I decide I need to go. I hold my ticket where it is visible to anyone that might be waiting to bust me and I walk thru the gate. No alarm, no one stops me. Easy.
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Shame! Shame on you...
Shame! Shame on you...
Turns out it wasn't so easy
Turns out it wasn't so easy afterall. When I got to montgomery my ticket didn't work. Thinking back, it probably has to do with the 3 or 4 hour time limit that tickets are valid. I had to see the montgomery agent, and she asked me something like "didn't the WC agent reprogram your ticket?". I just played dumb and said I don't know. I was considering coming clean, but she reprogramed the ticket for me so it was valid for exit before I had to repent for my sins against bart and humanity.
When I had to leave station
When I had to leave station and drive in because of a delay the agent just stamped my card with "valid for re-entry". Didn't run it through any machines or anything. Next time I went to enter, I saw the agent first and they just gave me a look and said "just use it like normal", and it worked. Not really sure what the deal was, but I know it wasn't re-encoded or anything, and I didn't get charged an excursion fare. I also didn't enter at the same station I used it at before, maybe that had something to do with it.
On another note, I think there's only one Lafayette station agent, so if they're on a potty or smoke break you got your free ride right there, just gotta worry about exiting on the other side. Or you can just play dumb like Boopie :-P
The WC agent should have
The WC agent should have stamped your ticket, "See Agent for Re-entry". Then you'll be able to re-enter and use your ticket for Monday or whenever you wish to reuse it. The WC agent was not doing his/her job. A citation for fare evasion from BART police is usually over $100 depending on which county it was issued. Granted that there are many fare evaders and most of them get away with it, but the odds will catch up with you! So shame on you. It's like shoplifting at Safeway, you'll get away with it most of the time, but the one time you do get caught, you'll just wish you never had done it!
you are correct that the
you are correct that the agent should have stamped my ticket "see agent for re-entry." i have had similar issues before and they did just that. the agent's thinking was probably 1) there was a long line of people all with the same problem and 2) it is a well known problem. because of this, it would be very believable for someone to show up to bart the next business day with a ticket that entered but never exited the system last friday morning.
and for the record, i didn't really "fare evade." i had a ticket that i could easily prove was last used during the fire last friday. i wasn't concerned with getting a citation for two reasons: 1) i had a ticket that backs my story and 2) there was a thug shooting up in the bathroom that i am 100% sure DID NOT have a valid ticket. i am pretty sure i know who the cop would focus his/her attention on, and it's not me.
i am pretty sure i know who
i am pretty sure i know who the cop would focus his/her attention on, and it's not me.
I'm not so sure. You probably look like you would pay the fine. The thug? No.
I feel that at the next get
I feel that at the next get together boopie should have to buy the first round of beer as Penance for his actions