🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <4p3t9d$4eb@news4.digex.net>, Rex <rex@access.digex.net> wrote:
>I cannot count how many times the machines would not take any of my
>bills, took my money and didn't giive me a farecard, or didn't work
>out all.

I've never had one of the machines take my money without dispensing a
farecard.

>I now take several dollar bills to the subway with me, even if I only
>need to put a dollar on the card, because I can count on 1 or 2
>getting rejected.  This sucks if you don't have a pocket full of bills
>to try.

Try larger bills.  Ones usually don't work well.  Rarely do I have
problems with fives, and I cannot remember the last time I had a
ten or twenty refused (and you get a bonus with these).

>I have missed countless trains because of the ridiculous farecard
>machines.  Also, if you have a problem, very often, the booth clerks
>either, aren't in the booth, or can't do much for you.

Getting farecards does slow you down.  I get the largest amount
possible to reduce the number of times I must use the machines.
I don't have much experience with the clerks.

>The machines are great for tourists, and people who don't depend on
>fare-dispensing very often.  They are a disaster for me (and many of
>my peers).  Let's not mention the fact that it takes 10 minutes just
>to get in and out of every station.  It takes longer to get into and
>out of the station than it takes for my ENTIRE RIDE on the train to
>work.

I've used Metro for 8 years and don't find the machines that bad--
except that they don't like small bills and they eat up too much
money.

>Give me the efficient, under the street (but smelly), NYC subways,
>over the huge manmade caverns, with escalators to the center of the
>earth, METRO.  Metrorail is not really a subway system anyway, it is a
>commuter train.

Yes.  But leave the crime.
-- 
Dennis A. Sutch           | PGP key available (finger or key server)
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