Friday, August 11, 2006

Follow me, kids!

This doesn't surprise me at all. It's very common on BART, but since we have posted a few comments regarding this very problem, thought I should share what I saw today.

At the Civic Center Station, a mom, with 4 kids, were approaching the BART ticketing entrance.

The oldest kid, a boy about 7 or 8, goes directly to the ticket gate and asks, "Mom, how do we get in here?" The woman answers, "No, ***, you get over here, follow me, we're going this way."

She then proceeds to the side handicapped swing door and directs her children to walk that way. All five of them got onto the ticketing platform this way. This took place about 12 feet from the station agent sitting inside the glass window.

Frankly, I was pretty disgusted. It's because of people like that the rest of us have to pay around $8 roundtrip daily to get to work and back.

I said to her loudly, "You forgot to pay." Being at least 8 feet from me, she conveniently ignored me and went on to board her train.

7 comments:

Josh said...

I think the saddest part of all is what she is teaching those kids. As a parent, I know that I have to lead by example. It really bothers me to see other parents who seem to have no desire to teach their kids right from wrong, especially when my daughter is going to have to attend school with those kids, likely befriend them, and then be influenced by their poor behavior.

Good job mom, you just taught your kids how to steal.

Nerd Mom said...

My kids would never let me do that. Their favorite part of riding BART is putting their tickets in the fare gates. My 3 year old begs me to get her a ticket so she can do it too. LOL

Anonymous said...

When will we ever see a station agent willing to say or do anything. I see people going through the side gates (without paying) frequently. It is fiarly pathetic

Anonymous said...

1. Why do they even bother to have station agents if they never get off their asses to do anything? I too have seen blatent fare cheating going on right in front of them and they just watch... It's worse in the city than in the suburbs.
2. Why don't they replace the "free ride" handicap/bike gates at most stations with the style they put in at the Dublin station? There the handicap gate is a large pay-gate with a swinging section that moves. Bikes and people needing extra room pay and go right throught the larger gate, no need/possibility to cheat. Also I've seen the station agent at Dublin prevent people from attempting to cheat.... Consistancy, it's a good thing - you'd think they'd have some.
-Andy

Anonymous said...

lack of enforcement leads to lack of respect. bart needs to get its act together and have its employees enforce the rules and set some examples or things will only get worse, as if they aren't bad enough already.

Anonymous said...

BART should put in those gates like they have at the SF Airport. the gates look the same as the normal gates, except they are alot bigger to accomodate luggage. they should put those everywhere so that bikers and 'families' don't freeload off the rest of us.

bartmusings said...

Saw another fare skipper today. And again, the agent, about 5 feet away, didn't move or even notice!

What are they looking at then?? Why is it everytime i see them, they are looking down somewhere? What is down there? A book? A magazine they're hiding?

I want to know. I also want to see them do something about all these cheater!!