London Banter - MTA fare increase details

On 18/10/2012 16:45, Ruben wrote:
On Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:49:45 +0900, Miles Bader wrote:

" writes:
All of the proposals include a $1 fee for new Metrocards, which
they've been threatening for more than 2 years.

A new Oyster Card here in London carries a Â£3 deposit (about $4.85).

And farecards here have a Â¥500 (~$5) deposit (you can get it back from a
gate agent if you give them an old card).

As long as cards are rechargeable, I don't see the big deal, but I've
seen tons of whining about the proposed NYC fee.... maybe people are
used to just tossing their old cards instead of recharging them (but
isn't it good to get rid of such waste?)...

-miles

They can go back to tokens.

The fact is, that a charge for the ability to charge is a gamit. That it
would be acceptable in Europe just speaks very badly of the condition of
European culture.

The Metrocard was trusted on us at billions of dollars and its only
benifit has been to lower costs for the MTA when they fired all the token
booth clerks, and made it easier for them to increase fares willie nillie.

If you lost a token, in the old days, it was no big deal. Today you
loose your metrocard and your out a weeks salery, and that happens all
the time.

Charging for the lousey card is pure MTA profit.

Bad European culture, you say?