Comments on: ‘Anyone Got Change for a $5?’ http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=anyone-got-change-for-a-5 Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:39:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: AJ http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1984 AJ Fri, 03 Apr 2009 18:28:02 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1984 It is a scam. I could've waved a $20 bill and requested change and someone or a bunch of people might bail me out. Through all this, I would've gotten a free ride because it's so much hassle for the passenger(s) to break up the change. If this guy needed to get somewhere, he could just walk. It's so much faster than having the bus not go anywhere and be selfish by taking everyone else on the bus hostage. For example, last night, the 6 ParnASSus would arrive 20 minutes at 9th and Judah so I walked all the way to 14th and Quintara and not a single bus came by in either direction. It is a scam. I could’ve waved a $20 bill and requested change and someone or a bunch of people might bail me out. Through all this, I would’ve gotten a free ride because it’s so much hassle for the passenger(s) to break up the change.

If this guy needed to get somewhere, he could just walk. It’s so much faster than having the bus not go anywhere and be selfish by taking everyone else on the bus hostage. For example, last night, the 6 ParnASSus would arrive 20 minutes at 9th and Judah so I walked all the way to 14th and Quintara and not a single bus came by in either direction.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Draco http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1920 Draco Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:22:08 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1920 First of all, the driver can't resort to physical force to throw the guy off the bus. He has to wait for his supervisor or security. Second, "I felt totally defiled" WHAT??? A guy asks to break a $5 and refuses to get off the bus. That defiled you? I think that's a bizarre hyperbole for such a small incident. And I hate to bring up race, but the photo shows a black guy and I hope you're not assuming it's a scam just because he's black. Sounds like he's just an obnoxious dude who wasn't thinking ahead or perhaps a first time transit user. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt before you judge them. It's sad to say though, most people would give 25 cents to an obnoxious dude than teach him a much needed lesson. Loads of people give change to homeless instead of donating to a homeless shelter. It's easier to throw change at our problems than really address them. If enough people on the bus told him to get off and get change, he would have backed down and left the bus. Scared cowards. Too often bus drivers don't want to delay the bus so they let people ride free or at discounts, but those are the very people who cause most of the problems, so instead of rewarding them, stop them the first time. It's a small inconvenience up front for a lot of convenience down the road. Bullies prey on the weak. First of all, the driver can’t resort to physical force to throw the guy off the bus. He has to wait for his supervisor or security. Second, “I felt totally defiled” WHAT??? A guy asks to break a $5 and refuses to get off the bus. That defiled you? I think that’s a bizarre hyperbole for such a small incident. And I hate to bring up race, but the photo shows a black guy and I hope you’re not assuming it’s a scam just because he’s black. Sounds like he’s just an obnoxious dude who wasn’t thinking ahead or perhaps a first time transit user. Give everyone the benefit of the doubt before you judge them. It’s sad to say though, most people would give 25 cents to an obnoxious dude than teach him a much needed lesson. Loads of people give change to homeless instead of donating to a homeless shelter. It’s easier to throw change at our problems than really address them. If enough people on the bus told him to get off and get change, he would have backed down and left the bus. Scared cowards. Too often bus drivers don’t want to delay the bus so they let people ride free or at discounts, but those are the very people who cause most of the problems, so instead of rewarding them, stop them the first time. It’s a small inconvenience up front for a lot of convenience down the road. Bullies prey on the weak.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Leslie http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1903 Leslie Sat, 21 Mar 2009 20:01:26 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1903 I've been on both sides of this. I was running late for a flight at the Oakland airport and I didn't have the exact change for the airbart, or the bus that takes you from the oakland BART station to the Oakland airport. The bus driver would not wait for me to run into the BART station to use one of their change machines and so I calmly said, "oh what a drag" and began to pay him the money I had, I believe a five dollar bill. This was back when the airbart tickets weren't as expensive as they are now. Before I could insert the bill about five people jumped up and offered me exact change. Is it because I'm a 25 year old white female? Maybe. Is it because I was willing to sacrifice all of the money? Is it because I was polite? I'd like to think so. When I used to live in Chicago a man, who appeared homeless or close to it, pulled the same thing on the bus except he didn't have any money and wanted the passengers to support his entire fare. After about 15 agonizing minutes of a silent standoff a few of us gave quarters just so we could get on our way. The man in the picture above had money, is well dressed enough to obviously not be a street person. He just was hoping he could scam out of this one. It's so weird that people will just give things to other people. We feel like we have to or something. I get asked all the time by people on the street rudely, "do you have another cigarette I could have" No "please" just basically, "I want to have what is yours". I always reach for my purse without thinking until something snaps and I think, "wait a minute I paid for these...he can do the same" I’ve been on both sides of this. I was running late for a flight at the Oakland airport and I didn’t have the exact change for the airbart, or the bus that takes you from the oakland BART station to the Oakland airport. The bus driver would not wait for me to run into the BART station to use one of their change machines and so I calmly said, “oh what a drag” and began to pay him the money I had, I believe a five dollar bill. This was back when the airbart tickets weren’t as expensive as they are now. Before I could insert the bill about five people jumped up and offered me exact change.

Is it because I’m a 25 year old white female? Maybe. Is it because I was willing to sacrifice all of the money? Is it because I was polite? I’d like to think so.

When I used to live in Chicago a man, who appeared homeless or close to it, pulled the same thing on the bus except he didn’t have any money and wanted the passengers to support his entire fare. After about 15 agonizing minutes of a silent standoff a few of us gave quarters just so we could get on our way. The man in the picture above had money, is well dressed enough to obviously not be a street person. He just was hoping he could scam out of this one.

It’s so weird that people will just give things to other people. We feel like we have to or something. I get asked all the time by people on the street rudely, “do you have another cigarette I could have” No “please” just basically, “I want to have what is yours”. I always reach for my purse without thinking until something snaps and I think, “wait a minute I paid for these…he can do the same”

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Correct Change http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1898 Correct Change Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:16:07 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1898 He could have always paid $5 for the ride. I've done that before. He could have always paid $5 for the ride. I’ve done that before.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: phlavor http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1890 phlavor Thu, 19 Mar 2009 17:06:41 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1890 Each of those five people felt it was worth 25 cents to get the hell on with it and thereby got value for their money by moving their day along. Is it right for the guy to hold up other people's day? No. Is his misplaced sense of entitlement wrong? Yes. But who freaking cares? Kicking the guy off the bus wouldn't have made him change his ways and he would have just held the the bus up longer. Call me jaded, but I stopped feeding pigeons a long time ago, and there are still pigeons. Each of those five people felt it was worth 25 cents to get the hell on with it and thereby got value for their money by moving their day along. Is it right for the guy to hold up other people’s day? No. Is his misplaced sense of entitlement wrong? Yes. But who freaking cares? Kicking the guy off the bus wouldn’t have made him change his ways and he would have just held the the bus up longer. Call me jaded, but I stopped feeding pigeons a long time ago, and there are still pigeons.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: bus rider http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1889 bus rider Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:37:07 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1889 um. this is sort of not the reply i'd want to be giving to this. but i've been on these busess when this is going down.. and yea.. so ya'll think the passengers would have ponied up if the guy had been a different race and making a fuss? cause i'm i'm a 6 foot white guy and no one has ever paid my fare when i've only had a five, or been a little short and the bus driver said tough, took what i had and made me walk. a bunch of scared of conflict white folks. um. this is sort of not the reply i’d want to be giving to this. but i’ve been on these busess when this is going down.. and yea.. so ya’ll think the passengers would have ponied up if the guy had been a different race and making a fuss?

cause i’m i’m a 6 foot white guy and no one has ever paid my fare when i’ve only had a five, or been a little short and the bus driver said tough, took what i had and made me walk.

a bunch of scared of conflict white folks.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Michael Baehr http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1888 Michael Baehr Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:35:54 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1888 He shoulda had TransLink. Problem solved! He shoulda had TransLink.

Problem solved!

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Dwight Mengel http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1887 Dwight Mengel Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:18:49 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1887 Do these buses have cameras? I hope so. This was a reportable incident. When the passenger began to verbally abuse the operator, the operator could have started driving the bus, thus molifying the passenger, and notify dispatch to have a supervisor or police meet the bus at a stop further along the route to remove the passenger from the bus. Do these buses have cameras? I hope so. This was a reportable incident.
When the passenger began to verbally abuse the operator, the operator could have started driving the bus, thus molifying the passenger, and notify dispatch to have a supervisor or police meet the bus at a stop further along the route to remove the passenger from the bus.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Steve G http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1886 Steve G Thu, 19 Mar 2009 02:35:36 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1886 I'm an infrequent muni rider, and last time I rode I didn't have quarters. I started putting my second dollar bill in and the driver tried to wave me on, I put it in and told him it was my donation to muni. He laughed so hard...I must have been the first person to knowingly overpay all week. I’m an infrequent muni rider, and last time I rode I didn’t have quarters. I started putting my second dollar bill in and the driver tried to wave me on, I put it in and told him it was my donation to muni. He laughed so hard…I must have been the first person to knowingly overpay all week.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]> By: Holmes http://www.munidiaries.com/2009/03/17/anyone-got-change-for-a-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1885 Holmes Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:26:34 +0000 http://www.munidiaries.com/?p=2083#comment-1885 DanB had it exactly right. The guy never intended to pay. I'm sure he wasn't counting on the driver actually holding him up. DanB had it exactly right. The guy never intended to pay. I’m sure he wasn’t counting on the driver actually holding him up.

Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0

]]>