Why don’t those machines function correctly?
There’s seems to be about a 1 in 4 chance that the Max train’s ticket machine will be broken in one way or another such that I am unable to purchase a ticket. When I look at the screen and see the words “Dollar Bills Not Accepted” flashing, all I can do is shrug, and just jump on the next train.
I’ve done that before, and will likely do that again. But yesterday was the first time I’ve ever jumped aboard the Max after being unable to buy a ticket where the Fare Inspectors were on board (they’ve switched their predictable schedules away from “Fridays and alternate Mondays and Wednesdays). I caught my eye to them immediately upon boarding and told them “The Machine’s broken. It won’t accept dollar bills.”
Such was the scene that they went down the aisle, looked at everyone’s fare, and came to me and decided to lead me off the train and have me purchase the ticket at the next stop. That’s fine by me, of course, but what annoyed me was this statement.
“We don’t normally let people do that, but…”
Which begs the question for me, “What? Do you generally just give people the whatever amount the fine is as punishment for the city’s machines not functioning correctly?” Or “Am I supposed to thank you for such a thing?”
It’s all part of the lousy fates of the Universe, I suppose.