It's a slow day so far.
- Avoid the Pentagon this weekend.
- Metro adding 16th St. Express bus
- Are Smart Cards a rip off?
- An Examiner column from someone who thinks Metro is "snazzy."
- Look at the vitriolic comments here!
Does anyone out there know what chat room they're talking about?
Just writing in concern to the article you posted on SmarTrip. I have many gripes with Metro, especially whenever I stay over my girlfriends' and have to try and catch a bus in the morning, which has the consistency of a coke addict. But SmarTrip is actually one thing Metro does sort of right. I got a card two years ago, when I was interning, went back to Massachusetts to finish up school and came back down here to work last year. My card has survived a lot, and maybe the new ones are more defective, but I got a card loaded up with some money as a gift this year and it seems to be fine. Understandably it can break, but first off it's $5, which to some people is a lot, I know I'm far from even comfortable and barely have steady employment, but what do you expect for $5. Buy a case if you can't take care of it. As for getting ripped off, it's an electronic device. Just as iTunes isn't responsible if you screw up your hard drive, one cannot reasonably expect Metro to be responsible if you screw up your card. It takes 2 minutes to register your card online, which will resolve any "backup issue." And now that I think of it, Metro was sending out free cards prior to the transfer, so people really have no excuse.
ReplyDeleteStupid people will always complain, this is one of the surprisingly few things Metro seems to do ok. Now if they would just open up more Express Lanes we'd be in business.
Oh the Pentagon station closing is going to be such a huge inconvenience. And its going to go one through Monday so commuters in S Virginia who want to take the Metro into the District have to take a shuttle bus and crap. Can't wait until this is over.
ReplyDeleteFrom "Eric"
ReplyDeleteUnacknowledged by Metro is the downside of their dumb-trip cards.
When [not if] it does dead, you might as well throw it away. They won't replace them at Metro Center sales office.
If, and only of, you have registered it; you can mail it back to their contractor and for another $5, they'll transfer the balance.
If you needed it that day for parking "Sorry, Charlie"...
If you refuse to register it, too bad.
Given people I know replace them every six months or so..... what a great income source this is.....
I know this post is old, but I just stumbled on it...I have had my Smart Trip Card going on 3 years now and it still works fine. I bought one of those wallets with the clear plastic ID holder on the front (not the one Metro sells, one from Target), stuck the card in there and haven't removed it since. No problems...ever.
ReplyDeleteI also know someone who snaps their credit card in half every few months (have yet to have this EVER happen to me)...NEWS FLASH, CARRYING THEM IN YOUR POCKET WILL BREAK ANY PLASTIC CARD!