Unsuck DC Metro: What Fare Evasion Schemes Have You Seen?

Monday, March 11, 2013

What Fare Evasion Schemes Have You Seen?

From M:

Recently, I at the Archives station, I approached the fare gate to swipe my Metro card, a young man was on the opposite side of the gate. He didn’t look to have a Metro card in his hand and looked as if he was trying to decide how to get around the gate.

At the time I entered the station, only one gate was open for riders to swipe their cards to enter.

At this time, I was the only one approaching to swipe my card.

When I swiped my card and proceeded to walk through the gate, the young man abruptly came to where I was entering. He said, “Excuse me miss” and quickly brushed by me as the turnstile opened and walked quickly toward the escalators to exit the station on Pennsylvania Avenue.

It all happened very suddenly and I was left speechless.

I looked around for a station manager and told them I understood there probably wasn’t anything that he could do about it since the guy had already made it to the escalators.

The station manager told me I was right he could do anything because essentially he had no real authority (ie: no weapon) to stop misbehaving passengers. He said he appreciated me telling him about the skipped fare.

I am female (and I am also petite), and my first thought was it could have been so easy for this guy to snatch my purse. (Believe me I was holding on to it for dear life). Or what if I were carrying my cell phone in my hand (as a lot of people do on the Metro), he could have easily snatched that out of my hand. Or if you have been out shopping and have bags in your hand. Someone could easily snatch your purchases away!

I write this message to encourage everyone who rides the Metro to be careful (AT ALL TIMES) when riding the train. Stay extra vigilant!

Comments (41)

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+21 Vote up Vote down

Veracity · 628 weeks ago

Not sure about fare evasion schemes, but I regularly see performance evasion schemes on the Metro all the time (see Blue/Yellow line this morning).

+2 Vote up Vote down

T. · 628 weeks ago

The most obvious instance I've seen was about a year ago. I was exiting Ballston station during the evening rush. A smaller gentleman edged his way through the crowd, pushed a suit-and-tie-clad man out of the way and proceeded to jump the turnstile in the same fashion as the B-roll photo at the top of this post. About three other people made a beeline for the station manager (who probably wouldn't have done much anyway) so I kept walking, but I couldn't help but think how convenient a MTPD bag check would have been.

I also see a good amount of piggybacking. I've had the privilege of stopping just on the other side of the turnstile so the guy behind me pretending to swipe his imaginary Smartrip card was forced to do a walk of shame.

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Jason · 628 weeks ago

I remember being stuck once with insufficient fare on a paper fare card, no small bills, and the station manager taking FOREVER helping someone at one of the fare machines. So what did I do? I eventually bolted.

I'm not proud of it or anything, but honestly what are you supposed to do at that point? Spend half an hour waiting for a station manager who probably won't even make change for you? It baffles the mind that they never bothered to put credit card readers on the exit fare machines.

1 reply · active 628 weeks ago

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Aaron · 628 weeks ago

You could have had enough money on the card.

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NoNo · 628 weeks ago

"What Fare Evasion Schemes Have You Seen?"
Attractive young women cheering at the station manager while going through the metallic manual gate.
Very common in gallery Place.

+2 Vote up Vote down

Stevey Jones · 628 weeks ago

This reminds me of this thread, from a year and a half ago.
http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2011/10/faregat...

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F'n JD · 628 weeks ago

Take it into your own hands. Start beating faregate jumpers.

1 reply · active 628 weeks ago

+9 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 628 weeks ago

If they are faregate jumpers who are also flashers, should you beat them off?

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Andrew · 628 weeks ago

Used to see fare evasion take place regularly at Takoma Park station. There is an un-manned fare gate on the platform level that leads to an elevator, that goes down to another un-manned entrance. I would see Kids either follow someone through the fare gate or just simply jump the small fence.
At another station, I have had someone else lurking near the faregate, waiting to follow me through the gate before the barriers close. They have to be quick to pull this one off, and usually you notice someone directly up close behind you. By the time you have figured out what is going on, they have hoofed it up the escalator. Now I deliberately wait a second between swiping the card and exiting the turnstile. (I know other riders hate that, sorry.)

2 replies · active 625 weeks ago

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UnSuck Fan · 628 weeks ago

Yes, I've seen the fare evasion at Takoma Park too.

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Guest · 625 weeks ago

The unmanned fare gate in Takoma is frequently non operational. If you find it not operating, you can either go through the gate or go back down the elevator and walk the long way around to the manned gates. I have gone through on occasion and then informed the station manager at my destination station about the problem and then had my card charged. The last time this happened to me, though, the station manager at my destination was no where to be seen (taking a nap maybe?). I waited for him for several minutes, then decided it wasn't worth being late for work to continue waiting for him. Small payback for all the times that Metro has made me late, etc. I do see people just avoid the turnstile sometimes when it is operational, though.

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sbc · 628 weeks ago

sending kids who are way older than 4 through then (even if confronted by the station manager) adamantly arguing about the kids' age. Yeah, lady, you've got a 65lb 3 year old.

4 replies · active 627 weeks ago

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Guest · 628 weeks ago

With our nation's obesity epidemic, I could imagine a three year old being that size.

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woooop · 628 weeks ago

especially a three year old being fed a constant diet of KFC, Bojangles, McDonalds, and whatever other urban cuisine they can get their mitts on.

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White · 627 weeks ago

Because food deserts do not exist in dc.

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MsKat · 628 weeks ago

I've seen a 3 year old that size...but even then they still look and act like a 3 year old...just a really big 3 year old. If the station manager confronted them he or she could tell the kid wasn't 3.

+4 Vote up Vote down

CalmTruth · 628 weeks ago

It happens all of the time at Naylor Road Station. Really don't know why I continue to pay. There are no repercussions to jumping the turnstiles.

+3 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 628 weeks ago

I saw a woman at the Rossyln station (heading down) get off the elevator and just walk right through the closed fare gates without missing a beat. It was almost if the fare gates weren't even there.

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Frank · 628 weeks ago

Columbia Heights sees a ton of piggy backing from teens who push through and then follow someone through. The joke of it is, there are usually one or two metro station employees and a Metro police officer standin right there just shooting the breeze.

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dweebcentric · 628 weeks ago

It happens a lot in the summers when there are more kids out in Chinatown. Sometimes, they'll just blow right through the little entrance gate on the site of the a attendant booth because no one bothers to say anything. Sometimes, it's more subtle - people who stand closely behind you as you swipe your farecard, hoping to get through before the turnstyles closes. I see that one a lot in Greenbelt.

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Guest · 628 weeks ago

I was at Pentagon City a few months ago (during a not very busy time) and as I was entering a friend who I hadn't seen was exiting, so we stood there a moment chatting. Well, the gates didn't close, and so I ended up stepping out of the way so we could chat and catch up. During our conversation four or five people just walked through the open gate without scanning a SmartTrip or a paper fare card (the station manager was oblivious). Not sure what happened to them when they tried to exit the system.

4 replies · active 628 weeks ago

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MsKat · 628 weeks ago

They probably had the 'see station manager' message pop up and couldn't leave.

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dddddda · 628 weeks ago

You know, that brings something up. Others here have mentioned they've gotten fare evasion tickets when they have, in good faith, failed to accurately swipe their cards. Yet, we all do it from time to time, and when not caught by an officer, just go tell the attendant and they fix the card. That's a double standard I don't like. If you are observed obviously tapping a card on the reader, but it doesn't register, you should be given an opportunity to pay the fare before being ticketed. Sure, if the cop grabs you and you've got something other than a smarttrip in your hand, you were obviously trying to be slick and should be ticketed. But if your smarttrip is out and has money on it, you should be allowed to pay and go on your way.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Doctor Whom · 628 weeks ago

A Metrobus driver once accused me of trying to evade the fare after the collection box had accepted my bill but then somehow not registered it.

People wonder why I drive to work now.

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tom · 628 weeks ago

I don't evade paying because I am broke. I'll take a free ride when and wherever I can. I always carry a loaded Smart Trip card and, frankly, I wouldn't skip a fare without it.

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Chris · 628 weeks ago

Here is a crazy one for you.... YEsterday at East Falls Church the station manager was walking the platform asking people to hold up their fare cards and when one guy couldn't show his he took the guy back down stairs. Our train came so I don't know what happened after that but it was the first time in 8 years of riding Metro I had seen anything like it

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dddddda · 628 weeks ago

I used to see a lot of fare evasion at Rhode Island Avenue. Piggybacking, hopping the gate, or even just walking right through the emergency exit. Mostly teens, but some younger children and adults.

But something has changed. I still occasionally see kids hit the bottom of the escalator, see a cop, and turn around to go get off for free elsewhere, but I have not seen much in the way of blatant fare evasion in a while. I caught a guy piggy-backing through the handicapped gate the other day, but that's not exactly a bold maneuver (those things stay open forever). I don't know what's happened, but something has really put a dent in the number of free riders. Whatever has happened there, if Metro had a hand in it, they need to do it EVERYWHERE. Seriously, I could have counted 4 or 5 evaders in a single entrance or exit before, and now it's a rarity.

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Meghan · 628 weeks ago

I've been stopped for accidently piggybacking once or twice during rush hour. I wasn't really paying attention, I'd just step up and swipe my card because there's a line of people behind me waiting to get through the three operating fare gates ... I never did it maliciously, but apparently sometimes the swipe just didn't work or something. I'm more careful about it now.

That said, the best I ever saw was a teenager duck under the fare gate in front of me. No station manager around and really he was pretty slick about it, considering. It was like he was just ducking under a garage door.

1 reply · active 628 weeks ago

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asd · 628 weeks ago

Yeah, I too have been ticketed for accidentally piggybacking one time. My card had stopped working well and I wasn't paying attention. A mistake that cost $50.

And, yeah, I see even more brazen faregate jumping all the time. At GA Ave, seems like everybody just goes through the side door when they feel like it.

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Kym · 628 weeks ago

Jumping the wall at west hyattsville station and walking in behind someone after they use their smart trip.

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Matt · 628 weeks ago

I see people just stroll through the emergency gate all the time. Not employees or cops. Just random extremely ghetto looking punks.

The G-Street weekday morning station manager seems to always be on top of things. He's outside the booth staring down everyone and I feel like he'd chase down and beat anyone skipping his gates. Same with Union, but there are way more people than one manager can watch. But they're out and attentive anyway. This is the exception, not the rule, for most stations...

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MsKat · 628 weeks ago

I have seen fare gate absconders all over the system. When I have one behind me trying to piggyback, I slow way down before I swipe, or stop short right after I get through til the gate closes. I pay my fare, no time for folks who don't.

1 reply · active 628 weeks ago

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guest · 628 weeks ago

had a teenager tailgate me thru the gate once. now i also take my time going thru so it closes directly behind me.

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kkk · 628 weeks ago

I had the exact same experience a few months ago !! I am a petite woman as well and have the exact same concerns as you !

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earmuffs · 628 weeks ago

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen young rapscallions exit the train at Huntington (while being loud and obnoxious on the ride back) strut right through the metal gates without a pass while the station 'attendant' looks on.

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MGI · 628 weeks ago

Sort of a strange article. Someone pushed by you to avoid paying, but they could have robbed you? Seems odd they'd say excuse me to attract your attention to them as they grabbed your purse. Not exactly stealthy.

I suppose I understand the point of where you're coming from to a degree, but what if a lot of things. I do not think it's necessary to sensationalize this by discussing a hypothetical that seems completely disconnected from what actually happened. It's best to stick to what actually happened. The problem here is that people are avoiding paying their fares, whether or not you're a petite female is totally irrelevant.

My girlfriend was robbed of an ipod on a train by someone who ran out as the doors closed, but metro is still moving us forward.

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guest · 628 weeks ago

How far away were u standing from the faregate that you allowed someone to pass in front of you after you paid? I usually have to come to an abrupt stop if my card fails to get read so I don't get why you would trigger the gate that fat away...

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Andrew · 628 weeks ago

Christ you people are unpleasant. Is it really such a big deal? I'm sure all these kids have tons of money. Public transportation should be free anyway. Lax enforcement is actually probably a pretty efficient subsidy mechanism. Rich people don't jump turnstiles.

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LeapFrog-MetroFrog · 627 weeks ago

Considering the discontent, I don't see why we're not offering good tips on how to avoid paying.
If you have the balls to do it, good for you. I won't be stopping any piggybackers --feel free! If I'm going to pay a fare that's (in my opinion) twice what is fair, then why shouldn't I and a stranger get an almost fair deal? (even still, we may both pay with our lives) I'd even allow someone who asked to piggyback--I very much doubt anyone will ever be charged with conspiracy to avoid paying metro fare (or is aiding and abetting more appropriate? I'm no fancy suit-wearing lawyer).
Why so bitter about people not giving money to WMATA? I'm more bitter about the organization that feeds the beast--even as a damn liberal I can recognize when the gubbmint is at fault.

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Dan Stesslehole · 627 weeks ago

I forget where, there was a fare gate on the platform for the elevator which was a long ways away from the station manager. Several "youths" jumped the gate and got on the elevator

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Trent · 611 weeks ago

Piggybacking happens all the time at the Suitland station. Gansta teens will walk right behind you as you exit the fare gate so they don't have to pay.