What do you guys think about other students buying and selling U-passes. I don't really see why this would be needed, since every student at SFU should have one, but there are a few people who sell them. Do you think it's wrong or illegal?
I have a buddy who looks like his brother. His bro gives him his U-Pass as a birthday present, then pays the 20 bucks or whatever for a replacement, saying he lost his. They both then use the same U-Pass, since they both look like the picture. Not that most drivers check the picture anyway.
Problem is, the U-Pass claimed to be lost is expired in some central repository somewhere, and that actually gets beamed out to all the ticket machines, so if a bus driver ever gets suspicious about an "invalid pass" it can be confiscated. Granted, with all-door boarding on the 135, 145 and B-line, chances are slim, but.... y'know.
It may be illegal but I don't think it's wrong. I haven't paid for transit for years but recently had to: taking the bus got twice as expensive in the last few years. I say if you can sell it and don't need it, then do it. Usually it's people who don't go to SFU/UBC who end up buying them and drivers hardly ever check the picture. One really does the person a favour by selling him/her the pass. I even saw advertisements of U-Passes for sale a while ago with the owner's descriptions on them (e.g. U-Pass for sale Asian male $100; U-Pass for sale white female $100, etc.). True, there is the risk of being caught and having it relinquished but this risk is too minimal to be mindful of.
In the end, transit almost seems to create incentive for the "illegal" sale of U-Passes: prices are just too high for people to afford paying for transit legitimately.
I'm not even sure the skytrain cops can read, period.
One of them asked me for my ticket last summer, and I gave him my Upass which was at least 4 months expired. He stared at it for a good 30 seconds. Then he gave it back and continued on. Somehow he missed the giant "APRIL 07" printed on the front.
I think it's wrong to take advantage of the U-Pass program like that. I remember the days when it didn't exist, and even though we pay for it through our tuition, I consider it a priviledge that allows me to get around. The transit system in Vancouver is great, and I think that it is even more great that they'd allow students to go anywhere they want for such a small fee...I hope everyone is going to vote tomrrow at the UPass referendum.
Translink police? Are you saying there are police officers that get hired and then go undercover just to catch fare evaders? Like there aren't bigger issues out there
In the end, transit almost seems to create incentive for the "illegal" sale of U-Passes: prices are just too high for people to afford paying for transit legitimately.
Works great for asians, cause they all look alike anyway. Those bus-drivers and skytrain cops can never tell the difference.
That is somewhat true haha. I'm asian myself...and I can't see how all asians are alike, but if you compare the hairstyles and such, then we'd all look alike.
Comments
In the end, transit almost seems to create incentive for the "illegal" sale of U-Passes: prices are just too high for people to afford paying for transit legitimately.
One of them asked me for my ticket last summer, and I gave him my Upass which was at least 4 months expired. He stared at it for a good 30 seconds. Then he gave it back and continued on. Somehow he missed the giant "APRIL 07" printed on the front.
And M_B... ^__________^
I'll totally need it this summer.