So, last night, when I got out of my ride at French Hill, Givat HaMivtar, I was all prepared to pay. With my trusty money-filled card I boarded the train.
Yes, you guessed it. It didn't fit in the slot. I tried all sorts of methods and angles and nothing worked, nothing at all. Was I going to be fined/ticketed?
Of course, this being Israel, I quickly got help.
Could it be that he hadn't paid? My unofficial helper didn't know what to do either.
Finally, at the next stop, I saw people entering and paying.
You just have to flash your card's symbol at the machine's symbol and it "clicks" as paid.
After I sat down across from a young woman, I mentioned how complicated the paying is until you're shown what to do.
"Pay? You don't have to pay. Isn't the train free?"
Call me a fri'yer, sucker, but I did pay. I wonder how many other train passengers still don't have their "Rav-Kav" cards and won't get them until they're caught... by the phantom staff that's supposed to be assisting and policing.
4 comments:
Batya, they do enforce. When I was on the light rail yesterday, I too had difficulty paying until somebody showed me how. A few minutes later, a man in uniform came along and asked to see my card -- but at first I didn't know what he meant because he didn't specify that he wanted to see my Rav Kav -- it sounded like he wanted some other sort of proof of payment. Finally I took out my card and he held it against some kind of magnetic reader, which told him that I'd paid.
Rahel, maybe they don't work full-time.
I got a chofshi chodshi because I use the train at least twice a day... if you can't afford it - don't ride it!
DB, the train cost the same as the bus and the system is one, so if you're going to pay for the bus, then pay for the train.
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