Though the original post is right, there's one problem. See, it's not terribly hard to disable the damned Metrocard machines. Not hard at all. Easiest way I've seen it done is to prevent a damaged dollar from being returned to you after the machine has taken it. Do that twice and the entire machine will stop accepting bills altogether. The other method is to simply jam some paper, gum, or anything into the bill feed slot. (Saw this one in Queens.) All of these techniques have the effect of preventing you from buying a damned card at all. How, then, short of walking to another station or simply walking to one's destination, do you resolve THIS problem?

I wish they'd just bring back tokens already. Used them for THIRTY YEARS with no problems at all...

what the hell is a good samaritan swipe anyway?

I for one don't believe in the "Good Samaritan" swipe. What logic does it serve? Does it feed anyone?

Do you people, on a near-daily basis, ignore the starving guys with change cups who mumble the standardized "Ladies and Gentlemen..." or the kids who sell candy to pay for their "school basketball uniforms"? And you still do a "Good Samaritan" swipe that does nothing except make a fool out of you?

For those (like those who call yourselves REAL New Yorkers) who advocate breaking the rules, etc. Get real. You guys are the biggest conformists of all because you are the biggest fakers. You get your jollies by petty rebellions--and what the hell are you doing when people like Bush are taking away the bill of rights, and basically destroying this country?

"The Viper Swipers" hahaha!!! now thats the spirit, tabloid name chosen and hilarity ensues, seriously.

You know, with this post the "Jen Chung as irritant" factor has gone up 67%.

Seriously, Jen. Go run LAist. Those SoCal types enjoy that vapid, faux nice-person pedantic bullshit.

everytime i offer a good samaritan swipe the person thinks im trying to scam them, so i leave the metrocard on the swiper and they always chuck it on the floor!! cant win being nice.

I think these guys are the new squeegee's. We need to give them a press friendly name so that the tabloids can cover this urban blight. I suggest "The Viper Swipers"

I'm no fan of the MTA, but these guys are a menace. At my stop there are a bunch of guys who hog the turnstiles day and night "testing" bent metrocards to see which ones will offer up free rides. They can get downright belligerent if you dare to use the vending machine instead of buying a swipe.

All this talk of conformity is juvenile. This is a public safety issue. These guys need a good kick in the ass care of the poh-lice.

Thanks for the cautionary urban tale, Dirk, you sounded like an eagle eyed detective.

I find if amusing, gallows humor mind you, that the conversation drifted straight to playing by the rules or not and overlooked the fact that a person was attacked for the crime of competition. Wonder is the heat is making folks cranky and hence the increased rate of these odd and violent crimes.

At the 175th St on the A train, there was always this guy who tried to sell me "unlimited monthly" Metrocards for some absurdly low price of $30. He'd stand by the machines you use to check how much is left on your card and make his pitch, swiping the card so you could see the expiration date. I never took him up on his offer because it seemed to shady. Well once, I saw him do the pitch and swipe the card. But instead of having an expiration date of a month later, it said something like "$2.00 left". He quickly got flustered and tried to play it off to the potential buy like a mistake.

I watched him closely and I realized what he was doing was palming two Metrocards, a monthly pass and one worth a couple dollars. He would stick the two of them together -- the monthly card with the magnetic strip out and the lower-valued card on front. So when he swiped, the machine would read the monthly, but he'd give you the lower-valued one. So buyer beware...

cindy, the fare hike last year was the result of "cooked books" and totaly corrupt and inept management at the mta.

http://www.transalt.org/press/magazine/032Spring/08mta.html

these guys were also diverting money from the mta and building themselves mansions with our money:

http://independent.gmnews.com/News/2003/1231/Front_Page/001.html

"illegal swipe-sellers first jam or otherwise disable the vending machines at the un-manned entrances"

Bullocks. Don't believe everything you read. Did the MTA tell the reporter that?? Of course they did. Swipers are most common at the biggies, 34th St, 14th, 42nd etc. You think they wait at the Flushing G stop? Numbers, Economics. No, I didn't forget the fair hike, or the token.

Point being, this is a sensational slashing that is being used to corral the minions into the pen. the underground economies of new york are a thriving part of this cities positive side, and negative side, and admonishing folks for breaking out once in a while is, to me, in opposition to the heart of this city. Legality does not infer Morality.

I'm not advocating you drop your monthly and depend on the swipers. I am, however, advocating people - & the Gothamist - get a little spirit in them and dance against the law, swipe against the law, brown bag against the law, bike against the law, and generally act against the law once in awhile. New York has become so sanitized and safe that pieces like this really get my goat.

Yea and economics would tell me that the union is bad, but I'm a big Organized Labor supporter. Point it

A few months ago, the Times had a story about how the illegal swipe-sellers first jam or otherwise disable the vending machines at the un-manned entrances before offering to sell swipes. If people show up without a metrocard, hoping to buy one from the machine, they pretty much HAVE to buy the illegal swipe (they could always go to another entrance, but it's easier to just fork over a few bucks if you're in a hurry). I wouldn't call it "conformist" to discourage people from buying the swipes. It's basic economics! These people are costing the city money in lost revenue AND repair charges. Only the CITY obviously isn't paying the cost -- THE REST OF US ARE [or did you forget the fare hike last year?] It's always a good idea, even if you have the unlimited metrocard, to keep a backup card with a few emergency rides in your wallet.

it's scary to assume that things are illegal that aren't.

the "good samaritan swipe" is legal. (see http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/rules/rules.htm#payment).

so is selling books on the street without a permit. (see first amendment, US Constitution).

i ride the dollar vans in brooklyn, it provides a service that the city cannot, and is, illegal. Cabs are legal, as are livery's, yet rape has been perpped by both, very recently i might add... And how is selling a metro card less innocuous then selling pirated cds on the street (did you forget about the man killed by nypd at the chelsea warehouse over pirated cds). This is sensational crap, and the gothamist is not only covering it, but using it as a talking point for a lecture on conformity.

yeah, jd, and people should use unlicensed buses in Queens where the vans have no insurance and drivers have been charged with raping female customers.

There is a world of difference between relatively innocuous, though technically illegal, commerce (like selling used books, CDs on the street without a permit), and other commerce which causes harm.

oh New Yorkers, Gothamist asks you please, don't service the underground economy, play by the rules. if the caberet says don't dance, then don't dance. if the nice man says please don't, then don't. you nancy pants. gimme a break. Conformists, on the count of three, Conform!! We plead with You! you're the kid who snarls at those who don't automon to their "Creative" job in the "big city". what the hell has NYC become.