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We have to thank WCBS 2 for reminding us of what we know already: sometimes when you swipe your Metrocard and it says "Swipe Again At This Turnstile," it has already deducted a fare, though the turnstile will not let you through. And that hurts, especially after turnstile groin and/or torso injuries. Not to mention the fact that they just took your money.
According to the news report, the MTA apparently does not even bother denying this, claiming that its poor, 12-year old turnstiles sometimes can't read the magnetic stripe and the "swipe again" message means "a fare may or may not have been deducted." Funny how it never seems to work in your favor, does it? And funny how the reader works well enough to deduct the fare from the card, but not well enough to open the turnstile for you.
City Comptroller candidate John Liu wins some brownie points on this issue, stating the obvious, "The MetroCard system has been less than reliable for a long time," being part of a general system of an "MTA unaccountable for their overall finances."
Official MTA policy is that if you feel that you have been charged in error, you should bring the metrocard to the attention of a token booth clerk, though of course there are no guarantees, and often you don't realize you have been charged. You get the sense that the MTA is big enough to get away with it, and that's about all.
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This happens to me almost EVERY TIME i swipe my card at a turnstile. I only caught on once i began noticing my card saying insufficient fare when I knew for FACT that I had at least 1 fare left.
In fact this just happened to me yesterday, the grumpy booth clerks always give me attitude about this.
MTA= useless
Booth Clerks= complete waste of resources.
rarely happens to me, but when it does it's because i flubbed the swipe. never takes my money, though. i think you're all lying.
in any event, i don't understand the disconnect between not letting you through and knowing which account to deduct from.
when are we just going to get bank card readers like they have at all of the fast-food restaurants?
I don't trust the MTA charging my bank account.
To add, they've overcharged me 3 separate times when I've used the metrocard machines.
Strictly cash purchases for me.
I got charged $5 for a ride on the M15 bus back in May when it should have only been $2. I told the driver and he reset the fare box. Nobody else complained after that.
A friend of mine that owns a steakhouse told me a story a few years ago. The chef added a new vegetable, French Green Beans, to the menu, it was supposed to $7. Whoever programmed it into the computer screwed up and it was billed at $17 . It wasn't until the 4th guy that ordered it complained that it was corrected. If you suspect turnstile fraud, read your card's balance before entering and make a not of it. There are ways of learning what your charges were and question it.
this is a total CRIME - it would be easy to check if this message was displayed and if so not charge the card twice. Its a CRIME people - A CRIME. Not a mistake that this is allowed to happen.
Um, if you ever have to ask yourself, "is this some great conspiracy or are they really that stupid," they're really that stupid.
This has happened to me many times when I have one fare left. I keep swiping and swiping and then there it shows up the insufficient fare message. I have to go back tell the guy at the booth and he lets me through. If there is nobody at the booth or the line is too long I have to add money and then call up the MTA to get my money back.
What I do now to avoid all that is making sure I don't have one fare left on the metrocard.
"Official MTA policy is that if you feel that you have been charged in error, you should bring the metrocard to the attention of a token booth clerk"
If you can find one.
I don't understand why they couldn't do like the Path train or the London Tube and buy turnstiles that grab the card, process it and then return it. I knew from the moment they chose the "swiping" turnstiles that it would be a nightmare.
This sh*t happened to me on Friday, I'm from NJ and was meeting some friends the friggin thing took two fares from me.
Also: if you have insufficient funds for a bus fare—say $1.00 remaining on the Metrocard—the box takes it without telling you. Using another Metrocard immediately after will cost you another $2.25. Figured this out when I checked the balance of a Metrocard that I knew for sure had money left over (from the stupid fractional bonuses). Thieves.
I was pretty certain the same thing happened to me about two weeks ago on a bus, but I wasn't a careful enough accountant to know for sure. Hearing your story confirms my suspicion. Automated systems like metrocards remove all accountability - no one is responsible for anything - which is what allows for this kind of abuse.
It's a pain but just buy one metrocard with one fare on it. This is how to screw with the MTA avoid being overcharged.
Then you are just loosing your %15 bonus and creating a lot of paper waist.
Oh yeah, this has happened to me many times, in both the tall turnstiles and the regular ones. I am admittedly not the greatest swiper in the world, but if it can't open the turnstile, why the FUCK can it take money from the card??? If I go find someone and complain they'll usually let me in, but that is of course assuming I'm say, not trying to get to a job interview on time, in which case I'm not going to bother.
just get an unlimited card, and you dont have to worry about how many times it charges you.
Not true. I have swiped my unlimited, gotten the "swipe again" message, and been told I just used my card. I had to go above ground and walk to another entrance to find someone at a booth.
The MTA can kiss my fucking ass.
This happens (or at least used to a few months ago) constantly at the 43rd Street/Broadway entrance/exit of the Times Square station, where there are no MTA employees present. The turnstiles were worked on many times during the 2 years I used this station, and whatever they did never seemed to take, as the line to swipe in would stretch up the stairs and outside because of the constant "Swipe Again" messages.
Once, infuriated at the stolen swipe it took from my unlimited card and refusing to wait 20 minutes to swipe in again, I had my boyfriend open the emergency door for me (he had miraculously gotten through). Moments later I was stopped by MULTIPLE undercover cops monitoring the entrance. It seemed completely ridiculous to me -- heavy police monitoring of a turnstile that NEVER WORKS. Thankfully, once I explained this to the cops they let me go.
We'd better send Arthur Chi'en to investigate...
I don't think anybody is being "ripped off" That would imply a conspiracy. With millions of swipes a day, there is bound to be problems. I use metrocards and have had a few and they have always been resolved.
Why not switch to a simple system where you buy small coin-like items, each of which indicates the fare for a single ride, and just put one in each time you have to enter the system? A physical fare indicator, or "token," would let you know for certain whether or not your fee had been taken.
These swipe cards seem so archaic.
I've lived in NYC for 29 years and I rarely take the MTA buses and trains. Screw them. They're not getting my money.
In Manhattan I take my two wheels, outside, I drive my four wheels.
Hey, the PATH system seems to work fine. They have this magic card reader that deducts one ride without making contact. In fact, if you don't have too many swipe cards in your wallet, you won't even have to take out your card.
It looks like an RFID.
I'm glad I have an Unlimited. I never have these types of problems.
I hope they switch to the electronic card system soon. This swipe thing is getting old.
They need to switch over to RFID. Like yesterday.
Better yet, lets all get chipped!
/sarcasm off...
regardless how fucked up the mta or the metrocard system is, i've seen people with metrocard like it was folded into a paper airplane and then unfolded to attempt to gain entry to the system. i mean, keep the card straight, do it in one constant motion. i've never had a problem myself. the people jamming up the turnstiles are either clueless tourists or people who always complains but never try to find a workaround for themselves.
"The MetroCard system has been less than reliable for a long time"
??????
Do you realize how many millions of people reliably get through the turnstiles every day?
Welcome to the brain of our new comptroller.
Cool story,bro
The AirTrain at JFK has the system where it takes your card, lets you through, and you get it on the other side. This technology is clearly available and already exists even for MetroCards, but I'd imagine they'll need to raise fares again just to pay for replacing the existing swipe machines.
this only started happening to me very recently - I have an unlimited card so money doesn't get deducted but I'll swipe it 20 times getting "Swipe Again At This Turnstile" and then on the 21st time it will say "Just Used" and won't let me go through at all! Sooo annoying during the morning rush. (not to mention the fact that I look like a newbie who can't swipe their metro card correctly)