Muscovites argue over transport fines and inspectors' work
Muscovites vividly discussed a fine issued to a passenger.
Recently, a photographer from MSK1.RU had an unpleasant experience on a tram. Over several hours, he had taken many trips for work and at the end of the day forgot to immediately tap his card. Seeing an inspector, he corrected the mistake, but it was too late. The result was a 5,000 ruble fine (approx. $56). Although the photographer had a valid «Troika» (Moscow transport card) paid for a month in advance.
A sign at one of Moscow«s bus stops.
This story sparked heated debates among our readers. We publish the most interesting opinions.
«Idiocy!»
Some were perplexed by the story because there was no malicious intent, and the fare was ultimately paid.
«Idiocy. A violator is someone who doesn»t want to pay,« a site visitor remarked.
«But if you pretend you forgot or your hand can»t reach the validator, then you«re not a violator. Like, I want to pay, but I can»t. Ha-ha!« retorted another anonymous user.
Someone recalled similar stories. One reader claims a student was fined for not having documents confirming her eligibility for a discounted fare, even though social cards are not given out to just anyone.
«An inspector fined my daughter for not having a student ID, even though she had a Muscovite card with a photo and her passport. They didn»t issue her a Muscovite card before she got her student ID in the first place,« a MSK1.RU reader said indignantly.
When should you pay the fare?
Some participants in the discussion wondered what to do if, for objective reasons, you cannot pay the fare right away. It«s often hard to reach the validator in a crowd.
«And where does it say in black and white that I have to rush to the payment terminal immediately? Sometimes you can»t even raise your arm in a crush, and the terminals aren«t always nearby either,» writes a MSK1.RU reader.
In response, others recalled that validators have been «acting up» lately.
«They also decline transactions, and they take a very long time to read the »Troika«,» another guest agreed.
There were also those who objected. Some believe there is no problem with this.
«According to the rules, a fare dodger is someone who hasn»t paid by the next stop. There are validators at every door, and the «can»t raise your arm in a crush« thing is a fairy tale from Soviet times,» writes another anonymous user.
But in practice, inspectors fine those who haven«t paid »upon entry.« This led to a dispute with the previous opinion.
«These are your assumptions. There is no such clause in the rules for ground transport. At the time of the inspection, the fare had been paid; the inspector should be prosecuted for overstepping their authority,» another reader explained.
Why tap a card if you have a monthly pass?
Some didn«t understand the point of tapping a card if a person has paid for a monthly pass.
«By the way, the situation with unlimited and social passes is truly legally illiterate. All trips are paid for in advance, they»ve received their billions, and then they also fine you because the person with the prepaid pass didn«t run to the validator and touch it,» a reader wondered.
And this is not the only question on this topic in the comments.
«What is the necessity based on? Insurance? In my opinion, it would be simpler to exempt passengers with passes from having to do this. Unfortunately, what»s happening with public transport in Moscow only causes negativity for me personally. I already try to avoid using ground transport unnecessarily when possible. Although the metro is no better,« another anonymous user fumed.
Meanwhile, Moscow«s Department of Transport reminded everyone of the fare payment rules: the travel card must be topped up in advance, and the card must be tapped immediately upon entry, even for short trips. If the validator doesn»t show payment, you must try another one. It«s important to make sure the green checkmark lights up.
In addition, you must tap even a prepaid pass on a transport or social card. And if you are holding a social card, you must have a document confirming your eligibility for the benefit with you.
«All funds go toward renewing the fleet, launching routes, and developing modern services. Furthermore, it helps correctly calculate transport load and distribute it more efficiently. Also, a paid fare guarantees an insurance payout in case of an emergency. I thank all conscientious passengers,» explained the head of Moscow«s Department of Transport, Maxim Liksutov.
Earlier we published a story about how an inspector on a Moscow tram took a bank card from a mother with two children and didn«t return it. The reason was that the woman with the stroller didn»t pay the fare immediately upon boarding.
