Terminals

It's starting to get kind of Terminatoresque over here. First my bank account then the MobileMe and now the New York City MTA.

A while ago, in the name of cost cutting, the MTA automated a number of their stations. Then, slowly and quietly they made some stations financially automated but with a station agent available for information and emergencies. Both of the stations I use on work days are like that. It means that if you want to buy a metrocard to get on the train you need to use a machine. There is a human being in the station but that person has no way to sell you a metrocard directly, all they can do is teach you how to use the machine. Now, there's a cash option and an ATM/Credit option but it's still all automated.

I hadn't thought about one particular eventuality and it seems that the MTA hadn't either. Today all the ATM/Credit options citywide went down. It's a computer network, right? It's no big surprise that it might go down completely, right? Guess who has no back up option?

So today I rode for free both to and from work but I was charged for two separate one month metrocards because I attempted purchase twice. Still waiting to see how that pans out.

Where's Linda Hamilton when you need her?