Maybe I'm just a sucker...
So I was on the train today, riding home from the university, when the transit cops got on. I know, I know, they prefer to be called 'Peace Officers', but regardless of their name, their job is to check if people have paid their fares. Usually every time I'm on the train, someone has "neglected" to pay and they get hauled off and taken to jail without passing "go" or collecting their $200.
Or something along those lines. Maybe the jail part isn't legit. But then again, maybe it is. Either way, I always pay so I won't have to find out the hard way. :P
Anyway, today I was on the train, sitting across from an old lady. She had on very threadbare clothes, but she didn't smell like she was homeless or anything.... just poor and eldery. So when the transit cops asked to see our passes, I showed them mine and the old lady pulled out her ticket. However, it was unvalidated.
(Side note: you have to time stamp your pre-purchased tickets to validate them before getting on transit. End side note.)
This officer told her that it was not valid and therefore she was travelling without having paid and would need to pay a fine. This poor lady looked so confused. She stammered that she had a ticket and pointed to it again. The officer repeated what he said about it being unvalidated. The old lady was so concerned and said that she didn't know how to do that.
Long story short, the officer didn't let her off with just a warning. He wrote up the ticket, which is over a hundred dollars from what I heard as I eavesdropped, and didn't even care that she looked like she could barely afford food.
I really wish I had money so I could have given some to her.
Anyway, maybe I'm just a sucker, but I think in a situation like that, I would let her off without a ticket. I know, I know, maybe she knew full well that she had to pay and chose not to the way so many other people do, but deep down I felt sorry for her. I would have let her go.
I understand that rules are made so that we have order and safety and so on, but on top of the rules we need to have compassion.
Justice versus mercy.
In this case, I would have chosen mercy. Shame on you, transit cop, for doing your job without being a little more kind.
Sigh.
Rant over.
Have a great day! :)
Or something along those lines. Maybe the jail part isn't legit. But then again, maybe it is. Either way, I always pay so I won't have to find out the hard way. :P
Anyway, today I was on the train, sitting across from an old lady. She had on very threadbare clothes, but she didn't smell like she was homeless or anything.... just poor and eldery. So when the transit cops asked to see our passes, I showed them mine and the old lady pulled out her ticket. However, it was unvalidated.
(Side note: you have to time stamp your pre-purchased tickets to validate them before getting on transit. End side note.)
This officer told her that it was not valid and therefore she was travelling without having paid and would need to pay a fine. This poor lady looked so confused. She stammered that she had a ticket and pointed to it again. The officer repeated what he said about it being unvalidated. The old lady was so concerned and said that she didn't know how to do that.
Long story short, the officer didn't let her off with just a warning. He wrote up the ticket, which is over a hundred dollars from what I heard as I eavesdropped, and didn't even care that she looked like she could barely afford food.
I really wish I had money so I could have given some to her.
Anyway, maybe I'm just a sucker, but I think in a situation like that, I would let her off without a ticket. I know, I know, maybe she knew full well that she had to pay and chose not to the way so many other people do, but deep down I felt sorry for her. I would have let her go.
I understand that rules are made so that we have order and safety and so on, but on top of the rules we need to have compassion.
Justice versus mercy.
In this case, I would have chosen mercy. Shame on you, transit cop, for doing your job without being a little more kind.
Sigh.
Rant over.
Have a great day! :)
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