Ticket inspectors avoid checking fares out of fear
Inspectors avoid fining aggressive passengers for fear of assaults. The cost of fare evasion outweighs the fines, and their authority has faded.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Metro inspectors who would rather not collect the fare
The image of a metro inspector assaulted after asking a passenger for a ticket has become a familiar one. The latest known case: an inspector was punched and bitten by two men, forcing him to undergo HIV testing for months. The attacker also accused him of a prejudiced attitude and managed to get him sentenced to fifteen days of house arrest. After the incident, the inspector started carrying a taser, until a security officer warned him to remove it.
The cost of fare evasion
Public transport companies face a dilemma: the revenue from fines does not offset the risk of violence. At some stations, paying passengers are few and far between. Inspectors, with no real means of enforcement, choose not to demand tickets from those they see as potentially troublesome. A recurring argument: "They are not there to risk their lives with lowlifes".
A problem of authority
The situation recalls Germany, where inspectors also avoid confrontations. The debate over lost authority intersects with that of integration and compliance with rules. Meanwhile, paying travellers subsidise those who do not. Some long for the past: in the late nineteenth century, inspectors carried guns.
The unsettling figure
The transport company would rather absorb the loss than pay for security costs. But the problem is not just economic: it is the signal that the law of the strongest has taken over public transport.
The image of a metro inspector assaulted after asking a passenger for a ticket has become a familiar one. The latest known case: an inspector was punched and bitten by two men, forcing him to undergo HIV testing for months. The attacker also accused him of a prejudiced attitude and managed to get him sentenced to fifteen days of house arrest. After the incident, the inspector started carrying a taser, until a security officer warned him to remove it.
The cost of fare evasion
Public transport companies face a dilemma: the revenue from fines does not offset the risk of violence. At some stations, paying passengers are few and far between. Inspectors, with no real means of enforcement, choose not to demand tickets from those they see as potentially troublesome. A recurring argument: "They are not there to risk their lives with lowlifes".
A problem of authority
The situation recalls Germany, where inspectors also avoid confrontations. The debate over lost authority intersects with that of integration and compliance with rules. Meanwhile, paying travellers subsidise those who do not. Some long for the past: in the late nineteenth century, inspectors carried guns.
The unsettling figure
The transport company would rather absorb the loss than pay for security costs. But the problem is not just economic: it is the signal that the law of the strongest has taken over public transport.
Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (11 replies).
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