Because that's a normal thing for people in the hospital for clinical depression to do.

Like I said, trolls gonna troll.

Trolls going to troll, I get it.

But he hasn't "disappeared" for weeks. He isn't Mark Sanford. He's in the hospital. https://www.inquirer.com/politics/pennsylvania/john-fetterman-depression-hospital-return-soon-senate-pennsylvania-20230324.html

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It took all of 5 seconds to Google that. If you're going to argue he isn't fit to serve, fine, but don't bullshit and gaslight all of us by saying he disappeared and if Oz would do a better job.

But again, trolls will troll.

It's hard to have a conversation with posters like you that continually argue in bad faith.

Paging Roman Mars.

Are they serious with this line?

As you can see in the video below, this 100-year flood completely covered the area where this project is proposed, so we hope that folks have good flood insurance if they’re planning on keeping their car in the underground parking area.

All fair points. These are all fair and legit questions and we should all think about them. I’ll present you with this thought experiment.

Your out-of-town friend says he’s coming to Philly for a week - part business and part pleasure. So his employer is paying for some of his meals and some of his stay, but not all. So his share…how is he paying for it? That’s easy and you don’t bat an eye - cash or card. Basically anywhere you go (Dirty Franks aside) will take a card, and everywhere will take cash.

But now, try to explain to him how he can use a bus, a train or a subway. It’s complicated! Sure the SEPTA key is fairly easy, but it’s still a barrier to using the system. How much should he load onto the card? Why can’t he just use cash in a train? Or can you but only the exact fare? It’s a bit confusing if you’re an out of towner to use - heck, it might be confusing if you’re in Philly and only use SEPTA once or twice a year.

Now reverse the situation. You go visit your friend in another city. Do you have any idea how you’re supposed to pay for transit in this city? Do they take cards? Do they take Apple Pay? Do you need a SEPTA Key equivalent? Can you pay on the train/subway/bus?

Why is public transit one of the few services that’s not always intuitive how to pay for it? Again, any hotel and (most) restaurants will take a credit card. You can go to a restaurant in another city and 99 out of 100 times you can pay with a credit card. And any Uber you take is tied a card. But transit? Well, it’s a more complicated and no two cities are exactly alike.

Fares are a barrier in more ways than just financial. The complexity of fares is a barrier to ridership.

I’m sorry for your grandparents, truly.

I don’t know the answer but free transit pilot programs in other cities seem to be working. We should try them here. We should try to make the system work better for people and that shouldn’t always be enforcement. If free transit means the buses and trains run on time because boarding and deboarding is more efficient, and it’s safer for drivers and passengers because there’s no issues with people not paying, I think we should explore that. If free transit means more people use the system because it’s now convenient and less expensive than driving, I think we should explore that.

No. For years me or my now wife took the train every day for work. But the pandemic changed that and we both work from home.

Right now we have two cars but would absolutely get rid of one if 1) SEPTA was more accessible (meaning more trains, my lines, more service, etc.) and 2) this area was more bike friendly and invested more in bike infrastructure. We are pro-transit and pro-bike.

Everyone is going to dislike this, but this is why you make it free. With free transit, now EVERYONE boards without paying and the bus driver does his job and drives! You can also board from both doors!

Boston did this and found that buses that with free fares ran increased ridership and actually decreases travel times, because boarding and de-boarding was smooth.

Years ago I was on a regional rail that had to stop at the station and wait for police to remove a guy that didn’t pay. We waited for at least 10 minutes. Everyone had a worse experience and service up and down the line was impacted because SEPTA had to enforce the fare. If we made it free, there would have been no reason to stop! We would have continued service on time.

Well that’s a depressing and heartbreaking mentality. The solution to jumping the turnstile will be…hard time? Come on.

OP is pitching a solution, yes, but it’s a bandaid solution for something that isn’t inherent SEPTA’s fault.

So we implement these changes, and now more unhoused people are sleeping in stations or on the street. That’s somehow better? It’s not. Stop pretending it’s better.

I mean I guess it “solves” SEPTA’s problems but now it’s shifted to someone else. It doesn’t solve the problem at all - just shifts who is responsible for it.

So what’s the solution? Just make it harder to pay? That doesn’t work either. It’s not working now. People in this thread admit it doesn’t work.

So what’s the solution? It’s not lock people up willy nilly either.

We should try to solve problems! I’m not saying we shouldn’t try.

One way we try trying something new. Like free transit.

So people are riding for free now. And transit police don’t do anything.

Sounds like we need drastic change, not more of the same. Because the current system clearly isn’t working. So how do you propose making it cleaner and safer under the current system? Rely on the same Transit cops and unsuccessful solutions in place and…hope for the best?

We do have transit police.

The choice could be, stop spending money on enforcing fairs (how much diD SEPTA KEY cost?) and hire social workers and actually try to help people? Do outreach to these individuals and get them help, if they choose to take it.

Honestly, here’s what I don’t get. I could pay to get on the BSL right now and ride it for hours right? What’s stopping me from doing that?

100% agree with you. But paying customers can attack you! Are we going to stop intoxicated people from riding too? I’m sure they could cause some unpleasantries too!

But that’s not fully SEPTA’s failure - it’s society’s failure! SEPTA can’t solve homelessness or mental health issues.

Good idea, force the unhoused and people with mental health challenges back on the street, so now the Reddit can complain that there are more people sleeping on the sidewalk. I’m sure enforcing fares will magically make these problems go away.

We should make it free, full stop.

The fact that un-housed people and people with mental health and drug addiction issues are “making SEPTA bad” isn’t SEPTA’s failure. It’s society’s failure. Even if you did all of this…these individuals are still going to ride the subway and buses and regional rail. People will find a way to use SEPTA. So the question is; what are we going to do to help these people? The issue isn’t enforcing fares. The issue runs deeper than SEPTA. SEPTA can’t fix this and enforcing fares isn’t going to either.

Make SEPTA free because there are other benefits. We should be looking at what Boston did with their pilot program. We should be investing in alternative modes of transportation that aren’t cars. We should make driving more expensive. But in the meantime, we should make SEPTA 100% free because it benefits a heck of a lot of people.

Just make transit free!

Right. We took up a bunch of carpet last year and the township we live in gladly took it, as long as we cut it down to the size they asked. But I did, put it on the curb and the next day it was gone. No extra fees, no special pick up, etc.

I have family in Washington state. They give you one garbage can and I think if you want another one, you have to pay for it, and then for the pick up of that garbage can. I always looked at it and said, what if you host Thanksgiving dinner and generate more trash than normal? You're just paying extra to host, I guess.

Are your taxes low? And is this just a tax called a fee?

This is true. Ridge is a good bet.

Park down the hill and walk to your car, if you’re able. But really, don’t drive unless you absolutely have to.

Those David Auto commercials might be the most local commercials I've ever seen.

If only the Jefferson patients turned to the camera and said, "And we watched Jim on Action News after my surgery."

MAKE TRANSIT FREE AND BUILD MORE OF IT.