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jg10003

(976 posts)
Thu Apr 7, 2016, 01:59 PM Apr 2016

Poll: Subway tokens were so much better then cards.

You just reached into your pocket, found the coin with the hole in the middle, and dropped in the slot. It worked every time. No taking out your wallet in public, no swiping again and again, no wondering how much was left on the card, and tokens don't get damaged. Simplicity is good. Sometimes technology makes things worse.


8 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
Of course tokens were better then cards.
8 (100%)
You're an old fart, cards are much better
0 (0%)
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Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll
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Poll: Subway tokens were so much better then cards. (Original Post) jg10003 Apr 2016 OP
How about prox cards? northernsouthern Apr 2016 #1
pretty soon they'll have you using your friggen phone to scan a qr code tymorial Apr 2016 #2
Metro cards are better for the free transfers. hrmjustin Apr 2016 #3
Better then cards what? scscholar Apr 2016 #4
You can't use slugs for a metrocard. rug Apr 2016 #5
Wonder what they did with all those tokens? SummerSnow Apr 2016 #6
Could never figure why the MTA... Historic NY Apr 2016 #7
How does London do it? jg10003 Apr 2016 #8
Old Fart here - LiberalElite Apr 2016 #9
 

northernsouthern

(1,511 posts)
1. How about prox cards?
Thu Apr 7, 2016, 02:07 PM
Apr 2016

I know they can go bad, but the idea of just moving your card over and not having to swipe seems easier, but I guess the issue could be it can be stolen since they rely on sending a signal, but it mist be good because all of our big companies use them like Microsoft, Google,Amazon, etc.

tymorial

(3,433 posts)
2. pretty soon they'll have you using your friggen phone to scan a qr code
Thu Apr 7, 2016, 02:09 PM
Apr 2016

Or a friggen chip that you have to stick in a slot and then proceed to wait 5 minutes for the transaction to end.

LiberalElite

(14,691 posts)
9. Old Fart here -
Wed Apr 13, 2016, 05:18 PM
Apr 2016

for one thing, you don't necessarily have to take your wallet out in public. I keep mine in my purse AT ALL TIMES and the card in a separate pocket in my purse. I do not keep it with the phone. Not sure what you're complaining about here - where to keep the card or the payment? Or both? Put it somewhere else besides your wallet.

As for "wondering how much was left on the card" all you have to do is take a second to look at the screen on the turnstile or the fare collection box on the bus and it tells you, unless it's an unlimited and you'd have enough on it for a month anyway.

Tokens don't get damaged - but they do get lost. Nothing is perfect, not even a subway token.

What'll you whine about when they switch from the cards to some sort of "contactless" payment - which is planned in the next couple of years.

i ride NYC Transit at least 10 times a week and the number of times I've had to swipe the card more than once is extremely small.

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