I am outraged at the SF Muni and their adoption of the TransLink
card. Soon, there are certain bus lines that will only accept the
TransLink card during rush hour... you won't be able to ride the bus
except with one of these evil devices.
So, what's my outrage?
I spent most of today trying to obtain a TrankLink card for my
kids. I read on the TransLink site that the youth cards
had to be obtained in person rather than at the normal retail
outlets.
So, I took my kids downtown figuring I could buy a card at a Muni
station, but no dice. Most of the folks in the Muni stations had
no clue. Finally, somebody pointed me to Golden Gate Transit in
the Ferry Building, so off we went to the Ferry Building.
We find the right booth to buy the pass. Now, my kids are in
kindergarten. There's no question that they are youths and are
elegible for youth discounts. In fact, most Muni drivers say,
"These kids look too young to pay." My response is, "Muni rules
say that 5 year olds pay and we follow rules in our family."
So, I ask for 2 youth passes. The woman behind the counter
says, "give me their birth certificates and we'll give you the youth
passes." I say, "that's a joke, right? Look at them, do
they look anywhere near 16 or 18 or whatever the cutoff age is?"
She responds, "Our policy is that we only issue youth cards with a
birth certificate."
We've had to show the kids' birth certificates for their social
security cards and for entrance to school. We did not have to
produce birth certificates for library cards, health insurance, so I'm
wondering what is going on here. I ask for a supervisor.
I talk to the supervisor and he tells me, "It is our policy that you
need a birth certificate to obtain a youth TransLink card." Me:
"Why? Do these kids look like they're too old for the
card?" Him: "We bond the birth certificate to the card to avoid
fraud." Me: "You what?" Him: "We make sure that the
discount card is associated with the person." Me: "So, you're
telling me that in order to get a discount, you guys are going to track
the movements of my kids throughout the TransLink system? How is
this supposed to reduce fraud?" Him: "That's our policy,
sir." Me: "Your policy is Orwellian and there's no way I'm
letting you associate my kids' public transportation usage with their
birth certificate. Instead of trying to buy cards for the kids,
I'm going to burn mine."
So, we walk away. The supervisor comes running after me.
"Sir, your kids look young enough that they don't need to pay a fair
anyway." Me: "First, they have to pay on the SF Muni and we
follow the rules so we pay. Second, giving me a 'free-be' today
don't mitigate your Big Brother policy of tracking my kids
where-abouts." Him: "I'm just trying to be helpful." Me:
"If you want to be helpful, go back to your boss and explain to him
that this is the United States and we move freely in this country."
My kids asked me why I was cranky. I said, "Because the bad
people want to know where you go." Kids: "We're not going
anywhere bad, so why don't we want people to know where we've
gone?" Me: "It is our right as Americans to come and go as we
please. It's our right to be private. But more importantly,
historically, once the government starts tracking their citizens,
especially their children, they will find a way to use the information
against you. It's not that we have anything to hide, it's that
any time people want to always know, they are up to no good... they are
bad people."
So, we walk through the Ferry Building and I see a guy with an EFF hat.
Now, this is San Francisco, so it's not unexpected to see some guy
sporting an EFF hat. I go up to him and say, "Are you a member of
the EFF? I was one of the first donors to the EFF so don't get
freaked." He says, "Yes." I say, "The TransLink folks want
my kids' birth certificates in order to get a youth TransLink card and
they bond the birth certificate to the card so they track the kid's
movement throughout their system." His jaw dropped to the
ground. We shared a brief moment of liberal outrage and my kids
and I went on our way.
When I got home, I checked the TransLink site. There is no
mention of requiring a birth certificate to obtain a youth pass.
I called the TransLink customer service line and they did verify that a
birth certificate is required.
First, TransLink is hiding the fact that a birth certificate is
required. It's not on their public web site although it is
mentioned in a press release. Why are they hiding this
information? Do they think that if they don't publish it on their
web site that somehow it'll make it okay?
Second, TransLink is managed by the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission, but this is not mentioned anywhere on
the TransLink web site and is only mentioned once in the TransLink
cardholder "license agreement". Why is the MTC hiding?
Third, if the MTC is a governmental body, where was the public
hearing and the public comment request relating to requiring a birth
certificate and bonding that information to youth passes?
Forth, what great problem are they looking to solve by associating a
card with a person? What kind of failures is the current youth
(and elderly) pass mechanism (a different colored pass) justify bonding
my child's birth certificate to their transit card and track my
children's comings and goings?
So, I am outraged. I will burn my TransLink card and until
this Orwellian, KGB-esq policy of requiring a birth certificate to get
a youth TransLink, I will not in any way participate in the TransLink
system. I urge you to do the same.