New Railings Won’t Deter Fare Evasion — It’s Time for Pro-Crime Democrats to Enforce the Law
Introducing Franz Kafka: The MTA has initiated its newest anti-fare evasion strategy, featuring spiked metal barriers designed to deter turnstile jumpers from unlawfully entering the system.
Making its debut at the 59th Street/Lexington stop, these railings present a cyberpunk-dystopian aesthetic that is simultaneously quite humorous—imagine “Blade Runner” colliding with “Brazil.”
This is particularly fitting, as attempts to combat fare evasion in New York are, indeed, both absurd and darkly amusing.
Perhaps these railings will yield some minor impact; alternatively, they might be remembered as yet another blunder, similar to the new turnstile models attempted in 2023 that turned out to be simpler to bypass.
Yet, let’s clarify: The MTA is not responsible for the fare evasion crisis.
The culprits are New York’s pro-crime Democrats, the ones who have effectively legalized fare evasion (beginning with former Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance in 2017).
The MTA’s technocratic attempts to find a solution, whatever it takes, reflect the desperation of an agency overwhelmed by a crisis that is decimating its finances (with fare evasion now costing it hundreds of millions yearly) and undermining societal order above and below ground.
History has consistently demonstrated that addressing fare evasion helps keep violent criminals out of transit systems and fosters an environment that curbs disorder.
Conversely, allowing it to continue breeds chaos.
When otherwise law-abiding individuals witness fare evaders riding for free, they feel cheated.
Moreover, ignoring minor infractions erodes respect for the rule of law entirely.
What’s the outcome?
A subway system where murders are at unprecedented levels, where illegal immigrants set homeless people on fire while they sleep and where individuals with extensive criminal records push commuters onto the tracks.
You cannot curb fare evasion with spikes, new turnstile designs, AI-driven drones, or even fanciful tech like cyborg rats.
It necessitates rigorous enforcement of the law.
Something far too many elected officials in New York City and State appear to be averse to.
