Sunday, May 9, 2010

Public transport junkies

So it seems that the ticket checks on the trams and buses in Zurich have ramped up in the last month or two. It now feels like every other time I ride them, there I am having to dig out my pass, potentially the dog's ticket, while balancing a baby and stroller. What gets me is how much it reminds me of those 80s cop shows where the pimps and drug dealers can totally tell a cop who is trying to go undercover.

I've noticed now that whenever a person gets on the tram who looks kind of shifty, dressed in not too fashionable clothing, and I start to revert to my CTA brain ("watch your wallet and bag..."), without fail they turn around, flash a badge and ask for my ticket. They stand out SO badly. I always think they are junkies or daytime drunks or something.

"Oh, my ticket? Phew, I thought you were going to try to lift my iPhone. You guys should stop looking around so nervously when you get on. You stand out. A lot. And I've only been here a year and can tell."

One of them ticketed a black lab standing next to us, who was riding with a man who had helped me and another mom with their strollers. That's cold.

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