[torsday]

As a user of free transit, i must disagree. It's great. The first poster isn't just correct in principle, but also practice. And it certainly doesn't deteriorate service. A sense of community ownership/responsibility grows from it not being pay walled.

[Swenrekcah]

Yeah I can see how that might work but it’s probably very location/culture dependent.

I have a distinct feeling that in my location there would quickly be loud voices talking about how much of a burden the cost is and the users are freeloading off the “hardworking people of our country” and they should just feel happy with whatever they’re served.

[yowzadave]

> it’s probably very location/culture dependent

You see this class of argument often when it's pointed out that some issue is handled better in another part of the world; sometimes it seems like a posture of defeatism in the face of evidence that a better way is possible. See also: political polarization as a reason that nothing can ever get better.

Not saying that's how you mean it--I wonder, though, how we go about constructing a better culture? Are we merely victims of the culture we were given? Or are there efforts we can take to change the culture we have for the better? I'm curious what research shows about how cultural attitudes can be changed over time, either for better or worse.

[nine_k]

Transit is actually never free, you either pay for it from fares, or from taxes, or a combination thereof.

Since mass transit access is something you can't badly overconsume in a sensible way, nor can you hoard and resell it in meaningful quantities, it does not noticeably suffer from the problems that plague free-to-take physical stuff. If keeping the access infrastructure is expensive, shutting it down and making access free may indeed save money. See how it works e.g. for public parks and city streets; both are toll-free.