[smileysteve]

> Do you think that people go to jail or even get anywhere near the DAs desk for a parking ticket?

A parking ticket has an identification system via a license plate (or VIN number); so they can be identified later.

Jumping a fare, you've not given any identifying information until detained.

> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fare_evasion#Civil_and_crimina...

But it is criminalizing the poor; Someone who isn't paying $2.50 may not have $50, unless they're doing it for the fun. At best you block them from the transit system which stops them from their job, a place to sleep; at worst, it's another fee when they get arrested for something else

[nine_k]

You give the poorest a low-rate ticket (NYC subway and buses have half-price tickets, at the very least). You can even give them a free ticket.

The point is to avoid normalizing the turnstile jumps at stations, where everyone sees them. See broken windows theory.

[smileysteve]

But to give a free ticket, you still have to have the enforcement; you still have to use resources from the local government (to collect fines).

If you don't pay for enough enforcement (see NYC, Atlanta, Bart, etc that aren't free and have plenty of broken windows), then you still have a "broken window", only it has cost the system significantly more than your other opportunities, ie, armed security on the trains instead of staring at turnstiles; some positions may even be cheaper than your credit card fees on your profitable customers, less ridership (tourism, can't find card, uber competitor) because of fees and complexities reduces effectiveness of the system.