Now that they expire quick and I have real income I definitely do this. Back in the day when I was a college student getting a ten pass I would use over the course of a year to go home on weekends occasionally, you bet your bottom dollar I was hovering over that button until the conductor found me.
i feel you. I support free transit for children and uni students, as well as folks who have a tight income.
I laid down on the floor of the top level a few times in HS when I needed to get home and didn't have any money. I would have preferred to stay off the ground. This was before you could beg a friend or family to quickly and easily send you a few bucks for fare.
My spouse once got kicked off the metra bringing his laundry home from college because he got on not realizing he didn't have cash on him. He had to then buy a ticket with the credit card kiosk that station thankfully had and wait at least an hour for the next train.
What’s the exchange rate for dirty socks to Metra fares?
Oh man. That's awful! That wasn't even an option when I was in hs though. It was only at the ticket window or cash in the train.