Everyday Crapitalism returns to the buses!

Bonus feature!

In other words, I got short shrift on the buses again and it's all capitalism's fault.

Sad thing is, though, I'm not wrong!

Why is it always the buses? That's easy; they are a vital public service that is still held in private ownership. Of course you could say that about any number of 'commons' - food for instance. That's why I spoke about the sight of security guards in private owned profit driven supermarkets. Folks gotta eat!

So one of the very few things I can praise First Bus for is their adopting technology to allow people to buy tickets using cards rather than coins. The problem is they have no answer when these systems go wrong, so ultimately you still need to carry coins with you because, if they machine (or your card) craps out...

This is problem number one: people need transport in a modern society. You have to go to the shops to buy food to avoid starving. You need to get to appointments to see doctors, or sign on, or whatever. Duh. Capitalism has no answer for this; if you can't pay the ferryman you don't go anywhere.

Problem number two; if you're poor these issues are amplified. This is because poverty deprives people of options and flexibility. When things go wrong authority will assert itself (problem number three, in actual fact). The driver is programmed - literally - to refuse you passage. So if the fault lies with the machine shouldn't that be the company's responsibility? In reality it'll be your responsibility. You have to offer the alternative because they sure as hell won't countenance offering you a free ride in lieu of meeting their responsibility.

So that's why I had to catch a later bus a couple of weeks ago. I didn't have the change on me.

This is the power of the capitalist; it completely undermines all progress that can be made because their need for profit trumps any reasonable alternative. I'm offering to make a payment, I have the means. Yet your systems are at fault - but I have to lose out?

That, my friends, is the nature of the authority that private property rights, a key component of capitalism (the rights over the public transport system in this case). I reject this authority because I find it cannot be justified in a decent society. It is antithetical to it's optimal functioning.

It's also unnecessary.

I wish the drivers could see that. But they aren't paid enough to have that luxury. Again, crapitalism.