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"In support of Bike to Work Day, Thursday, May 17th, cyclists ride free on Metro and on other participating transit agencies listed below." said Metro's website. "Board with your bike or helmet and enjoy the ride… it’s on us!"
According to many cyclists including this LAist writer, it was sometimes a fight to get that free ride. Many cyclists at the Rally told stories of them informing the bus driver that they get to ride for free, usually leading the bus driver saying they never heard so, then the cyclist telling them to call on the radio and ask.
My own experience was when a LA County Sheriff Fare Inspector tried to ticket me on the Red Line subway for ticketless riding. She asked for my ticket, I showed her my bike, she asked for my ID, I said no, she said yes, I said no and to call it in, she did and she was shocked. "Seven hours and no one told me a thing!" she exclaimed in amazement because of the many cyclists that showed her tickets throughout the day.
I thanked a bus driver on Ventura Blvd. for actually knowing it was bike to work day and he said he had even forgot himself telling me a story of a cyclist who was a regular on his morning route who paid and then realized he could ride for free that day. The bus driver said he could not refund his regular customer, but would give him a free ride in exchange the next day.
How were you informed of the free rides for cyclists I asked him. He said he was given a memo a month or so ago and a brochure at one point. No communications to employees in the field the week or day of.
