I think TriMet’s increased fare enforcement is a great idea. I find myself riding MAX less often to go into downtown for music and food. This is because I feel less safe. The riders who are making me feel less safe are riders I am pretty sure have not paid a fare. Like the man next to me on the Blue Line who reached into his backpack and pulled out a large hammer and started muttering to himself. Or the two groups of apparently homeless people with large dogs who came close to a dog fight on the Red Line. And to be clear, this has nothing to do with racial profiling. I’ve never felt threatened by a person of color on TriMet.

I’ve ridden light rail in other cities, and they don’t seem to have problems with fare enforcement. I took light rail in Minneapolis, where they have a similar open system to TriMet’s. Our fares were checked coming and going at least once each trip.

Leon Taylor, Aloha