COMMUTER: I read in today’s paper that BART is phasing out EZ Rider. I use EZ Rider very infrequently. I put $48 on it when signing up (the minimum they would accept), and probably still have over $40 left. What will happen to existing balances when the cards are phased out? Will they be refunded?
Geoff, cyberspace
QUEEN: Loyal Subjects, Geoff is referring to the fact that BART’s EZ Rider cards, which make it possible to ride BART without having to hassle with cash, are being phased out. They are being replaced by the Clipper card, a universal fare card in the Bay Area that works on BART, AC Transit, Muni, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit and the Golden Gate Ferry.
Geoff, if you only use EZ Rider for riding BART, you need to close your EZ Rider account and get a refund. You can close your account at the EZ Rider website, https://ezrider.bart.gov.
To continue riding BART without using cash, you need to open a Clipper account. To do so, pick up a card at Walgreens or another outlet, then go online to activate the account. There’s more information at www.clippercard.com. You can do this on your own initiative, or wait for BART to notify you when your EZ Rider card expires. EZ Rider cards will be phased out by the end of the year.
COMMUTER: I’ve been listening to the ads for the newest cars on the road “… they will slow down if the car ahead slows down, they will veer away if you’re about to hit something, in fact it sounds like the old joke of putting the car in cruise control and doing nothing. Which brings me to my comment (finally): Wouldn’t this encourage drivers to text and use the phone, maybe even read the paper? After all, these modern cars will handle the road.
Do you know if this has been addressed by either the auto industry or even the California Highway Patrol? I look forward to your wise counsel twice a week and drive carefully in between.
Dorie Whitemore, Concord
QUEEN: Thanks for the good words, Dorie! Your concerns are legitimate. Drivers, not technology, are responsible for preventing crashes. “These enhancements are great, but they are intended to supplement the skills of the driver,” said CHP Officer Mike Wright. “Only a driver who is 100 percent focused on driving can prevent a collision.”
Got questions about your commute? Whether you drive, ride, bike or walk, write the Queen at The Commuter Page, c/o The Times, P.O. Box 8099, Walnut Creek, CA 94598, or ccncommuter@bayareanewsgroup.com. Visit her at ContraCostaTimes.com/queen-of-the-road.
