Tickets

So I got a pretty good night of sleep, but I am not going to lie; it was hard to sleep knowing that Justin was on his way. I woke up early and headed out. I picked up a croissant at the train station and got directions for which train to take. I headed down two flights of stairs to what looked like the metro. I was surprised that I did not have to stamp my ticket, all of the machines were green and you could walk right into the stairs. I figured it was because it was early and happily found my train.

I caught an early train to the airport. On the ride I was going stop to stop and began to get nervous that I never stamped my ticket. It is a 40,00 fine in Germany and for whatever reason (perhaps because I do not know the language and the Germans are known for being harsh) I did not want to get into any trouble.

At one of the platform stops, I saw one of those green lit machines that I had walked through...it was green to let you know that you could stamp your ticket, not green to let you go! In France you cannot go anywhere without inserting your ticket for the metro. Once you do, the gates/turn style will open so that you can go through. So here I am scared someone will be checking my tickets and hoping I have 40,00 on me. Every time that I hear someone talking or a noise that sounds like a clicking (In the US they come by and hole punch your ticket)I turn around. I must have looked like I was trying to smuggle something, but I could not help it.

I contemplated running off of the train in between stops to stamp my ticket - but some of the stops were not close to where my door was. Other stops opened one door to leave and the one on the other side of the train to enter (if I got off, I could not open the door to get back on). I stayed in my seat,a complete nervous wreck - luckily nobody came through.

I would like to take a second to continue my rampage about European tickets. In America, you buy your ticket, get onto the bus, hand it in, and you have a seat. Here it is a little different. You need to find a place to buy bus tickets (I have been able to get them on the bus but I hear others cannot). Once you get your ticket you wait for the bus; get onto the bus; show the driver the ticket; go to your seat; stamp your ticket. I feel like it is a lot of extra steps where you can just buy a ticket and show it to the driver and be done with it in the US. I have the same issues with the train; I mean if you buy your ticket, shouldn't that be enough? Why do you need to buy it, stamp it, show it, get it stamped again and keep it?

I am in no way saying that the USA is so much better than these places, it is just one of those things that I just do not get. I mean if they are keeping track of the number of tickets sold and used each day - can't that do that a) at the ticket booths or b) when the person comes by and stamps them during the train ride? Any insight into this would be greatly appreciated!