all the time in nyc, there’s a $100 fine if you’re caught, just don’t get caught

In NYC the fare is ~$2.90 and the fine if you get caught is $100.00, if you’re using it to get to/from work you can get caught and fined nearly every month and it’ll cost less than paying fare.

Most people go years without getting caught.

The calculation is about the same for most major metropolitan areas in the US, and the money usually goes to local government which is a real ‘lesser evil’ situation but…

Granted it only really works so long as you can pull off the “I’m a middle age, middle class, cis, hetero, white person” routine. Otherwise you risk of being made “an example” which could lead to trespassing charges or getting tazed/shot…

Where I live people hop the gates all the time. Mostly unhoused people or groups of teenage kids. The rules are rarely enforced because transit cops aren’t posted at stations all the time and station staff isn’t paid enough to risk an ass kicking.