My second GPass experience was not like the 1st time

I had no ride going home last Friday so I had to ride the MRT from Ayala to Shaw station last Friday, November 24 at around 7pm (yes, rush hour!). I do not normally ride the MRT, so I don't own a stored value card, but I still have my GPass that I bought from last August. I was not sure if it still worked, so I went to the GPass booth and asked if there was still balance in my chip. There was still around PHP 50 in my GPass, and I asked to load PHP 20 more just to make sure the chip still works.

So as I was placing the GPass chip on the reader, it would not read the chip. Even though I placed it near the reader, it still would not read. There were so many impatient people behind me, especially this girl behind me. I have not gone through yet, and she placed her card through the turnstile. Of course, I was blocking her way, so she could not get through. I couldn't go back because there were so many people behind her, so the only direction I could go was forward, and I went through the turnstile knowing I was using her card to get through. I was thinking I could just use my GPass for her to get through.

At this point, I was still trying my GPass to work on the reader for the girl behind me to get through. The guards there saw my situation and we told them what has happened. They said they can help the girl with her card, but they can't help me with my GPass problem because it's new technology and they know nothing about it, and asked me to walk back to the GPass booth to get help. At the GPass booth, the guy said that I had to take out the chip out of its plastic casing. Stupid casing!

Even though the chip was out of its plastic casing, the reader won't "read" the chip until the chip touched the reader. Talk about contactless technology...

I'm glad that I was not alone going through that ordeal because I was with Jorrell, my officemate! Thanks Jorrell for being with me there, I would have panicked alone there.

The MRT should improve the GPass technology. When I first used the GPass, the reader immediately read my chip. How come it won't work as well as when it was new? My GPass chip was just lying on my office table for months, so it could not have gotten damaged by anything.

I suggest placing a separate turnstile lane for GPass users so they don't have to line up with the stored value card users. During rush hour, lining up takes around 15 - 20 minutes. The train ride is faster I think..

It was fun walking with my officemates last Friday. I'm glad that I have friends with me in case I ride the MRT again. I don't know if I'll use the GPass next time though...