"Free" Is My Favorite Four Letter Word Which Begins With An "F"

The bus system in Rome is amazing - very fast and efficient. The best part is you don't have to pay the driver when you board. That would slow things down too much. When the driver pulls into a bus stop, the three large doors open, the riders pile on (and off) in under 30 seconds, and your off to the races. The pit crews at the Indy 500 should take notice.

Technically, a rider is supposed to purchase a ticket at a newsstand and have it validated by these little time stamp machines inside the bus. However, in my six visits to Rome, I have seen that happen only a few times. Allegedly, all the locals all have monthly passes. Yeah, right.  I'm also told that on occasion an inspector boards the bus to check for tickets, but I've never seen hide nor hair of one.

So, are the busses free of charge? It depends on your moral compass. As a law and order man, I always purchase a ticket. Yeah, right.