I have some irrational fears - frostbite, hitting a pedestrian, having someone run a shopping cart into my heels at full speed - just to name a few. But last week I was faced head on with one of those fears when the UTA police stepped onto my TRAX car. Now I really don't know where my UTA Police anxiety stems from. Maybe it's the fact that on occasion I have ventured outside the "free fare zone" from downtown without buying a ticket, or maybe its the simple fact that once they nab you on that car there is no place to go until the next stop and you will have all eyes on you until you get there. Most likely however, it probably stems from the officers' demeanor. I am pretty sure before their shift starts they are shown a video of someone slapping their mama because every time I have seen them they look PISSED. And I mean just ticked off, like the TRAX train was their own personal vehicle that someone was unauthorized to be in. Every time they step on and say "tickets out!" my mind starts to race..."do I have my pass? Where is it? Will they accept it since it is just a UVU card?....Am I not
supposed to look them in the eye? Look away!!....OMG did I just pee a little??" Anyway last week was the first time I saw them catch an illegit rider and it was scary. Don't mind that the kid couldn't have been more than 16 years old, using his mom's pass because "she is a teacher and told him it would be ok." They man-handled him off the train really quick and as the officer was walking off the train he threw one mad-dogging glance back to the rest of us as if to say, "I'll get you. Maybe not today, but I am coming for you...coming for you all." Just be advised.
