The NYC MTA MetroCard is 20 years old today.
Customers, who for decades had simply dropped a token into the slot on top of the turnstile, had to familiarize themselves with a new method of entry. Using the MetroCard required riders to master the swipe. Not too slow, not too fast and don’t lift too early. Some likened it to delivering a punch to the gut.
After 20 years I still can’t swipe correctly when a train is in or entering the station. Works every time when there’s no train nearby. Typical.
Speaking of the NYC subway, here’s a slow-mo movie of the people standing on the platform while a train is entering the station.