http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPuhmzwRga8&feature=youtu.be
We don’t know if we could see this catching on in Connolly Station anytime soon but it’s certainly a novel idea nonetheless.
As part of an initiative to try and get people fit ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi next year, Russian officials have introduced an initiative that allows people to pay for their Metro fare by doing 30 squats rather than forking out 30 roubles, the equivalent of around 70 cents.
A special machine located at Vystavochnaya station in Moscow records the number of squats performed by commuters willing to pay the alternative fare and it pays close attention to technique too so there are no shortcuts allowed before they clamber sweatily towards the train and potentially stink out the carriage.
The Metro isn’t that expensive so it’s more of an initiative for people who want to get fit rather than commuters trying to save a few bob but it’s certainly a great idea and if cost isn’t too much of an issue, it would be interesting to see it rolled out elsewhere, if even for a little while at least.
Hell, even if it’s just to see commuters realising that they have no change and frantically trying to do 30 squats in time to catch a train, it would be well worth it.
Video via YouTube/This Way to Fun
Hat-tip to TTT Clips for sending it our way
