what's up with the five cents?

New Yorkers beware - as of this month, if you purchase the $8 Metrocard they kindly offer you a "$1.05" bonus. Basically it means that if you want a full ride with that, you will need to add a beautifully uneven 95 cents. Put that on your credit card.

I haven't tried adding the 95 cents yet, but frankly I find it quite annoying and conniving. I doubt most New Yorkers will think about the five cents, so if a million New Yorkers forgo today's 5-cent-bonus, that's $50,000 for the MTA in one day. Yup.