The boots were great--but I really do need to be able to button all the buttons on my shoes, and I don't know if I could actually do it myself. If I go back (see below for other possible Big Splurge of the Trip contender, i.e. bags) I will wear more flexible pants, i.e. jeans, and not let v_o help me.

They do have transit cards, but I think they're fairly new/not common yet. And I think it would take a very large number of people switching to the cards to alleviate the shortage of change.