HOMICIDE might be down in Los Angeles, but crime is still a serious problem. So it's a mystery why authorities are spending their time throwing the book at a man who wouldn't sign his Metrolink ticket. Santa Clarita commuter and privacy advocate Robert Arkow -- one of the people you can thank for the do-not-call law -- doesn't sign his Metrolink pass, even though that is the rule. The idea is that it stops people from sharing their passes, even though conductors don't ask for ID. [Note: Arkow is the webmaster for Metrolinkrider.com]

It's a matter of principle for Arkow, to be sure, but also of safety. He's afraid of identity theft. Lots of people never even sign credit cards for the same reason.

Arkow's principle got him into trouble in April, and he had a confrontation with a conductor.  Arkow is also a public critic of Metrolink, and that may also factor into this fight. Neither side has backed down, and this week the City Attorney's Office filed a misdemeanor battery charge against Arkow.  Arkow isn't a saint in this story. He broke the rules, was unpleasant, and refused to give in.  But Metrolink and the City Attorney's Office, which has been pursuing him with glee, aren't setting a good example, either.

It's prosecutorial overkill to put him jail. It would make more sense to develop other ways to ensure that train passes are used as intended in ways without forcing users to reveal their personal information and put themselves at risk.