5 Best Practices to Keep in Mind When BART is Damn Crowded!

This morning, if you haven't heard, there was a nutcase who decided that jumping on top of a BART train at MacArthur station during high traffic hour was a smart idea.  Trains were shutdown, even the freeway was shutdown to ensure safety.  The massive delays lasted 3-4 hours after the incident.

Needless to say, the trains were crowded.  Piles of people forced their way in at each stop despite there not being anymore room in the trains.  It made the usual peak passenger volume seem leisurely.  I was literally hugging someone's backpack while another female passenger's rear end was leaning on mine.  Way too close for comfort.

I can't stress enough some courtesy rules people need to follow when trains are this crowded.  Please, please, please keep these in mind to make the ride less miserable for the rest of us.

5 Rules to Keep in Mind

1) If you have a big backpack, please DROP IT ON THE GROUND!  There's no room as it is.  Please put your bags on the floor to make room.

2) Please breath with your nose, not mouth.  Our faces are already inches away, it would help to not have to smell what you had for breakfast too, or if you happen to not brush that morning.

3) Get out of the train to make room for people who need to exit.  The train won't leave without you, and really, allowing people off the train would actually create more room inside the train.  So move!

4) On a similar note, if your station is coming up next, just wait until the train stops before you make your move towards the door.  People need to get off the train before you can exit.  By pushing your way to the door in the middle of the crowd only creates chaos and frustration because there is NO ROOM to move!

5) Hold your temper.  We all hate being delayed and being on an overly crowded train.  No need to be nasty.  If you don't want to bear the pain, just don't get on the train!  You're not entitled.

Do you give up your seats? Picking up the question again in 2013

I've written about this at least twice.  But as I ride BART each day, I see things, and it really makes me question who truly deserves a seat in the designated section.  Obviously, those who have any physical handicap, senior citizens and in my book, any pregnant women who look like they are past 2nd trimester.  I happily and willingly stand up for any of them.

Is that too little? Am I not being thoughtful enough?  I must not be since I've been increasingly asked to get out of my seat for someone middle aged with a few gray hairs, or someone who looks overweight.  Hey dude, I'm tired too, just because I don't have gray hairs and I happen to be slender, doesn't mean I didn't have a pain somewhere that day or have some illness that requires me to stay low!

And why am I being picked on?  The man next to me, and the women across from me, look even younger and are just listening to music!  Why am I, being on Facebook and Twitter, the one picked out of the bunch??

Also, when did female passengers immediately demand seats from male passengers??  We can't stand??  I don't think men need to always get up for women-- not like our society expects chivalry these days, so why demand it on BART?

One last thing, when will all the BART trains be updated with new flooring and seats??  The year is half over!

Over Sensitivity on BART due to Boston Marathon Bombing

Let me first make this clear!  Everyone has the right to be over-sensitive, especially given what had happened last week.  A friend of mine, who uses a black backpack (unfortunately), was detained by station agent to speak with BART Police because someone had reported him!  He is Caucasian, but what he did that triggered suspicion was he placed his heavy backpack on one of the circular "seats" on the BART platform, to give himself a break, as he walked 3 feet away to stretch.

An elderly man immediately reporter him!  I don't blame him-- he was doing his due diligence especially given last week's horrific events.  But are we all under scrutiny??

Separately, I've surfed Twitter for other complaints of over-sensitivity on #SFBART and found a couple incidences where racial profiling allegedly occurred.

This is the Bay Area.  We are the shining example of multi-ethnicity, tolerance and melting pot.  If it's happening here, I can only imagine how awful it is everywhere else in the US.  I believe there have been at least 6 racially charged beatings reported by news outlets, and that's just me counting by how many I actually read.  I'm sure there are much more reported and unreported!!

I pray for our safety, and our country's safety but for me at least, the increased racial profiling is a concern.  I do my part by learning and reciting facts to dispel ignorance and stereotyping when I hear it.  I was, after all, an Ethnic Studies and Political Science major at UC Berkeley...racial politics is of personal interest to me!

Have you heard or seen any racially-charged incidents lately due to the Boston events?

POLL: Should BART add more trains during commute hours?

I am sure that I'm not the only person who has been feeling the train over-crowding during commute hours.  The 8:14 and 8:24 trains from Orinda heading to SFO have become unbearably packed with hardly room to stand.  A typical 30 minute ride has turned into 40 due to how long it takes for people to find and readjust their standing position, and how long it takes for the doors to close.

What exactly is max capacity?  Shouldn't there be a safety standard?  Have BART officials actually tried taking the train amidst the most crowded hours to get a taste for what it feels like?

I've seen shorter women fall over due to lack of lower handle bar space to hold.  I've seen people hitting  faces unintentionally with their hand bags or backpacks.  Sweat, sneezes, coughs are often shared and transferred due to a new level of "closeness" between passengers.

Please answer the poll on the right and let everyone know if you believe BART should increase the number of trains during commute hours.

UPDATE: Poll tool did not work from day 1.  Every vote forced a reset.  Huge apologies!  BART lucked out this time!  Didn't they??!!

New downtown stations? Can't come soon enough!

Did you guys read the news?  http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/matier-ross/article/BART-considers-rebuilding-2-SF-stations-4267383.php

Embarcadero and Montgomery stations are on track for a $900 million expansion, complete with new tunnels, elevators and extra platforms to boost rider capacity.  That's great news considering almost daily, around 5:15pm, the platforms are so crowded that the passenger lines have to wind around in circles, causing a back-up at the bottom of the escalator as people pour into the station.  I've seen people trip and fall due to the back-up since they have no where to step when the escalators come to an end.

What do you think about this upgrade?

SFO route, full of non-commuters

Yes, that is a very obvious statement, one might say. And it's a validation that the SFO direct line is a success. I use it to get to not only SFO but nearby meeting destinations.

It's how I know that the route is full of non-commuters that will be the point of this post. The suitcases give that away? Of course but that's a given. It's the behavior and demeanor that I find to be the most humorous clues that someone is a non-commuter.

They don't ever have their ticket or pass ready in advance. They block the left side of the escalators. They ask every other station which station is this. They enter the train asking...this the airport train (or this the SF train depending in which direction). They hold train doors open or are shocked when they close. They give money to homeless. And of course, they put suitcases on top of seats even when it's crowded.

I don't mind. As long as they don't delay my ride home. I applaud that SFO line has become so mainstream and it's taken many cars off the crowded freeways! Heck, I'd much rather deal with BART newbies than tourists on 80!

Now...if only we can get MORE frequent SFO trains!

P.S. I very endearingly dedicate this post to my boss who almost fit in as a BART commuter last week!

Nothing wakes you up better on a Monday morning

Than a huge whiff of the overpowering urine scent as I exit the Montgomery Station. In an effort to minimize breathing in the scent, I hold my breath as I jog up the stairs (hey, the year is young, resolutions still in tact!) I end up having to take in a little air before I make it in my building but didn't realize at the same time that I had stepped into a puddle of pee.

What a splendid way to start the day. Happy Monday, all.