With gas prices still on the rise, we all have seen and felt the increased BART ridership. My father in-law is not a new rider per se, but for someone who typically drives across the Bay Bridge, he's been taking BART instead on occasions. He shared something interesting with me yesterday. He said, "Good thing I read your blog, I now see what you're talking about, all the weird and rude people on BART."
Wow, I thought, I'm glad Bartmusings is good for something...it prevents new rider shock. Well, good! Happy to hear that. He then told me what he saw....
He saw a man with ear plugs (normal) who just started clipping his finger nails while on the train (abnormal). With clippings flying everywhere, he didn't care who was watching or what people were thinking, and instead patted away his nail clippings off his legs so they are flying off in all directions. Serious lack of manners, but I'm not shocked or surprised one bit...I've seen that on BART several times..people clipping their finger nails. No toe nails yet, thank goodness!
This man, after he shoo'd away his nail clippings, then started singing very loudly in the train (abnormal but we've all seen it). Yet another slightly shocking behavior to new BART riders but those of us who ride daily, we've seen our share of "performers" on BART who just don't care that they are emitting noise, making a fool of themselves, or being a bit scary and bizarre.
New riders, welcome to our BART world where you experience something new and shocking every week, and nothing will surprise you after a few years of commuting via BART!
8 comments:
Welcome to public transportation! Nothing surprised me any longer on BART.
Case in point, a few years back I got off shift at the airport and took the train out of SFO destined for Bay Point.
Somewhere downtown, this guy gets on, I don't even remember what he looked like. He takes a seat next to me. I am leaning against my hand, eyes closed after working all night. Suddenly he asks, "Nice belt you have on." I missed what he said and he repeated. He then asked, "Can I touch it?"
WTF? Hell no you can't touch it! I moved my bag onto my lap and went back to sleep as he offboarded at some station. But talk about a freak. I did see him board up the next few days, thankfully the seat next to me was occupied.
What would BART or public transportation be without these freaks and weirdos we call entertainment?
I am "celebrating" 10 years of riding BART next month. Here is a list of the more unusual things I have seen, or happened to me while on BART, or in the BART parking lot:
- ~19 y/o female college student suddenly collapses, unconscious, in the BART car.
- Homeless peeing in the BART car.
- Feces smeared on several BART seats.
- BART car filling with smoke (the Train operator said it was an electrical problem), we made it to the Fremont station, just barely.
- Trapped for 45 min on a BART car because the doors would not open.
- Having my catalytic converter stolen while my car was parked in BART parking lot.
At least I have a lot of stories to tell my friends, what about others?
Haha, great stories from both of you! I know, like you guys, I'm surprised at nothing now. I've seen homeless take a potty in front of me, I've seen passengers eat a full on meal with wine drink beer and take shots on the train, I've seen them puke of course, and I've seen couples making out thinking that BART is their private bedroom. Those are just some mild examples too1 It's always fun....it keeps Bartmusings.com going!
Today on the Fremont line, car #1307Y (I think that was the number), there was feces (or what appeared to be feces) smeared all over the overhead camera in the car.
Thank goodness BART keeps their cars so "clean". Glad to see my ticket money hard at work.
Oh yeah, think I saw the same thing. Feces smeared all over a couple seats.
IF reoprted by YOU, the patron, to the Train Operator that entire train could be taken out of service if there was no one at the end of the line to clean the car. I am guessing someone reported it and the feces was clean up and the car/train remained in service.
of course it was our fault again, the passengers. everything is our fault.
Entertainment??? Thanks, but no thanks. I'd prefer a nice, quiet, uneventful ride without those who are at the borderlines of social acceptability and, sadly, do not appear to know it or even care. Ugh.
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