Monday, September 25, 2006

First time ever that I could not squeeze myself onto a crowded train

There was a bad delay this morning getting into the city. I haven't researched why exactly yet but it must have been a seriously long delay because I have never experienced overcrowdedness like this before on BART. And that is a pretty bold statement.

Usually, in ordinary 15+ min delay situations, when there is an overly packed train (so packed that there is no standing room left and any standing passengers squeezing in are barely inside the train), I have no problems sneaking myself in there. I'm fairly thin, average height, and very considerate with my computer bag placement, so I don't take up much room. People aren't happy to accommodate me in the crowded train, but after realizing that I don't really take that much space up from them, they 'welcome' me in.

TODAY, HOWEVER, was a totally different story!! Whatever caused the delay really made quite a lasting negative impact. I was unable to get on three consecutive trains that passed my station!!! I looked for an angle to try to position myself in there but there really was no room left for me to set foot in there!! Every single train that arrived at Orinda was already so packed that once the door opens, passengers inside the trains are falling out. No one could get on! There just isn't room left to even put HALF a body in there!!!

I even ran all the way down to the first cart to see if there was standing room there, but even in the first car, it was packed to maximum maximum capacity. I don't think you can even fit a dog or a carry-on bag in there. It was that bad!

After waiting for three trains and still could not get on, I was fed up! I had missed my company shuttle pick-ups and still, I don't even know how the heck I was going into SF. I certainly did not want to pay for taxi again just to bring me to work from Civic Center.

So, I made the decision to drive. It was pretty miserable, but it probably saved me from a even more miserable BART ride into the city.

1 comment:

FX11 said...

You should see the richmond train after a raiders / A's game.

Look at it this way, at least the people on the trains that you use usually are not drunk.