Thanks for another Hellish commute
As I arrived at the Orinda platform this morning, the destination display showed 10-car SF bound trains due in 4, 9, and 18 minutes. The first train arrives and is too packed to get on. I think, OK, I'll just wait 5 minutes for the next train and still get to work on time. The next train arrives, but it's a 9-car train, not 10 cars, and it's also packed.
If I want to get to work on time, I have to board this train, so I squeeze in. At Rockridge, at least 15 more people squeeze into the already packed car. It is now so crowded, I can't even turn around. At MacArthur, there are more people waiting and trying to get on the impossibly packed train. I can't take it anymore, so I get off to wait for a less crowded train. Along come an 8-car train that has some standing room. I'm going to be late for work now, but at least I can breathe for the rest of the ride. At the downtown Oakland stops, more people crowd on, but at least I still have some personal space. We get to the West Oakland Station, and the train operator announces that we will be holding there due to a backup in San Francisco. After sitting for at least 5 minutes, we get underway. It has now taken more than an hour for what should have been a 35 minute trip, and I'm 20 minutes late for work.
Thanks again, BART, for another fucked up commute. Rather than the exception, this is becoming more and more typical of my daily commutes on BART. First and foremost, running anything other than 10-car trains between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. is unconscionable. BART should do whatever it takes to make this happen. I don't really want to hear about your financial troubles, or you can't get enough cars cleaned in time. This is piss poor customer service and one of your biggest problems. There are certainly enough train cars for this, but you don't seem to be able to manage your resources very well.
You complain about ridership leveling or declining, yet you can't properly accommodate the people who are riding now. People are abandoning BART and going back to their cars now that gas prices have declined. And it's all because they can't depend on BART to get to work on time unless they plan an extra 30 minutes into their commute, or else squeeze into miserably over-packed trains for a claustrophobic ride from Hell.
This is directed more as a
This is directed more as a general comment than directly to you uneasyrider: You see, its easy. If you don't like it, then don't ride. You do have options. BTW, how long would your commute be if you were driving? How much would it cost you to drive to work, park, and pay tolls every day? Its a simple cost-benefit analysis you need to do based on your own requirements. The system is stretched very thin right now and it only takes an open door or BART police action on one train to throw the whole system off. We must accept that fact (do you really think it will change anytime soon with the current funding shortfalls, etc?) and include that in the cost-benefit analysis of commuting on BART vs. the alternatives.
Over crowned cars -> people
Over crowned cars -> people squeeze in -> people lean on doors ->
door breaks -> one less car -> more crowned cars ->
people squeeze in -> people lean on doors -> door breaks -> one less car -> .....
do I detect a repeating cycle ?
When I got on my 10 car train
When I got on my 10 car train at 7:10 at MacArthur, there were seats available all the way to Embarcadero Station. This is by far the exception rather than the rule though.
Also, to assume someone has options when it comes to getting to work is pretty arrogant. I don't own a car, can't afford one, and my only mode of transportation is public. I think this goes for a lot of the population. Just because driving is worse doesn't make BART any better. The less shitty of two options is still shitty.
You have more than two
You have more than two options. To say that BART is the only mode of public transportation available to you would be incorrect. AC transit, for one, has transbay service. I wasn't being arrogant in my previous post, just stating a fact. Everyone has options other than BART. No one holds a gun to any ones head forcing you to take BART. In the end, it comes down to a cost-benefit analysis of all the options available to get from point A to point B. Again, some will be (drastically) more expensive than others and may make them uneconomical, but you still have the right to choose.
I get on in downtown Oakland
I get on in downtown Oakland and the only time I've let crowded trains pass me by is after a major delay. That's happened exactly once in the past three years. A week or so ago, the train was so crowded at West Oakland, no one else could get on. I can't remember that ever happening before.
You do have options. You can ride AC or can you take the ferry, in addition to driving. You could also casual carpool, which costs you nothing on the trip to SF. stop.
I've been riding BART since it started and it works just fine. BART is carrying larger loads than it could have projected and is nearing capacity in the peak.
If you have been reading the newspapers, you will know that that the Governor has proposed slashing operating funds for public transit. It that happens, many transit properties will be forced to cut service.
By the way, in Japan, they have paid personnel to stuff people on trains.
I drove to West Oakland
I drove to West Oakland today. Three jam-packed trains went by before I could board one with enough room to stand without being shoulder to shoulder.
Are you the only person who
Are you the only person who doesn't get on or is BART leaving scores of people on the platform? I haven't seen it and I go through downtown Oakland every single day.
i think the issue is
i think the issue is douchebags that don't scoot down the aisles. i have been on many "packed" trains that have virtually empty aisles. the worst offenders are 50-something ladies with 6 purses. they grab the seat-back handrail on the first aisle seat and block the way for everyone else. bitches.
That's a really good point.
That's a really good point. Often times I see plenty of space in the middle of each car. In DC, they play announcements at every station for people boarding to move to the center of the car. But DC also has 3 doors in each car for quicker on and off movement.
This is exactly what I was
This is exactly what I was thinking. If I can't sit I head straight for the middle of the car. The only problem is if everyone just stops next to the doors it's impossible to get by to get to the aisle. That's got to be why BART took seats out to make more space by the doors in their demo cars.
I am 50 something and I shove
I am 50 something and I shove my way past all the young things, including the ones with their bikes in the commute, who are blocking the doors so I can stand in the middle of the car. Then I shove my way past them again to get off. You all are more ocncerned with your ipods and other electronics. If a disaster ever happens, you will be the ones left on the train playing cell phone games while the rest of us are trying to save our lives. Idiots. Then you can whine about how BART didn't make announcmeents loud enough to be heard above your headphones.
If people are in the way, all you have to do is say "excuse me" and if they don't move, gently shove past them. I'm going to miss a train because I'm too lazy to walk to the center of the car or afraid I might touch someone? Please. Are you people this helpless in all aspects of your lives? No wonder you have to come here every day to vent. Poor babies. Seriously, if BART is such a trial for you, then find another way to get to work and save yourself the trauma.
AMEN!!!
AMEN!!!
My first reaction was to
My first reaction was to compose a big old post being all crazy about people with technology and stuff, but I realized I'm the same way about sitting next to anyone with a newspaper. To each generation their own annoyances.
Me too. But at least you
Me too. But at least you don't have to snap a blackberry everytime you want to read a new article, and it is small enough that I don't feel the need to rest it on the head of the person sitting in front of me. And the news I read on it is from today, not yesterday. And it doesn't turn my fingers black.
Sent from car #1560y on my blackberry - can't do that with a newspaper.
Sent from car #1560y on my
Sent from car #1560y on my blackberry - can't do that with a newspaper.
Damn, boopie, thats harsh.
Today I had a guy in the
Today I had a guy in the largest ski coat known to man reading a very large hardcover book next to me. Annoying! I was trying to keep myself entertained with my iphone but now I'm sore from bending into weird positions to keep from elbowing the guy in the face. Sigh.
Just an update to my original
Just an update to my original comment --
Yesterday, there were 4 10-car trains in a row between 8:00 and 9:00 a.m. The train that I boarded was on time and not overcrowded. Well done, BART. I'll give you credit for the effort. Why can't it be like that every day?