The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday at noon!
Today’s question:
When you ride BART, do you feel safe?
Has there ever been an incident on BART that made you feel unsafe? If so, tell us about it.
Talk about it….
The Water Cooler: Do You Feel Safe When You Ride BART?
Too bad the police sub-station in Dianda Shopping Center is...
{ 71 comments }
Sure I feel safe. I also feel like I need a shower immediately after.
Of course I feel safe on BART. Yes there have been incidents on BART that I have seen but I am not one that goes out looking for trouble and the incidents have always been between groups of people that are out to do just that.
Maybe its the internet or just a new fad but people seem to be afraid of other people lately. I dont know when social interaction became a thing of the past, but people now seem to feel more comfortable alone than when they are amongst a group of strangers. Its kind of sad
I am uneasy when going thru Oakland, therefore I am alert to what is going on around me. I watch all the people, look them in the eye, have ahold of my possesions. I do not want to be a victim. Just sayin.
I feel safer on BART at midnight than I in Walnut Creek at midnight.
I had an incident a couple of years ago that made me feel very unsafe. A man approached me while I was sitting listening to music (I had just left the Oakland area and on my way to N. Concord). It wasn’t unusual for someone to stand close to the seat, so when he was standing by me it didn’t seem odd. The thing that did seem odd was he had red stains all over his white sneakers. I didn’t hear him talking to me at first, until I heard him shout “Well F*** you then!” and when I looked up he was walking to the next car. The lady next to me got my attention and said: “Wow, that was really scary, do you know him? He was asking you all kinds of questions like where you live and if your hair color was real.” I told her I had no idea who he was, and didn’t even realize he was speaking until he shouted (I had headphones on). I looked up and saw him standing in between the two cars, between the doors to the adjacent car, staring at me through the window.
The train became more and more empty until it was me and a few other passengers (he was still standing, watching me). As we approached Concord, the lady sitting next to me was leaving and asked if I was getting off at this stop. I told her I had one more stop to go. Luckily, the train wasn’t totally empty so I didn’t feel “trapped” yet.
When we got to N. Concord I ran out of the train (realizing the guy was RIGHT behind me) and went as fast as I could to the kiosk. The man was trying to get my attention by yelling at me and asking my name, but I ignored him. I told the lady in the kiosk that I needed the police because someone was following me. She looked at me and sarcastically said “oh really, who”? I gestured over my shoulder to the man with the red stained sneakers. At this point he had pulled his hoodie over his head and was looking at the ground, not making eye contact with anyone. She finally realized that I was serious, and luckily there was a BART officer near by. As the office was approaching, the man took off running. I don’t believe they every caught him.
I received an escort to my car by the BART police and got home safely. After that happened, to this day, I have never felt fully safe riding BART.
I hold on to my stuff and keep my eyes open.
My husband and I were riding BART back from San Francisco late one night. There weren’t many passengers in the car. But, one of the passengers who appeared to be high on something and extremely agitated started yelling (profanity, etc.) at the other passengers and getting right up in their faces. He was very aggressive and acted like he was going to seriously hurt someone. One of the passengers tried to go to the back of the train and use the phone to call the train operator. The phone didn’t work. Finally, someone managed to get into another BART car and call from there. The agitated passenger got off in Orinda and was greeted by a couple of BART police as he got off the train. He was apparently lost.
Another time, I was commuting on BART and saw a passenger who had apparently been shot or stabbed. You could see a circle of blood on the front of his white tee shirt that was growing by the minute and he was clutching the area of the wound with his hand. I don’t know where he got injured but he looked kind of dangerous himself so nobody wanted to get involved.
It’s sad to say, but BART is not safe. Public transportation tends to draw a particular crowd and put the decent, law abiding citizens at risk from pick pockets, robbers, muggers, and other undesirables.
I don’t ride BART very often but when I do, the germs scare me more than the people.
I had a man in a power scooter, who appeared to be “less fortunate” than myself, run over my foot with his scooter because I refused to give him any money. Of course, this would happen at the West Oakland station, and the “gentleman” did get off at the next stop. My foot hurt for a week afterward.
Considering BART transports over 300,000 people a day, one of two incidents need to be kept into perspective.
I have ridden BART for over ten years, and yes, there was a guy who was yellling at his wife and child. Another man interceded and told him to stop yelling at his wife and child, and then the passenger headed to the intercom to report Mr. Angry to the train operator. Mr. Angry then ran down the aisle, going after this man. I stood up and blocked Mr. Angry’s passage, He cocked back his fist, and all’s I thought about was it was going to hurt, and I was a fool. While shaking with fear, I kept repeating that he should go back and sit down and not increase the problem.
I still had my teeth at the end of the commute….
BART is as safe as you want it to be. (But it sure ain’t clean)
I commute on BART everyday and feel relatively safe. Just like in any other metropolitan area you need to use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. I feel safer on BART than on the NY subway or the DC metro. BART had been very reliable for me as well. No complaints!
I stopped taking BART a few years ago for physical reasons (my arthritic knees couldn’t handle the stairs anymore). But for many years, I have taken BART from Concord or N. Concord or Bay Point stations, depending on where I was living at the time, going to 19th Street in Oakland. For the vast majority of the time, it’s been fine. I like BART. It hasn’t been incident free; it’s a public transportation system after all; there are risks with every one.
When I try to pick out the negatives in my head, what stands out for me are not safety issues, but trying to get on the train at 19th Street during the evening commute when it’s sardine-can conditions and having to wait several trains before you can get on. And in the last few years, I’ve been frustrated at not being able to get a seat, which was becoming more & more of a necessity for me. (My luck improved when I started using a cane.) Also, occasionally there would be someone going up and down the train cars panhandling or trying to sell you candy or flowers. Most people just want to be left alone when they’re riding BART.
I took Bart years ago when I commuted to SF for work…
I always felt safe, but let’s face it… the more people you have around, the percentage of weirdos goes up. There are always the panhandlers on Bart which seem to be part of the “norm”, but one day what appeared to be a transient was moving about different Bart cars and spitting at people. Eventually, the train was stopped and security came in and dealt with it. Rather nasty to say the least….
BART is relatively safe if you’re well prepared, but our society is not a safe place and that is reflected on BART, in the streets of Oakland and SF etc… We need to eliminate the drugs, increase education, and end the culture of acceptance that allows people to create a threatening environment. We’ve cut corners for decades that need to be maintained. Now we pay the price.
I ride during commute hours. I feel pretty safe. I definitely see some wackos, but I’ve never been in a position where I felt I was in physical danger. Don’t expect much in the way of manners from your fellow riders though. Been standing in line for 10-15 minutes? Someone’s always gonna go right to the door, skipping the line. There’s always someone who won’t give up a door-side seat for a senior or disabled. Been standing up for a long time, and you’re headed for that seat that just opened up? Nah, that person who just boarded got there first. Sucks to be you.
I’d rather ride BART than be lots of places in Concord or Pleasant Hill. Other than rude commuters, I’ve never had a problem on BART, and I’ve ridden it for the last 20 years.
I agree with many, I’m not so afraid of the people as the sanitation of the cars. Pretty scary. Can’t wait for all the cars to switch away from carpet and cloth. I also think wetnaps should be provided with every fare… fair… I don’t know, I’m too lazy to look it up!
I use to commute on BART, and while I did have some weird rides( some of my favorite stories to tell), I also met a lot of nice and interesting people. There are good people on BART, they out number the crazies. Also, keep in mind BART is for everyone, even if they are acting strange. They have a right to be in their seat just as much as you have the right to be in yours. I say this because there’s nothing worse than watching one passenger yell at someone less fortunate because of their smell or actions. Sometimes they cant help how they act or how they smell, but you can always move. Unless of course they are harming someone else or breaking the law, then please say something.
yes, ridden for decades and have always felt safe. I don’t like the knuckleheads selling stuff sometimes, but that seems to have gone away. I like the North Concord Station.
I agree about the cleanliness. BART is not very clean. I remember when I was taking BART, they had cut back on cleaning services due to budget cuts.
Feel OK with BART during commute hours, but late weekend nights are a different story. Like Anon 2, have had the joy of coming home from a lovely SF event to listen to drugged up thugs scream profanity, literally from Powell Station to Lafayette, draped all over the handicapped seats, and menacing other passengers. Eh, who needs that, will just drive from now on.
Sure I feel safe, all I got to do is turn off my hearing aides. just another episode of farting slow
@champagnekitty,
I realize this is a bit off topic in terms of safety but it’s in regards to your comment about having to stand on the train with bad knees. One thing that has always irked the hell out of me on public transit in general is seeing women or elderly folks have to stand while plenty of young able bodied men are sitting on their asses. I guess I was just raised differently. I’ll never forget the time that I was riding BART and an extremely pregnant gal got on. I was already standing so I had no seat to offer. She was standing next to me and right in front of us was a young guy, probably around 17 or 18. I suggested that perhaps he should give her his seat and he just glared at me. After about 20 seconds or so, the look I was giving him finally brought out his inner gentleman. He looked at his shoes for the rest of his ride but I felt like I had accomplished something that day.
Whenever I take BART off hours — like when there aren’t that many people around (REALLY early or late), I ride in the 1st car and then walk to where I estimate the stairs or escallators will be when I offboard the train.
A few years ago, I use to get into work at 6 am, so I was on the super early train. The car I was in was towards the middle of the train and was mostly empty except for maybe 5 of us. A young man got on the train at MacArthur and sat next to me. He had a newspaper and he put his hand under the newspaper and I could feel his hand on my hip. I abruptly said EXCUSE ME! and got passed him, I got off at the next stop. He was behind me and followed me off the train. I ran for the next car and got in the foor. He was still on the platfrom. It was WEIRD. From then on, I ride in the 1st car when the train is empty and have had no problems. If I happen to have parked far away from the station and get home late, I job to my car. I was followed to my car once, but nothing happened. I looked the creep in the face and asked him if he had a problem. He left me alone, so after that, I jog to my car if it’s late and look around to make sure no weirdoes are around me. I can scream and yell very loudly. In the morning, there isn’t much to worry about because thugs are lazy and aren’t up at that time of day.
There were other occassions where there use to be a BART regular who would sit next to me. I’d change cars but he’d find me and sit next to me. He’d often fall asleep and his hand would fall and be right by my leg. After a couple of times. I’d get up and change seats. After that he found me again a few weeks later, and I snapped my newspaper so loudly it startled him and he NEVER sat next to me again. YAY!
I had a super crazy woman sitting next to me once. She started yelling and screaming and threatened to stab herself. I just got up and got off at MacArthur and caught the next train.
My friend was on teh train once, riding early in the afternoon. And some nut job just started beating on some young man who was just sitting there minding his own business. There were men in the car, but all were in suits pretending like nothing was going on–my how brave they were (sarcasm). A big Pacific Islander got up and stopped what was going on. He was dressed in construction clothes. He was the only one with balls enough to step in and stop what was going on.
I try to always stand up. By doing this:
- Germs are avoided
- I can choose where I am, move easily, and avoid being next to an unsavory person
- If something makes me uncomfortable, I can easily change cars or positions within the car, or I can exit at the next stop
- I am always holding onto my belongings rather than having them where someone can grab them.
- I can be aware and glance in every direction
This may sound like I’m scared – I’m not…I am relaxed and comfortable most of the time on BART, but I have thought about the best position to be in if someone unsafe enters the car.
These sort of things happen on public transit everywhere. BART is probably safer than most.
And a******s are everywhere.
@Nick #23
It’s called Etiquette…. which is severly lacking in people of all ages in our society today. As a woman, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve given up my seat for a fellow woman or a man who needed it more than I did…
lots of scary stories. I have one that happened to my 22 yr old son last week, as he got on at the Lafayette station to go into the city for work. He has been taking BART off and on for a few years, and last week was his first incident.
My son, very kindhearted, got on the train, and noticed a very large black man sitting in the handicap seat area. My son did not say anything, chose to sit down near there. An old lady approached the black guy, told him he was sitting in the wrong area, to move. The black man got up, sat down next to, or across from my son. He seemed high (my son said) but not threatening. He was holding a photo of what looked like his daughter, or wife, and there was a shrine on the seat next to him–candles, photos, etc. My son noticed all this, and the guy either passed out, or fell asleep. He dropped the photo in his hand when he passed out. My son picked it up off the floor, and handed it to the guy, and as he did, the guy woke up and started yelling/screaming obscenities at my son! My son was shocked. He did not yell back, and did not get up. I don’t know why. My son felt that if he had done anything, the guy would have come at him. Everyone in the train was completely quiet, not doing anything to come to my son’s aid. The old woman that first told this guy to move out of the handicap seats, finally, walked past this man, who was still completely out of his head yelling weird crap at my son, she walked to the alarm thing/phone, and the BART operator stopped the car. It then started again, and stopped at the next station, where the dude by then had packed up his shrine of objects, and fled the car when it stopped. The BART police never caught him. My son was very very upset, and shaken. I wish I had given him some instruction on what to do/say when something like this occurs, he could have been killed-knifed/shot by this wackjob.
When I was younger and more naive, had a guy sit down next to me and start “scratching” himself; took me awhile to figure out no one has an itch for that long
In my haste to get away from him, I basically had to hurdle over him to get out of my seat. I should have reported him to the train operatator, but did not, out of embarassment.
I think I’ve always felt safe ON bart….coming in and out of the station in particular neighborhoods late at night like Oakland and SF….that’s a different story.
I have, and will continue to offer up my seat on BART if I see an elderly person come onto the train, and there are no other available seats. I had an elderly gentleman refuse my offer (as I am a woman), but another time, I offered my seat to an elderly lady, and a man, with his young son close by, said to his son “That’s how it’s done” Manners do matter, even in this day and time.
@huckleberry, icouldntagree more. Well, except for the “severely lacking” part. I think that may be putting it too mildly. =)
When the first BART station opened here in Concord, I would board here, get off and meet a friend on the platform in Lafayette, board the next station together, get off at Powell St. Station in San Francisco, walk all around all day shopping in Union Square or on Market Street, and have our purchases in bags with the store name on them when we reboarded BART and started home. The cars were kept clean, and we did not see anyone behaving badly (though some people in threadbare clothes might be asleep on the train in the winter). There was never the least problem either on the train or between the BART station entrance and when I was walking alone back to my car. There was not a parking garage at that time, but there were a lot of BART police stationed around the lot.
These days I would not dream of doing such a thing. I never travel alone on BART (mostly because of the insecurity I feel when walking back to my automobile afterward), and I only buy items that will fit inside my purse. Fortunately, the last few times I have used BART were on tourist-attraction days (Fleet Week/Blue Angels, matinee symphony,etc.), so there was safety in numbers (as in being packed together like sardines so no perp would stand a chance of running and getting off the car). No way would I ride BART after dark!
Anyone vote for there to be sniffer dogs checking people before they can go into the ticketing area so as to keep drugs, weapons, etc., from going any farther?
***in my previous post, I meant to write that my friend and I would board the next TRAIN together.
@just Julie, definitely not a fun situation to be in and I can imagine how you felt as a parent to hear that story. If I may speculate however, there are parts of that story that make me doubt that the guy was a “wackjob”. Between the shrine as you put it, and his reaction to someone else touching the picture, I have a feeling that perhaps the person in the picture was someone he had recently lost. This might also explain why he was so far from sober. It sounds like your son had the misfortune of sitting near someone who was not only intoxicated but, was also hurting deeply. That’s definitely a recipe for reacting harshly without thinking first about what someone was actually doing. In his state, when your son tried to give him the picture after he dropped it, he probably thought that your son was trying to take it from him.
Please don’t take this as any criticism on you or your son. Your son was trying to do something nice and got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the event that you described. I think sometimes we are too quick to judge someone, myself included, without having the whole story. I don’t know about you but, I know I am especially prone to that if it involves my son in any way.
I never feel safe on BART and I have ridden it 5 days a week for the past 10 years. The Police can do nothing when called and I have witnessed this first hand on more than one occasion. I don’t blame the Police in this instance because of the politically correct environment within which they work and we live. Case in point, two people board the train in OAK, one is playing music out loud (OBNOXIOUSLY) on his smart phone, he is asked nicely to turn it down and ignores the request. The Police are called, they board the train walk through the car, ask the person playing the music if there is a problem, he and his companion say no. The Police get off the train at the next stop and the two now are free to harass the person reporting the problem and do so. (sarcasm on) It really makes you want to call for help when there’s a problem (sarcasm off). I just pray to make it another year or two at most then get the hell out of here for good.
@gonein2013, on Sunday night my buddy and I were on BART going to the warriors game with our sons. There was a guy playing his rap good and loud next to us. I just pulled out my phone and turned on some country. He seemed bothered by it. My bad.
I feel a whole lot safer on BART than in a car.
I was recently on BART with my boyfriend, when some teenagers came into our car and were checking people out. They then went to the next car and that was the last we saw of them. We hit an Oakland station and we just stopped for 15 or so minutes, then BART police showed up. I guess those kids robbed someone and the police were trying to find them or something.
I’ve used BART to commute for years, have taken it to the airport and when I don’t want to drive into the city. Has it gotten worse? I think so. I also think we’re so plugged into our devices, our phones etc. that we make easy targets and aren’t paying attention anymore. I tend to not bring a purse with me, and keep my phone in my pocket, unless I have my boyfriend with me.
I would love to also see more BART police patrolling the trains and actually riding them vs. hanging out at stations.
I too have ridden BART for many years. I’ve seen, heard & smelled it all ! I don’t know if it’s my 4′ long dreads or my “don’t mess with me” demeanor, but thankfully I’ve never had any problems myself! OO, and speaking of smell, I found the best way to get a seat during commute hours coming back to Walnut Creek from Oakland is a skosh of elephant doodoo leftover on my boots!
Cheers!
Of course I do!
I ride to work everyday on BART. I sleep during my commute almost everyday, I guess I do feel safe.
1BAR, I take it you work at the zoo!
@concealed carry. I only wish (pray) a CCW was even in the cards. as I’m not politically connected and certainly not wealthy enough to be in a position to get one. Pepper spray is the best I can do.
One way to help keep yourself safe is being aware of your surroundings. It’s called situational awareness. Also pray that if you ever do need help to fend off some perp, someone around you will step in and assist. If not, remember when seconds count the Police are just minutes away.
From a number of posts would seem bart is a warm dry haven 20 hours a day for the homeless, criminal predators, stalkers and mentally ill.
Gives serious pause as to the effectiveness and coverage of bart police.
It’s been pretty much the same in the 25 years I’ve been riding it-expensive, unreliable, dirty and a place where punks like to harass decent people. I regularly give up my seat to pregnant women and the elderly and often, I’m the oldest guy around, the young guys stare at their iphones and ipads and pretend not to see. I bet I could rely on them to help me if I was getting mugged! haha Everyday on every train there are the morons who blast their music so loud, everybody around them has to hear the thumping of the synthetic bass and drum machines. Yes, it’s BART and it hasn’t changed at all.
The one thing your son doesn’t want to let on to any of these low-life scumbags, transients, druggies, etc., etc., is that he is the least bit afraid. First let me start by saying I am a woman. I had a similar situation many many years ago when I was commuting to SF via BART to the 16th Street Mission Station and then I would take the 22 Filmore bus to the Army Street/Potrero Street area to my work destination. I had just stepped onto my bus and took a seat in the first row of seats after the handicapped seats (which were all vacant). Next on the bus comes this big black woman holding a cane. She immediately comes up to me and tells me to get out of my seat and tells me I am sitting in handicapped seating. I told her I wasn’t sitting in handicapped seating and pointed to the vacant seats designated for handicaps. She was persistent, obnoxious. and kept in my face about moving. I finally stood up and stuck my face right up to her ugly mug and told her to take my damn seat and while she was at it to shut up. She immediately looked at me shocked – because I confronted her. Yes, I was scared (inside) but I certainly wasn’t going to let her know that. Your son must always walk tall, and carry a big stick… be confident of who he is, where he is and where is going.
Also, along this line… when I was commuting to SF there were many times when I would be standing at the bus stop at 16th Street Mission waiting for my bus when drunks, hookers, and you name it would bug you for money and not give up…. I would always look them straight in the eye and say “If you are smart you’ll start walking”.
Reading all the posts I guess I am the only one who thinks it is too loud. Hard to believe they cannot make quieter running trains. Going to SFO can blow your ears out.
Sure do. Only had one incident in 12 years of almost daily riding. And that was on the way to Oakland International involving a nut case.
I’m fine on BART when it’s just me or I’m with my wife. I’m told I often have sort of a “don’t F with me” expression on my face, although it’s unintentional. I will say however that I am uneasy when I have my young boys with me. It can be challenging having to explain to them why this group keeps using the F word, or why that group keeps groping each other, or why that man just fell down and decided to just lay there, etc. There are a lot of asshats on BART these days.
I feel reasonably safe riding BART during the day. The one BART-related incident where I felt threatened was one time at night when I was waiting in my car at the Concord station for my DH’s train to arrive. This thuggish-looking guy started approaching my car and gave me a bad vibe so I drove off and circled around a bit until my DH texted me that he was getting off the train.
safe just never step foot in those bathrooms
NO NO NO! The reason is every time I ride, (once twice a month) the driver of the train has an issue. Burning smells and stopping short and screeching rails.
I always dread an Earthquake in the tunnel. It’s not about the people it’s about Bart’s actual safety of trains!
I rode Bart into SF from Fremont and the East Bay for 25 years. I always felt safe.
Twenty five years of riding on BART, too many incidents to name. Worrying about terrorists blowing up the train; one time our train went through a fire; being on it during the 89 earthquake underground and it rocked tremendously; crazies screaming, drunk, high, fighting. Riding in the elevator at Civic Center due to injury and it was always full of urine and sometimes crazy homeless people talking crap to me. Homeless people in the restrooms way back when they were still open. One time I fell asleep and woke up to the man sitting next to me with his hand on my crotch. Walking down the aisle of the train and a man reached out and grabbed both of my breasts. A friend fell asleep another time in the four seat arrangement, three naked young men sitting next to her (I assume as a prank). Seeing young men wandering through the lots looking into all the cars for something to steal. Some of the conductors seemed crazy. Virtually 90% of the workers in the booths are lazy and crazy both. I thank God every day I don’t have to ride it any more.
I conceal a 9mm when riding after dark because I work in both Oakland and Richmond.
@ChampagneKitty #43, One would hope! (I’m still laughing!).
I noticed that some people on here are nervous and could maybe use some words of encouragement? First, please rethink the pepper spray! More often then not, you’ll either nail yourself, an innocent bystander or just piss off the agitator! Consider a lanyard with a lot of keys on it! Second, confidence, eye contact & a smile go along way! Some bad guy’s might just confuse you for crazy and leave you alone based soley on paranoia! Lastly, the zoo has plenty of poo! Fight funk with funk!
Cheers!
As long as there is no donkey punching!!!!!!!!
I hate BART, but ride it only to meet a friend in SF. The trains are filthy and the station people act like you’re invisible to them when you have a question. I commuted to SF and Berkeley on BART. I clearly remember two incidents that make me hate it. Riding home from work, a man sat down across from me. He looked really grungy and unwashed … dirty clothes and hair. He sat their scratching first here, then there. Before long, I felt something on my legs and itchy. I looked down to see fleas biting me. (They will “find” me whereever I am.) I brushed them off and got up and moved and hoped I didn’t take any of them home with me becauses I had two dogs and two cats.
Another time, an equally grungy guy got on a crowded commute train at Lake Merrit in Oakland. He stood next to a seated pregnant woman and began shouting obscenities at her. Surprised, she looked down and stayed calm as he ranted and raved at her. The rest of the fully packed train standing and seated were shocked, but someone pushed the emergency button. At the next station the grungy guy exited the train followed by a passenger who pointed the guy out to the police who had just come up the stairs. Those incidents, and several others that were not as dramatic, turned me against BART after anticipating it’s completion for years and riding the shiny new trains the first weekend after it was first put into service. My friends and I were really excited for all the opportunities it offered. Now it conjures a resounding “YUK.”
years ago I used to take BART from SL to SF and the worst thing that happened to me ….I was sitting in the seats facing each other near the door and this guy comes and sits across from me…..in VERY SHORT SHORTS…I happen to look up and part of him (!!!!!) is out of his shorts and hanging there when he crossed his legs…..I had the hardest time not laughing and not sure if he knew or not.
I have to tell the most embarrassing thing that happened to me on the bus to SF…..and the sad part is it happened twice……I’m sitting next to window with my head resting on glass and I happednd to look over…tall truck next to us at stop sign and I did a double take…driver was doing something with his hand to something standing straight up from his lap…it got me off guard so much I screamed a little ….people of bus looked at me….but I sure could not explain why……I swear the next week…same guy, same thing and he looked right at me….geeeeeeeeez.
for about 10 years, at various times of day and days of the week, I have seen every thing from an sex act to attempted murder. I was instrumental in the arrest of several gang member only to run into them again a few month later as they rode home to Pittsburg from jail in Oakland.
I am not an open carry advocate, but I would feel a lot safer if I could carry my side arm concealed for personal protection. I carry pepper spray and a collapsible baton (which is not legal but I’ll take my chances).
I always ride in the first car, nearest the Bart driver, I carry all sorts of cleaning swipes because everything is filthy and I try hard not to think about burning my cloths once I get home.
I hope to never have to ride Bart again, but if I do, I will be as prepared as I can without breaking to many laws.
I agree with others – most of the problems are nutjobs and meth heads, drunks, and the mentally ill. Bart really needs to do a better job fixing escalators faster, esp. at Embarcadero.
Re: @Having commuted to San Francisco
Your shorts are supposed to be longer than your underwear especiallyly if you wear tighytwhities.
If somebody looks at you and sees something resembling a baby bird, you might need some redneck fashion advice.
@Sam
North Concord is a nice station and it’s always got parking (at least it used to). I lived in Antioch for several years, and it was easier to park at N. Concord than the Pittsburg station.
Safe to me means being always prepared. So yes, I felt safe when riding Bart. Comfortable or at ease however, is a completely different matter.
Have been riding roundtrip from Concord to 12th St for 15 years and have always felt safe. No longer ride on late weekend eves only because it takes sooo long (longer wait times and long stops at transfer stations). The long walk to my car on weeknights have been without incident, too, but I’m cautious and take headphones off, look around a lot and walk fast (I’m from NY, so it’s built in). I often am parked at the end of a huge, dark lot, so I have been grateful seeing cops parked there a lot lately. If I know I will have a very late night, I wait for the 10 AM parking to be near the station entrance.
While I feel safe on BART, I do always try to pay attention to my surroundings and if I feel uncomfortable, I move. This happens plenty of places, not just while riding BART. It is so convenient. A great way to get to places I just don’t want to drive to (SF and the Airport). I know some who won’t ride for any reason, no matter what. So, we leave them at the Airport and tell them to get a shuttle.
I feel safe in groups. I cant ever forget this onetime my sister, best friend and I were at the Walnut Creek Station on the platform waiting to head to SF. This guy who was “off” lets say started to talk to us and my sister said something that he didnt like so he flipped out saying that he was “the king Of Oakland” and started to threaten us. My sister went to pull her phone out of her pocket to check the time and he thought it was a gun! Then he relized it was her phone and went ever more crazy saying the same thing and if we were calling the police on him. He made it very clean the he is the king of oakland and the police have no effect on him. Luckly we got up and went further down the platform and he fallowed us. Lost him on the train thank goodness. To this day I call my sister and tell her its the king of oakland.
I have used Bart for the last 2 years to commute from North Concord to Hayward. I have ridden at all times of the day and night, including 11pm trips.
During commute hours, it can become crowded. There may be bad apples but for the most part 99% of people are respectful of each other. I never see a senior citizen or disabled person have to stand, and when the seats start opening up, usually the men stay standing, not going for a seat until it seems no one else will (many times people don’t want to sit next to others so they won’t take the seat).
As far as the bad apples, there are sometimes people on there who seem unclean, or maybe are loud and obnoxious on their phone, but usually they mind their own business.
If I saw someone having a problem on Bart, I would stand up. I would always stand up for others’ safety.
I don’t know why you would ever have 2 headphones in in public. That’s not safe. The other day a kid stepped right off the curb right in front of my car and thank god I wasn’t speeding and was able to stop. Why? He had 2 headphones plugging his ears. Not a good idea. Just use one headphone.
Oh, and Bart isn’t that dirty imo. It just seems like it’s stained. They should really stop using fabric seats.
No, unless I am with a group of people. I feel particularly unsafe at night.
I felt safe in the 90′s when I rode BART for years. The husband take is occasionally to the city and he reposts back that BART is filthy. He even feels ill for the next day or two after he comes back.
Why is BART broke AND paying their top executives $300,000.00 in salary? State, utility or union executives should NEVER make that much money. They are robbing the people of America.
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