We're going through a problem with BART wherein some employees managed to set fire to new equipment twice. Yes, twice! They installed some new equipment. Fire started. Put out fire. Do not bother to find out why fire started. Brought in extra set of equipment. Installed new equipment. Fire started. Much bigger, nastier fire. So, now, they actually have to figure out how they managed to burn up millions of dollars of equipment, after they clean it all up, of course. They say they're working 24/7, however, they mostly seem to sit around under a tent, two at a time, eating donuts. But, whatever. The Governator isn't doing a damn thing, because his friends don't ride public transit.
As a result, for one long section of track between stations, the engineers are actually having to manually run the trains, as the computers are out. They are also only running half as many trains on this line as before. Half as many trains, running at half speed. I have to get to BART a lot earlier just to be sure it will get to the station I need in time to meet my bus.
One night, glad to be going home, I'm in the first car. Only thing between me and the engineer is a locked door, with heavy-duty safety glass. Train is running slow. Several people on the train are on the way to the Oakland Athletics game, a few of whom have obviously had a few beers.
One group is very unhappy with the slow speed of the train in this damaged section. They're getting really loud, really fast. Then the Chief Jackass decides to show who's in really in charge ('cause he spent a whole $5.00 on that roundtrip ticket), walks to the front of the car, begins pounding on the engineer's door and yelling, "Hey, why are you going so slow? We have to get to the Colisseum. Come on, man. What's going on?" You know, the usually jackassery. The pounding and yelling continues.
I kind of want to ignore the guy and have the engineer call for the BART police at the next stop so I can enjoy a perp walk up close, but I also want to get home at a reasonable hour and don't want to have to make a statement. Do I say something to CJ or turn back to my book? Then the woman across the aisle from me decides she wants to get home without a cop/perp floor show. She speaks up, explains the situation. I chime in with additional info. Amazingly, CJ is not too drunk, accepts situation and, when train finally speeds up, goes quietly back to seat. I turn back to my book for the last five minutes of my ride.
But public transit is making me so cranky lately. Am I really evil for still kind of wanting to see the guy marched off, with maybe a K-9 unit involved?
As a result, for one long section of track between stations, the engineers are actually having to manually run the trains, as the computers are out. They are also only running half as many trains on this line as before. Half as many trains, running at half speed. I have to get to BART a lot earlier just to be sure it will get to the station I need in time to meet my bus.
One night, glad to be going home, I'm in the first car. Only thing between me and the engineer is a locked door, with heavy-duty safety glass. Train is running slow. Several people on the train are on the way to the Oakland Athletics game, a few of whom have obviously had a few beers.
One group is very unhappy with the slow speed of the train in this damaged section. They're getting really loud, really fast. Then the Chief Jackass decides to show who's in really in charge ('cause he spent a whole $5.00 on that roundtrip ticket), walks to the front of the car, begins pounding on the engineer's door and yelling, "Hey, why are you going so slow? We have to get to the Colisseum. Come on, man. What's going on?" You know, the usually jackassery. The pounding and yelling continues.
I kind of want to ignore the guy and have the engineer call for the BART police at the next stop so I can enjoy a perp walk up close, but I also want to get home at a reasonable hour and don't want to have to make a statement. Do I say something to CJ or turn back to my book? Then the woman across the aisle from me decides she wants to get home without a cop/perp floor show. She speaks up, explains the situation. I chime in with additional info. Amazingly, CJ is not too drunk, accepts situation and, when train finally speeds up, goes quietly back to seat. I turn back to my book for the last five minutes of my ride.
But public transit is making me so cranky lately. Am I really evil for still kind of wanting to see the guy marched off, with maybe a K-9 unit involved?
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