News

Courteous ‘stand on the right’ rules damage BART’s escalators

By Nuala Sawyer •
BART is expected to approved a bond measure for the November ballot that will help address ailing infrastructure issues, such as replacing escalators. (Cindy Chew/S.F. Examiner file photo)
BART is expected to approved a bond measure for the November ballot that will help address ailing infrastructure issues, such as replacing escalators. (Cindy Chew/S.F. Examiner file photo)

Ask anyone who regularly uses BART to get around, and they’ll undoubtedly have a complaint about the stations’ frequently broken escalators. Human feces, rain, overpopulation and other issues have been credited with damaging the escalators, and now we have a new cause to add to the list: human courtesy.

Bevan Dufty tweeted a question to BART Friday morning, inquiring about the installation of new escalator stairs that say “STAND” on the right, and “WALK” on the left, reminding commuters of courteous escalator behavior.

But Dufty was shut down by BART, who responded to his tweet by saying that “while it may be the courteous thing to do- it is bad for the units. uneven wear. best thing for reliability is even pressure.”

The BART board will soon be voting on a contract to repair and replace escalators across the BART system, as well as a contract to build canopies to shield two San Francisco stations’ escalators from rain.

SEE RELATED: BART delays vote on escalator replacement and repair

Tags: , ,
Related Stories
The student housing squeeze exists despite the fact that Cal State and UC combined have built enough new housing for some 36,000 students since 2015 and plan to add another 21,000 slots in the near future. (Photo by Patrick Garcia for CalMatters College Journalism Network)
Cal State blunder may mean loss of affordable housing for 3,000 students

Fixing the paperwork goof is straightforward but costly

By Mikhail Zinshteyn
Laura Lala-Chavez is the new executive director of the LYRIC Center for LGBTQ Youth in the Castro District. (Craig Lee/The Examiner)
How one SF leader is helping queer youth emerge stronger from the pandemic

‘Many of us are looking for a safe haven’

By Sydney Johnson
Officials at the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts are investigating the practice of having theater students change clothes together after several expressed concern about feeling embarassed and exposed, with one alleging sexual harassment. (Mira Laing/Special to The Examiner)
SF art school investigates theater class practice that had students undressing together

‘I remember being mortified and humiliated’

By Ida Mojadad