BART is dead. It should just go away. (premium, dollar, school)

[HappyHappy001]

Big city public transportation serves as shelter for the homeless and safe places to do drugs. Gee, wonder why regular folks are reluctant to use? Huh?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IXdfOBm-_A

[It'sAutomatic]

Originally Posted by albert648

All public transportation systems should be privatized. If it can't stand on its own, it should fail.

Or maybe the people advocating for their existence should chip in and buy shares in these systems.

Do you feel that way about highways?

[Cruithne]

Originally Posted by mattja

I know this specific situation is a local issue, but what's the public transportation outlook in your area?

Here, the two major commuter train systems, BART and Caltrain, are basically dead. Ridership is down 80%-95% still today. The systems will no doubt demand additional taxpayer dollars to keep them afloat. They do provide a valuable service, especially to college students who commute to school (as I once commuted to school in SF on BART), but the situation is untenable. Taxpayers cannot support multi-billion dollar systems that the people have deemed unnecessary.

COVID got people back in their cars and working from home. The powers that be filled the air with FUD to such a level that people began wearing masks outside walking alone. Is it any wonder some people still fear cramped trains?





https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/02...s-ever-return/

BART plans to continue with a $6.9 billion extension to a system no one is using?

They must think the people have bottomless pockets. Typical.

I lived in the Bay Area for 3 years. The problem with it in my eyes is it just doesn't go far enough.



In places like London, Paris and New York, you can get anywhere in the city within a few blocks walk.

BART on the other hand just doesn't have enough connectivity, so you just end up driving.



In my opinion it does need to be extended. The problem as always though with The Bay Area, is the danger of the land moving due to the fault lines.

[bluesclues5]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

The drug genie is out of the box in this country so to speak so outlawing drugs is just not going to happen.

I think that we need more PR campaigns like the faces of meth ads etc.

For those that are a danger to society we need to enforce laws, but the homeless migrate to places that are:

1. Warmer
2. Accepting\supporting of them

I've seen homeless in FL but the police kinda keep them in-line in the town I was at. Kind of a "don't cause trouble and we'll leave you be".

I think other parts of the country don't police like that and you get more violent and aggressive homeless\druggies there.

Also in some parts of the country, a homeless druggie attacking a soccer mom in the grocery parking lot can more likely end up shot dead and those stories don't make national news.

We've tried these. I recall in the 90's when I was a child, there were tons of TV and print ads about the dangers of illicit drug, alcohol and cigarette use. I've stopped watching TV so maybe they are still aired, but clearly it's not working since we're still talking about the problem and how it's actually gotten worse.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by It'sAutomatic

Do you feel that way about highways?

The big difference is that highways are required not only for the residents to use, but are critical to getting goods and services needed to survive. I don't think any supermarket chains get their meat and produce from a bus or light rail system.

[ntwrkguy1]

Originally Posted by Igor Blevin

So people are just working from home in the East Bay as SF offices emptied out? Is that it? I doubt that historic BART riders are suddenly game to drive into the City and pay for parking. Is it just WFH?

Office Vacancy Rate in San Francisco Just Hit a New High

Having held at a pandemic high of 21.7 percent in the second quarter of this year, the effective office vacancy rate in San Francisco ticked up another 130 basis points in the third quarter to 23.0 percent, representing 19.9 million square feet of vacant office space in the city...


https://socketsite.com/archives/2022...-new-high.html

I was not aware that the vacancy rate in SF is closing in on 25%. That's an enormous number that's not likely to come down anytime soon.

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Didn’t Pelosi’s friend David take the BART on his way to visit Paul Pelosi?

He could help out and do BART commercials and endorsements.

"Hi, my name is David. I specialize in putting a smile on elderly men's faces. If you're hungry for a midnight snack like a hot dog or a strudel, hit me up on UberEats or HammerBeats. I'm your man with a plan, and I'll ride BART right to you!"

[sirtiger]

Originally Posted by HappyHappy001

Big city public transportation serves as shelter for the homeless and safe places to do drugs. Gee, wonder why regular folks are reluctant to use? Huh?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IXdfOBm-_A

that is the NYC subway. Its far more disgusting and mismanaged than BART

[banjomike]

Originally Posted by albert648

All public transportation systems should be privatized. If it can't stand on its own, it should fail.

Or maybe the people advocating for their existence should chip in and buy shares in these systems.

Uh, huh.
I'll bet all those private investors in Twitter are delighted today.

The facts may have differed in the past, but these days, private investment is crazier than buying public bonds by a long way.

But if someone is willing to take the risk, private capital is the way to go. But you have to watch the stock like a hawk watches a mouse to keep from losing all your money.
Bonds always have a lower pay-off, but they're a much safer investment.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by Cruithne

I lived in the Bay Area for 3 years. The problem with it in my eyes is it just doesn't go far enough.



In places like London, Paris and New York, you can get anywhere in the city within a few blocks walk.

BART on the other hand just doesn't have enough connectivity, so you just end up driving.



In my opinion it does need to be extended. The problem as always though with The Bay Area, is the danger of the land moving due to the fault lines.

What sense does it make to extend BART if no one is riding it?

$6.9 billion to extend BART when ridership is still down 80-95% two years after the lockdowns makes no financial sense.

[mattja]

Originally Posted by johnsonkk

Didn’t Pelosi’s friend David take the BART on his way to visit Paul Pelosi?

He could help out and do BART commercials and endorsements.

BART only gets you part way. He would have had to take a bus or an Uber from BART to Pacific Heights.

My daughter and her friend went to Japan Center in San Francisco last week. They drove to BART, paid to park (it used to be free), took BART to SF and a Lyft to Japan Center. I insisted they take a Lyft because the bus goes through some crappy areas.

When it was all said and done they spent $60 on transportation. If she had driven the entire way, it would have been closer to $30, and that includes gasoline, bridge toll and parking.

BART will get you there, but the primary problem is what to do when you get there. If your destination is along Market St, you're okay. Otherwise you need to take a bus or car the rest of that way and that can get sketchy.