How to make BART Feel safe…
BART : Bay Area Rapid Transit
published June 22nd, 2023
Step One: Cease calling it BART. As novelly witty and adorable as this acronym is, the name “Bart” and the manner of associating it with a subway rail system that has its safety at stake, does not bring about a friendly image of an entity named Bart. Rather, it brings to mind the following caricature:
Instead, call Bart an Interstate Rail System as it runs from one interstate to the next. Here’s a concept of this:
Besides, “BAIR” brings to mind Bear, and not Bart.
Step Two: Apply glass/plastic push barrier doors and walling between the train and the boarding area. These barriers would include sliding doors that open when the train’s doors open at a complete stop. The push barriers allow for a more insulated waiting experience, and would help prevent track deaths. The Atlana Airport has been using push barriers with elevator doors for decades with its Plane Train System.
Step Three: The dingy 70s bricks and tiles, and more horrifically the sinister looking concrete walling and ceiling slabs all create a horror film vibe. With push barrier walling in place, the main boarding area will be less susceptible to oil grease and fumes from the train (incl. the train tunnel and track).
I feel like this has been a major problem for many United States subways and that is to use indoor interiors for heavily walked-on subterranean platforms. So… instead of overly waxed floor tiles, thin carpeting, and mall/hospital tiles, why not use… Landscaper pavers (see Home Depot link)?
Pavers are designed for wear, tear, snow, mud and other outdoor grime, and you are less likely to feel uncomfortable on a patio than you are on filthy waxed mall flooring.
What about those cement slabs? How can these be attoned for? Paint can only do so much before the grafitti senseis come out to play. I would say use indented, perforated and punctured metal panels and pieces (of different colors, too), and different variations of lighting. Concrete can look a whole lot less menacing if it is properly illuminated.
Corrugated metal can be used on support beams to promote an outdoor feeling, rather than a public restroom or fastfood kitchen vibe.
Step Four: Use Park Lamps and commercial awnings in the boarding station areas. If passengers sense that the atmosphere is sketchy and there are some suspectful stains in their way, they will anticipate problems — of which will be produced by this. Just imagine if Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom castle had the interior of the current subway station, would you feel safe?
Why do visitors (or when visitors used to come more often to San Francisco and felt safe) continue to try out San Francisco’s historic cable car system?
While these cable cars might not offer complete passenger safety or foam-padded seating, it’s the dedication to an outdoor look (respective of the late 1800s) and the friendly nature of each vehicle that is quite alluring.
Below is a comparison between an SF cable car ride (courtesy of Arjen V Cabrides YouTube channel), and a BART subway station and ride ( courtesy of Stroll With Me YouTube channel):
Step Five : Put tray tables on the backs of seats and underneath seats. Why underneath seats? Well, if a passenger decides to stick on a mobile device or a handheld weapon, the weight will pull down the tray table arm, or board area.
Though it may be better just to align the left and right areas with seating facing inward. The bordered seating could be foldable and the folded seat bottoms might have such tray tables that would pull down- acting as tables for those in wheel chairs and for someone standing up. Here’s an example of bordered seating (though with heavy shiny plastic seats) from a Singapore subway train (courtesy of ReachingSingapore YouTube Channel):
Step Six: Have video monitors displaying other stations, and trains departing so passengers feel aware and connected to the activity and circulation of the system; instead of just being part of a wait-to-board, and wait-to-arrive system. This same video monitor could cycle through train safety just as TSA video monitors do.
Step Seven: Have a plaque or board at each station with information on the Transbay Tunnel, and its safety.
Step Eight : Have Brochures / QR codes which link to information for safety and scenarios when traveling by BART / BAIR.
Step Nine: Line control. Similar to a themepark train system like Walt Disney World’s monorail (see below), there could be additional line barriers to control a crowded passenger attendance. The following video is from 4K WDW YouTube Channel:
Step Ten: Have security personnel and BART / BAIR employees wear different vests that are bright in color, but not intense. Possibly a purple safety vest would do the trick.
