Bicycles are currently not permitted on escalators in BART stations. It’s always been a “safety issue.” This may soon change. Denis Cuff reported on this last Friday in the Contra Costa Times.
In the cyclists’ corner, BART board members Robert Raburn and Tom Radulovich are working to reverse the ban. BART did its own study on the “safety issue” years ago and concluded that escalators and stairs were equally safe for cyclists to use in BART stations. Despite that, the escalator ban continues. BART officials say they want to encourage people to bike to BART stations because it can increase train ridership without adding expensive parking lots, and it reduces pollution and traffic congestion.
BART, kindly put your money where your mouth is. End the escalator ban. Thank you.
4 Comments
I HATE lugging my bike up the stairs, especially if I have a lot of stuff on it. It seems LESS safe than the escalators. Come on, BART.
I noticed that the 16th/Mission station has a TON of indoor, paid zone bike parking. Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesbondsv/5728193407/in/photostream
I’m right there with you, Curtis. When I take BART, I’m often with my son. He’s not big enough to SAFELY haul his bike up or down the stairs, and I’m usually rollin’ my 70+ lb cargo bike. So we usually take the cramped, slow, often unsanitary, elevator. If there’s a stroller-pushing mom, or a person in a wheelchair waiting for the elevator, I do the right thing and let them go first. I’ve missed a train more than once as a direct result of doing the right thing.
I hope BART decides to do the right thing.
I’m in favor as to be perfectly honest I often take my bike on the escalator. Yes it’s a light bike but I’ve found that it’s safer. When I climb the stairs I have to lift my bike up and watch out for people waking so I don’t hit them. When I’m on the escalator my bike is down and still. The only time I’ve ever come close to hurting people has been walking my bike on the stairs — especially those assholes who sit on the stairs and don’t bother to move. It’s pretty easy to bring your bike on the escalator without blocking it. Anyways I’d bet on any given day there are more pedestrians standing and blocking the escalator.