Human Poop and Pee Clog BART Escalators

BART passengers

We've all been in that situation on BART -- the train doesn't arrive for another 20 minutes and you've got to take a dump.

But what about those people who aren't waiting for a train and have no place to go to take that dump? Or the people who are too drunk and can't wait. Well, it seems they squat right down on the BART escalators and relieve themselves without getting caught. According to today's Chron, one too many people are peeing and pooping on the moving stairs, enough that it's causing mechanical breakdowns.

As the Chron notes

All those biological excretions can gum up the wheels and gears of BART's escalators, shutting them down for long periods of extended repairs, increasing station cleaning costs and creating an unpleasant aroma for morning commuters.

Apparently, the fecal matter has accumulated to disturbing levels, forcing BART to call in the county HazMat team.

It doesn't seem like this problem will clean itself up anytime soon. As Bart spokesman Jim Allison points out, there just aren't enough public restrooms in downtown where most of the bladder emptying is happening.

And you can forget about curbing the unpleasant human waste with tougher enforcement. Police say they can't actually issue a citation unless the offender is caught in the act of relieving themselves on public property, or someone reports it -- which almost never happens.

While officials tend to point the finger at homeless folks who use BART has a crash pad, we know for a fact there are plenty of drunk passengers who could use a diaper just as badly as they think they need that next beer.

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