Mon May 6, 2013, 04:07 PM
Purveyor (29,876 posts)
Bay Area ‘Lewd Behavior’ Ban On Pooping Or Peeing On Subways Goes Into Effect
Starting Monday, Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) riders will have to think twice before using trains or train platforms as public bathrooms, or risk losing the ability to use them at all.
SF Weekly reported on Monday that transit police will now be able to issue “prohibition orders” against repeat offenders. The bans, which can last anywhere from 30 days to 1 year, were passed as part of state Assembly Bill 716 in January 2013, meaning customers found defecating or urinating, or engaging in lewd behavior on BART property, among other offenses, could be banned from using the transit service if cited three times within a 90-day period. More serious infractions like physical assault will lead to a ban after just one instance. The bill also applies to political protesters with multiple arrests. “We are really wanting to send the message that if you are going to come onto our system and be unruly or violent, there are going to be consequences,” BART spokesperson Alicia Trost told KGO-TV on April 29. MORE... http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/05/06/bay-area-lewd-behavior-ban-on-pooping-or-peeing-on-subways-goes-into-effect/ Ha...and you thought I was kidding with my tagline commentary?
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40 replies, 3329 views
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Author | Time | Post |
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Purveyor | May 2013 | OP |
loli phabay | May 2013 | #1 | |
Luminous Animal | May 2013 | #4 | |
loli phabay | May 2013 | #7 | |
geek tragedy | May 2013 | #13 | |
Saving Hawaii | May 2013 | #33 | |
Cirque du So-What | May 2013 | #14 | |
tabbycat31 | May 2013 | #29 | |
spiderpig | May 2013 | #40 | |
arely staircase | May 2013 | #2 | |
Luminous Animal | May 2013 | #6 | |
arely staircase | May 2013 | #22 | |
geek tragedy | May 2013 | #3 | |
loli phabay | May 2013 | #9 | |
MrScorpio | May 2013 | #5 | |
randome | May 2013 | #8 | |
MrScorpio | May 2013 | #11 | |
Major Nikon | May 2013 | #30 | |
Agschmid | May 2013 | #36 | |
arcane1 | May 2013 | #15 | |
Gormy Cuss | May 2013 | #28 | |
mulsh | May 2013 | #31 | |
GeorgeGist | May 2013 | #10 | |
Starry Messenger | May 2013 | #12 | |
MrScorpio | May 2013 | #16 | |
Warren DeMontague | May 2013 | #18 | |
Yo_Mama | May 2013 | #19 | |
Warren DeMontague | May 2013 | #20 | |
Yo_Mama | May 2013 | #21 | |
Warren DeMontague | May 2013 | #26 | |
etherealtruth | May 2013 | #27 | |
REP | May 2013 | #34 | |
Starry Messenger | May 2013 | #37 | |
Warren DeMontague | May 2013 | #17 | |
name not needed | May 2013 | #24 | |
Sen. Walter Sobchak | May 2013 | #23 | |
Initech | May 2013 | #25 | |
TheManInTheMac | May 2013 | #32 | |
Cal Carpenter | May 2013 | #35 | |
daleo | May 2013 | #38 | |
JustABozoOnThisBus | May 2013 | #39 |
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:11 PM
loli phabay (5,580 posts)
1. lol cant believe there was not a law already governing this, i can understand a kid in a dire emerge
Emergency or a medical emergency but turning a blind eye to it before now i dont get.
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Response to loli phabay (Reply #1)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:14 PM
Luminous Animal (27,310 posts)
4. It already is against the law and I sincerely doubt BART police turned a blind eye...
Most likely any offender received a ticket. The difference now is that they will be banned for a specific period of time.
I have to say that in my 25 years of taking public transportation daily, I've never witnessed anyone pooping or peeing on any bus, trolley, or train. |
Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #4)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:18 PM
loli phabay (5,580 posts)
7. ah makes more sense now, good way to handle repeat offenders.
Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #4)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:21 PM
geek tragedy (68,868 posts)
13. In NYC, the subway elevators are often used as latrines.
Which provides a delightful experience to people who depend on those elevators for access due to mobility limitations.
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Response to geek tragedy (Reply #13)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:31 PM
Saving Hawaii (441 posts)
33. If you go to Ireland make sure to bring a cell phone.
You don't want to learn what those lovely old phone booths are used for now.
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Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #4)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:30 PM
Cirque du So-What (12,789 posts)
14. I've never witnessed it either
although I've sensed it in other ways. During my time in SF, I recall that the Embarcadero Center BART station was particularly fragrant.
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Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #4)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:46 PM
tabbycat31 (6,336 posts)
29. When I was growing up
It was the 'cool' thing to do for the middle school boys to 'piss at the train station.'
The stairway leading to the train platform always reaked of urine. I haven't taken a train from that station in awhile (Metro North Railroad in NY) so I have no idea if the boys (I'd use the term 'kids' but it's much more difficult for females) still do this or not. |
Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #4)
Tue May 7, 2013, 04:27 AM
spiderpig (10,239 posts)
40. Oh, I have.
Commuted on BART for years, and it got worse and worse as time went on. People using the "between cars" as urinals and zipping up when they reentered the cars. I can't even stand to go into the stations anymore.
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:13 PM
arely staircase (12,482 posts)
2. so up until now it has been legal?
nt
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Response to arely staircase (Reply #2)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:15 PM
Luminous Animal (27,310 posts)
6. No. They were ticketable offenses. The difference now is that offenders
may be banned from using the BART system.
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Response to Luminous Animal (Reply #6)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:57 PM
arely staircase (12,482 posts)
22. gotcha nt
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:14 PM
geek tragedy (68,868 posts)
3. How would it be enforced? nt
Response to geek tragedy (Reply #3)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:19 PM
loli phabay (5,580 posts)
9. using k9's, the poopy patrol.
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:15 PM
MrScorpio (71,175 posts)
5. Do they have restrooms in BART stations?
And of course, the political protest ban is just another in a series of cracking down on free speech in this country.
But I'm wondering if there are a serious lack of restrooms down there. |
Response to MrScorpio (Reply #5)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:19 PM
randome (34,845 posts)
8. But defecating and urinating can ALSO be a form of political protest.
In a way. Maybe? Maybe not.
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Response to randome (Reply #8)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:20 PM
MrScorpio (71,175 posts)
11. Anything can pass as political protest in San Francisco
You might be right.
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Response to randome (Reply #8)
Mon May 6, 2013, 06:40 PM
Major Nikon (31,450 posts)
30. ...albeit a piss-poor one
Response to Major Nikon (Reply #30)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:56 PM
Agschmid (28,263 posts)
36. Well played sir...
Response to MrScorpio (Reply #5)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:41 PM
arcane1 (38,613 posts)
15. There's no political protest ban, as such.
"The bill also applies to political protesters with multiple arrests." meaning, as I see it, political protesters aren't exempt.
The restrooms in the San Francisco stations have been shot down since 9/11, but out in the suburbs, in the above-ground stations, they still have their restrooms open. |
Response to MrScorpio (Reply #5)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:32 PM
Gormy Cuss (30,884 posts)
28. Yes there are restrooms although at many stations they're locked
Post 9/11 rules.
IMHO this repeat offender rule is a way of banning the homeless who try to live on the trains or in the train yards. BART's not a subway system either -- it's a heavy rail commuter train with lots of local, urban stations as well as the suburban ones. eta: Oops! I see that downthread my Bay area neighbor Starry Messenger already made these points. |
Response to MrScorpio (Reply #5)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:03 PM
mulsh (2,897 posts)
31. I don't know about all BART stations but the only one I'm postive has open rest rooms is
sf)The Rockridge (Oakland) station. The 2 Mission ( SF) stations I've been to recently both had closed rest rooms. I haven't seen the downtown SF rest rooms open since 9/11. People with more knowledge then me please enlighten us. thanks
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:20 PM
GeorgeGist (20,965 posts)
10. Paris of the West
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:20 PM
Starry Messenger (32,255 posts)
12. BART station bathrooms have been closed at nearly all stations since 9/11.
Just wanted people to know that before this thread becomes full of "you all don't know any better?" responses. This law is going to target homeless people who don't have many places to do their business. It's easier to pass a train poop law and call the matter solved then to pursue more long-term solutions to poverty.
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Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #12)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:44 PM
MrScorpio (71,175 posts)
16. You make perfect sense
Obviously, there's more going on here than what everyone is being told
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Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #12)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:48 PM
Warren DeMontague (80,708 posts)
18. The Bay Area is a HORRIBLE place if you're out and need to use the can.
![]() For the homeless, obviously, it's worse. |
Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #12)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:49 PM
Yo_Mama (8,303 posts)
19. Aren't there restrooms? n/t
Response to Yo_Mama (Reply #19)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:53 PM
Warren DeMontague (80,708 posts)
20. Short answer? No.
Response to Warren DeMontague (Reply #20)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:55 PM
Yo_Mama (8,303 posts)
21. Well, isn't that a problem?
Using public transport doesn't mean you have an iron bladder!!
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Response to Yo_Mama (Reply #21)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:25 PM
Warren DeMontague (80,708 posts)
26. You'll get no argument from me.
Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #12)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:30 PM
etherealtruth (22,165 posts)
27. Of course, you are right on all counts
It did take me a minute to figure out why folk would do this (I plead a long day)
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Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #12)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:40 PM
REP (21,691 posts)
34. Solutions are needed for homelessness, but crapping in places like BART is also bad
Fecal-borne infections are pretty bad, and to people like me, they can be deadly. Defecation is such public areas really is a public health and safety issue.
In my corner of the Bay (peninsula and SC Mountains), finding an accessible bathroom - even without buying something - is pretty easy and the businesses I frequent, at least, do not prohibit homeless people from using their bathrooms, but I do understand there is a need for first, much better social services so people don't need to search for a toilet (and shelter and food) and second, more clean public toilets. |
Response to REP (Reply #34)
Mon May 6, 2013, 08:09 PM
Starry Messenger (32,255 posts)
37. I'm not pro-pooping on train platforms.
They could reopen the bathrooms though. Even I have a tough time making it from Millbrae to Oakland without facilities. The terror attacks on BART bathrooms are probably not going to materialize after over a decade. This just seems like it is going to move the problem to another area (store entrances?) rather than solve anything.
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 04:47 PM
Warren DeMontague (80,708 posts)
17. Friendly advice: If you ever drop a candy bar or gumball on the BART escalator
just write it off as a loss.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/26/broken-bart-escalators-poop_n_1706716.html |
Response to Warren DeMontague (Reply #17)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:19 PM
name not needed (11,650 posts)
24. And if you drop a candy bar, you might be prohibited from using BART.
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:05 PM
Sen. Walter Sobchak (8,692 posts)
23. Here in my car, I feel safest of all, I can lock all my doors. It's the only way to live. In cars.
The only thing that has ever shit in my car in my parents dog.
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 05:24 PM
Initech (73,994 posts)
25. FYI one could probably make a killing selling adult diapers at BART stations.
Just saying!
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:30 PM
TheManInTheMac (985 posts)
32. Yet another example of American puritism squelching freedom!
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 07:44 PM
Cal Carpenter (4,391 posts)
35. So I can poop on the train twice quarterly?
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Mon May 6, 2013, 09:01 PM
daleo (21,317 posts)
38. Everyone suffers when a society condones homelessness
In all kinds of ways, great and small.
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Response to Purveyor (Original post)
Tue May 7, 2013, 03:58 AM
JustABozoOnThisBus (17,421 posts)
39. Ban the urine and feces, ok, but banning lewd behavior? ...
...let him who's never gotten frisky on public transportation cast the first stone.
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