Oh how we hate that high-pitched whine generated by held-open subway doors. It hurts, but of course, that's the -- it's supposed to make you let go of the door so the whole train doesn't have to wait for your giggling gasping slowpoke friends.

But maybe it hurts a little too much. Here's an item on the SF County Transit Authority's agenda for tomorrow's meeting (10:30 am, Room 263, City Hall):

...Chairman Dufty requested a hearing about the apparently excessive noise levels generated by the alarms that sound on Breda Light Rail Vehicles when doors are prevented from closing. MTA staff will present information on the issue and discuss potential ways to address it.

We're not totally sure why MTA staff get to present info at the SFCTA's meeting; we'd much rather hear what the SFCTA has to say, since they generally are better than big unwieldy Muni at putting together plans. You can think of the two agencies as being sort of like siblings, with the SFCTA like gentle Lily Tomlin and the MTA like corruptible Bette Midler.

Anyway. Here's our suggestion, in case you care: switch out the whining noise with a recording of grinding gears. If people are scared that their holding-open of doors is actually breaking something, they'll let go. Or scarier yet: a recording of the ghoulish Vincent Price laughter from Thriller. That would be awesome.

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