Concord BART riders were faced with a troubling choice Thursday, when they walked down one of the transit agency's oft-broken escalators to the platform, only to have their escape from the steps blocked by a barrier.
.@SFBART Concord station has a broken escalator with a barrier at the bottom but none on top so this is happening. pic.twitter.com/IO6Ve8Jzj8
— Dan McMenamin (@djmcmenamin) July 8, 2016
"Concord station has a broken escalator with a barrier at the bottom but none on top so this is happening," tweeted Dan McMenamin.
What would you do? Climb over the site, like the enterprising patron in the video? Walk back up and seek another route to the platform? Or just shove the barricade aside?
According to BART, folks weren't supposed to be able to get down the escalator in the first place: In a tweet of what appears to be security camera footage, they illustrate that they did indeed lean some barriers against the top of the escalator, but "patrons keep removing it." Maybe because it just looks like someone leaned some junk against a BART escalator? I'm just speculating.
@djmcmenamin It has been put back up after patrons keep removing it - live footage here! pic.twitter.com/jpgY2m7VFq
— SFBART (@SFBART) July 8, 2016
BART's escalators have been an issue for years, with regular promises of repair, a recent dedication of $3 million to fix the darned things, and a BART-run webpage that tells you the state of the agency's moving stairs. According to that website, the one from the video is currently undergoing repairs, and is expected to return to life by July 15.
Previously: Excuse Us, BART: WTF With All the Broken Escalators?
Repairs Promised For Some Of BART's Beleaguered Escalators
New BART Escalator Status Website Lets You Confirm In Advance That Escalator At Your Stop is Broken
BART To Tackle Broken, Poopy Escalators With Newly Approved Funds