Fecal and skin-borne bacteria resistant to antibiotics were found in a seat on a train headed from Daly City to Dublin/Pleasanton. Further testing on the skin-borne
bacteria showed characteristics of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, the drug-resistant bacterium that causes potentially lethal infections, although Ms. Franklin cautioned that the MRSA findings were preliminary.
High concentrations of at least nine bacteria strains and several types of mold were found on the seat. Even after Ms. Franklin cleaned the cushion with an alcohol wipe, potentially harmful bacteria were found growing in the fabric.
Today I experienced one of the reasons why the seats on BART are so dirty - if you've ever seen the movie Mulholland Dr. and remember the homeless person that pops up from behind the restaurant dumpster, his female counterpart was on my train today.
I have nothing against the homeless in SF, but something needs to be done about them riding public transit when their personal hygiene puts others in danger. The lady on my train today was covered in fecal matter, soil, vomit, and what looked like coffee (don't ask me how, but she ended up standing inches away from me and yes, it was the worst smell I've experienced in my life).
Not only did she make the crowded train uncomfortable, she was clearly tweaking on drugs by constantly smashing on the train's window, terrifying several children around her. I'm not sure what the best way to address this issue would be, but the article sheds some light on how the fabric-heavy seating may be holding on to harmful bacterias for all of BART's riders to come into contact with.
This may be an extreme case, but with hundreds of thousands of people using BART every day, I may just opt to stand up during my rides.
