I've been late to work so many times in the last two weeks that it's almost laughable. Almost.

First, there was a medical emergency on the train ahead of mine. BART shut down all service in and out of San Francisco while waiting for the paramedics to arrive. I was 45 minutes late to work.

I swear not even two days later, there was a mechanical problem with one of the trains a few stations ahead of mine. Again, the shut down service in and out of San Francisco. I waited in the station for 45 minutes before train service resumed!

Another time, my train just didn't arrive. There were problems; BART just didn't announce what they were.

Last night was the last straw. After staying at work late, I arrived at the BART station to find that there was no BART service in San Francisco... at all. They were not allowing trains from the East Bay into San Francisco because of "police action" at two of the downtown stations. The story goes that they had to shut off power, thus turning off the power to the tracks.

BART was not providing information on how long this delay could take.

I was extremely irritated. Especially because I had to miss my class. I called M and asked if he could pick me up at this station I had no idea how to get to. He said he would. In the lobby, I found a local map and gave him directions the best I could.

A fellow passenger was being so unruly ("goddamn mother fuckers! I got to get home! This is bullshit!"... like it was BART's fault) that I could barely hear my telephone conversation.

M got in his car to come and meet me. About 20 minutes later (this is 45 minutes or so after I arrived at the first station), they announced that train service was resuming.

I ran up the stairs to see the train with my own eyes. When it arrived, I called M to ask him if he had crossed the bridge yet because if not, I would just take the train home. He hadn't yet reached the bridge, so I got on the train.

Unfortunately, I happened to get on the same car as the angry man. He kept ranting and raving about how ridiculous the whole thing was. He was yelling.

"You call this a job? This isn't a job! Get a real job! I got to get home to my kids! I was supposed to be home half hour ago! You're so incompetent...." blah blah blah. A BART employee warned him repeatedly to shut up. Finally, the BART guy called BART police and held the train until the guy could be hauled off the car.

So pathetic. I mean, I think the guy had a few screws loose as it was... but it's a shame he didn't have the sense to realize he'd get home sooner if he'd just simmer down.

I arrived in San Francisco one and a half hours after I left work. Totally unacceptable!

I'm now paranoid about BART's service. I even drove to work today! It's so sad that it's come to this.

And to think I used to adore BART! How times change. I hope, for my sake, the BART situation improves because I really don't have the patience to drive to work every day.

I must say, though, that my new rear speakers sound great.