BART sparks a weed-themed limerick contest over Twitter with Metro Los Angeles

On Friday, August 4, 2017, the official BART Twitter account kicked off what became a spontaneous poetry contest. Click on to see some of the catchiest. On Friday, August 4, 2017, the official BART Twitter account kicked off what became a spontaneous poetry contest. Click on to see some of the catchiest. Photo: Michael Macor/The Chronicle Photo: Michael Macor/The Chronicle Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close BART sparks a weed-themed limerick contest over Twitter with Metro Los Angeles 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

If you weren't paying close attention to BART's Twitter account Friday afternoon — it was Friday, after all, so it's understandable — you may have missed a bit of wholesome fun. It blossomed out of a BART rider's complaint about ... a man shaving during his commute.

Chris Watters was riding BART on Friday morning and posted two photos of a man who placed a bowl of "watery oatmeal" on a seat before proceeding to shave on the train.

well now this is a first pic.twitter.com/I4E2JnD4GT — Chris Watters (@CTWatters) August 4, 2017

The incident caught the attention of a few media outlets — and fellow outraged riders — and in response to the photo, BART's social media team seemed inspired enough to pen a thoughtful limerick.

Shaving on BART is disgusting

Your social skills beg for adjusting

As food makes a mess

& causes distress

The people around you are judging https://t.co/3JV7zpp6Y5 — SFBART (@SFBART) August 4, 2017

Despite BART's recent crime issues, BART's social media team has won a number of fans in the past year with its unique Twitter style. After an impromptu (and frank) Twitter conversation about the limitations of the BART system, the communications team has had quite a year fielding questions during a Twitter town hall and even celebrating the Warriors' Game 5 win this year.

BART riders seemed to react positively to the limerick, and since it seems BART and Metro Los Angeles were overdue for a poem challenge — the two Twitter accounts engaged in a haikus-only transit poetry slam last year — BART's Twitter account again started some inter-state competition. With its next limerick, the transit system decided to target BART etiquette, this time dealing with riders who smoke marijuana on the train.

To keep things from going amiss

On BART please don't smoke cannabis

It stinks up the train

Maybe you can explain

This best @metrolosangeles — SFBART (@SFBART) August 4, 2017

"To keep things from going amiss

On BART please don't smoke cannabis

It stinks up the train

Maybe you can explain

This best @metrolosangeles"

Los Angeles Metro's Twitter handlers gamely jumped in with their own marijuana-themed "not on our transportation system" limericks and spawned replies from riders, reporters and even other transportation agencies.

Los Angeles Times transportation writer Laura J. Nelson also jumped in the fray of transit limericks and was declared winner of the "contest" by BART. Nelson's Twitter followers continued the fun, tagging the writer with limericks of their own. Check out a few of the replies here, and click through the slideshow above to see how the limerick contest evolved Friday afternoon.

SFGATE reached out to BART's communication officer for comment on the limerick contest and will update if they respond.