While in San Diego recently I noticed these oddball looking contraptions near the doors.

As I rode along I wasn’t sure what they do. There wasn’t too many people on when I first boarded, only people boarding. So here I was, pondering what they were for and then finally saw some people jabbing them with their fingers. Then I moved at sat near one to see what people were doing to it. Alas, there was the answer, it was the button to open the door to exit the train! Wierd!