iPhone thefts, other crimes on Muni 09.30.09
Photo by Flickr user Steve Rhodes
We were reminded yesterday via Twitter that there seems to be an increasing number of iPhone and other smartphones being stolen from people on Muni trains and buses.
Here’s maryspecht‘s tweet:
@munidiaries have you noticed uptick in phone robberies on Muni? Mine was stolen last night & ppl tell me it’s been happening lots recently.
That jogged our memories of this story, on SF Appeal in mid-September, about the arrest of two young men for allegedly stealing cellphones on Muni.
Today, the Examiner online has a story about the city and SFPD’s eagerly awaited new measures meant to combat Muni-specific crimes, including the violent sort. The post discusses how crime has remained steady in the transit system, while ticking down for the rest of the city over the first half of the year.
Be careful out there. And always reports crimes when they happen.
How is TransLink working for you? 09.29.09
Photo by Flickr user bsii
This post on SF Gate about changes in management and oversight of TransLink got us wondering: How is the mostly universal transit-payment system working out for you?
We’ve yet to take the plunge and get cards for ourselves, so please, let us know in comments.
Don’t Miss It: Muni Missed Connections of the Week 09.29.09
Photo by Flickr user Kanaka’s Paradise Life
Ah, Missed Connections. How we love thee. We peruse thy pages with flight and fancy, and come away bemused or enthralled (throttled, even, perhaps), filled with blush and bluster, enamored and amused.
Our picks for Muni-related missed connections of the past week:
Thanks for helping me find the N this morning (Sunday) – m4w (downtown / civic / van ness)
I wasn’t trying to hit on you this morning in the civic center muni station, but after I talked to you I realized that I should have been. I think you’re beautiful and would love to know what you do when you’re not running races or marathons. I was the guy in the white shirt, trying to think of something good to say to you while waiting to see if the N line was still running.
Ha! “wasn’t trying to hit on you” is, like, the oldest one in the book. Go, bro!
Blonde girl on the muni, got off at Montgomery! – m4w – 26
What’s up!
Saw you on Muni; you wore a white v-neck shirt with jeans at about 1:30 PM – we rode a few stops together and got off at Montgomery station together. I didn’t notice how awesome you looked until we both got off and started walking upstairs!
Me: fit Hawaiian kid with orange long-sleeve shirt and black jeans with black sunglasses
Just wanna chat over coffee ;)
Okay, two things here: Nice unintentional (I think) double-meaning in the title, dude. And the enthusiastic, “What’s up!” is really endearing.
I see you everywhere in your sweatshirt and shorts – m4m – 24 (nob hill)
It’s hilarious at this point how many times I’ve seen you all over the city– Duboce Triangle, Nob Hill, downtown, muni.
We both clearly enjoy the flirtation of it all, but I have to ask when it’s going to happen.
Let me know. :)
Hmm. Sweatshirt and shorts, huh. This could be anybody!
Send us your Muni Missed Connections. And stay tuned as we pick out the best Missed Connections of the week.
‘Suspicious Package’ on Muni Near Transbay Terminal (Updates) 09.28.09
Photo by Twitter user a_w_r
Update: 12:15. Turned out it was a bomb scare, KCBS reports. Phew! Streets are being reopened.
Original post:
KCBS is reporting that streets around the Transbay Terminal are closed and people are being evacuated due to…ready for this? A suspicious package found on a Muni bus.
More from KCBS:
The driver of the bus—now parked in front of the terminal near First and Second Streets—told KCBS reporter Doug Sovern at the scene she noticed an item a passenger had left behind that aroused her suspicions.
She described the item as something bigger than a backpack. An alert was issued to every transit agency in the country last week to be on guard for potential backpack bombs after the terrorism-related arrests in New York and Denver.
SFAppeal has street closure information, which impacts the 5, 6, 10, 14, 38, and 108. At 11:20 a.m., AlertSF posted that people should avoid the area for the next 90 minutes, stay inside and avoice windows and glassed areas.
67 Driver Saves God-Awful Early Morning 09.28.09
Photo by Flickr user Telstar Logistics
Just wanted to say thanks to the outbound 67 driver who stops at Folsom at 6:30 a.m. Not only is she super sweet, but she is also quite the driver, maneuvering the tight twists and turns of Bernal Hill and squeezing by the garbage trucks with ease. It’s always nice to hear her chime back, “Have a nice day, sweetie,” when you say bye to her at 24th.
Did Muni make your day? Share it here at Muni Diaries.
Weekend Photos 09.25.09
Photo by Flickr user echoes71
I hope you are spending at least a small part of your weekend thinking salacious thoughts about “how did the condom get on the bus” for our erotic short fiction contest. Hey, it’s fiction, and only 250 words! If it makes you blush to write it, it’s probably good stuff.
Have a great weekend, everybody.
Fire on Kearny, Muni Rerouted 09.25.09
Reader @catchfoot sent us this picture of the fire on Kearny near the Broadway-Columbus area this morning and told us that inbound buses are being rerouted. SFAppeal reports that the fire started at the sushi restaurant Matcha and spread up the block. No one appears to be injured.
In other news, a tour bus rear ended the 9X this morning in SOMA but the area has been cleared.
Muni Sting — Still Continuing Today? 09.25.09
Photo by Thomas Hawk
This morning I saw two uniformed police officers on my line (49-Van Ness) for the first time. It made me wonder if the sting operation as reported by SFGate will be taking place in the near future in the Mission. The Chronicle reported that the sting operation earlier this week happened at the Ingleside station.
According to Rachel Gordon via the City Insider blog:
A posse of San Francisco police officers worked a special undercover operation on three Muni bus lines earlier this week and by the end of it had issued 22 citations for such minor offenses as back-door boarding, littering at a bus stop, alcohol and tobacco possession by minors and on-board eating.
…
Wonderful 22 Driver 09.24.09
Photo by Flickr user Aleera*
It was over a year ago, but I still remember the wonderful 22 driver.
I had just dropped our very sick cat off at Pets Unlimited on upper Fillmore and was walking back down the hill in a sad state. The cat was very old and ill, and this was going to be his end time.
I was standing on a corner where there wasn’t a bus stop just staring into space when the Fillmore bus stopped, the door opened, and the driver, a heavy black women, said, “Get in, you look like you need a ride”.
Contest: How did the used condom get on the bus? 09.24.09
Photo by Flickr user pusspaw
This summer we received a couple of interesting pictures:
Exhibit A: a cherry condom and a cherry cough drop nestled in the corner of the door of the 21.
Exhibit B: a used (we think) love glove hanging off of the ceiling (!) of the 47.
Exhibit C: lonely Jimmy Hat chillin’ across the seat on the T-Third (via plug1).
These pictures beg the question: How did this used condom get on the bus? I hope this question aroused your interest and got your creative writing juices flowing because we are having our first short fiction contest!
(My apologies — bad double entendres cannot be avoided in writing this post)
What: Muni Diaries Erotic Short Fiction Contest — How did the condom end up on the bus?
Rules: Answer the question: “How did the used condom get on the bus?” in 250 words or less.
Mistress says: Give it to us by Wednesday, Oct. 28. (Deadline extended!)
Money shot: The winner will receive a goodie bag from Good Vibrations!!! We will read our favorites at our next spoken-word party, Muni Diaries Live! Under the Influence, on Oct. 30.
Ride Muni like a boss. Our Fast Pass Clipper card holders and Muni Diaries T-shirts are all on sale 
