In today’s Chronicle Books blog, designer Jennifer Tolo Pierce muses about how fun it is to see the new colors on the paper Fast Passes each month and to collect them.
Here in the Design Department, we’ve seen Fast Passes as room décor, color source (I have asked a printer to match a Fast Pass color for a project), or museum art. I’ve even found myself employing the passes in a kind of tealeaf fortune-telling ritual (“Blue and orange! It’s going to be a great month!” or “Hot pink and yellow—time to spice things up.”). And in a city where the seasons are either Fog or No-Fog, I appreciate the sense of time and seasons that my collection of Fast Passes has provided.
Read the rest of Jennifer’s post at the Chronicle Books blog. She’s even posted a picture of how the folks at work use Fast Passes as cube decor.
I really think people would be a little more inclined to adopt the Clipper card if were designed just a little more creatively. But for now, so long Fast Fast: more than ever, you’re a collector’s piece.
If you liked this Muni diary, you might like:
Ride Muni like a boss. Our Fast Pass Clipper card holders and Muni Diaries T-shirts are all on sale 
Wouldn’t it be nice if people can order custom Clipper cards with their favorite images or art on the card? Some of the banks do it with their credit cards, and even those Subway sandwich cards for a nominal fee.
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jeff Reply:
October 4th, 2010 at 8:56 pm
It would be so awesome, and a proper homage to the Clipper’s predecessor. Also, I can’t believe I haven’t seen card-holders with Fast Pass designs yet. I mean, isn’t SF, like, the capital of craftiness?
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Marcie Reply:
October 5th, 2010 at 3:48 pm
This guy – http://www.kuzich.com/muni-art/index.html – is making art from Muni fast passes – I have to send him two years worth soon!
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Hey guess what I was told when I bought my Fast Pass this month?
I was told that MUNI only paper Fast Passes will be available until April 2011 and that it was only the BART inclusive paper Fast Passes that will be forced to switch to the Clipper card next month.
Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Long live the paper Fast Pass.
Death to the Clipper Card!!!
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Sam Reply:
October 4th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Why’s everyone hating on Clipper?
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Suzanne Reply:
October 5th, 2010 at 8:46 am
Sam, I just think the Clipper is poorly designed (read: ugly). There’s no reason the design couldn’t be less corporate and generic. We live in a such a colorful, fun, beautiful city. Not a mastercard android farm. I think that’s why people liked the colors in the old Fast Pass.
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Sam Reply:
October 5th, 2010 at 10:30 am
I’ll completely agree that the Clipper card is ugly, but it has so many technological benefits, and it seems like people are attacking it on more than its design, which is what I was asking about.
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Akit Reply:
October 4th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
You are correct, the last “M” paper pass will be issued in March 2011.
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I always get excited when the vendor hands me my Fast Pass… What colors will it be this month? I will definitely miss that when we all have to switch to Clipper. I love the idea of custom Clipper cards, by the way… They should get on that! I can see raising money for different organizations if you buy a special SFSPCA-themed card, or a card that donates some money to the schools or something.
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I intend to glue my last (or favorite) paper fast pass over that nasty plastic thing I’m being forced to carry. Viva la resistance!
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