Photo Diary: Beat: Los Angeles 03.31.11
As many of us prepare to usher in the 2011 baseball season today, @SF_Giants shows that Muni has a wicked sense of humor.
Also: Go, Giants!
Woe unto Glen Park BART riders 03.31.11
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Glen Park dweller Beth reports from down south:
First, there’s the down escalator. It’s been broken since sometime in February. First, it was just blocked off with the usual barrier gates, but I knew something was up when they actually built a wooden barricade around the top and bottom of the escalator. Then, maybe a week after that, they finally put up signs explaining the mess:
“The main drive assembly was out of alignment and needs to be rebuilt and replaced. This is a major undertaking that will require an extensive amount of precision work. This means the escalator will be out of service until July 2011. We are working hard to complete the work sooner, if possible.”
Apparently the large gears in the assembly can only be manufactured by one out-of-state company, and it takes time.
Somehow, BART is able to find a bright side to all this: Taking the whole thing apart will allow them to identify any other worn-out bits and replace them. “We hope that once this work is complete, it will result in many more years of trouble-free operation.”
And then there are the delays Glen Park riders are experiencing on East Bay-bound trains. I contacted BART spokesman Linton Johnson last week after noticing the trains have been running slow and stopping between Glen Park and 24th for weeks. He told me that one of the trackside computers on that span has become convinced that there may be a train on the tracks. When that happens, the computer tells all the other computers that trains can’t pass through. Makes sense — except that there’s no train there, most of the time.
So, for now, the computer system is stopping trains in the tunnel, and then they’re switched over to manual mode so they can keep going. The result is a lot of slowly grinding through the tunnel, and lots of jerky stops and starts.
“Why this is happening, we don’t know yet. We have all our resources trying to convince that trackside computer that the world is fine, everything is hunky dory,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, we’ll have it resolved soon.”
The BART website posted about the glitchiness earlier today. Hang in there, Glen Parkians!
The dog as hot as Handsome Montana man and other great Muni tweets 03.31.11
It’s no secret that we at Muni Diaries love animals. So naturally it caught our eye (and heartstrings) to see @pickupabook post the photo above and tweet about the “Prettiest thing I’ve seen on the Muni… Handsome Montana man excluded.” Makes us wonder what Handsome Montana man looks like.
Here are some more of our favorite Muni tweets of the past week:
“when i look in the mirror i look like a stoner with a bad cold = solo muni seat!”
by @powerboybass
“An elementary school aged child just peered over my arm to look at my Twitter feed while on #Muni. How cute and nosy!”
by @lsh
“Muni at rush hour is like playing Twister in an earthquake, except yr hands go on metal bars instead of fun colorful dots.”
by @mikemccaffrey
“The guy next to me on muni just made the young girl kiss his iguana (named Anna). Oh, sf.”
by @sfbaily
“said to me on muni: Guy: Did your lip piercing hurt Me: No Guy: I was going to say if you give me 20 I can torture you.”
by @cantaloupebeard
“Stalled on a #Muni train. What exactly do I need to do to turn this thing into a Coors Bullet Train?”
by @zachb
“drunks in orange on #Muni. Welcome to baseball season!”
by @ckblack007
Follow Muni Diaries on Twitter for the never-ending fun that is Muni on Twitter.
Paper Fast Pass Through the Years 03.31.11
Image courtesy samsast
Let’s take this opportunity to usher the beloved Fast Pass to the netherworld, as we once did with Muni routes that were about to be taken out of service.
A few tidbits about the paper Fast Pass:
- Ken Schmier is the man who came up with the concept of the Fast Pass. He’s also the mind behind NextBus. Strange, right? But also, not. This happened around 37 years ago, to the best of our knowledge. The first passes went on sale sometime in 1974. The earliest we could find an image of (below) is October 1976.
- In a blog post from Chronicle Books, designers for the book publisher lamented the lameness of the Clipper card’s look, and paid homage to the beauty of the paper pass.
- In 2009, local artist John Kuzich opened his Fast Pass exhibit at the de Young Museum. Kuzich asked for people’s passes on Craigslist, then assembled them on panels in really interesting and beautiful ways.
- Muni Diaries commenter Dexter shares his recollections of the history of the Fast Pass: “I do remember that it came out around 1977 or so and the early ones just featured graphic designs. Later Fast Passes had odd-shaped cutouts to prevent counterfeiting (later removed). Then they switched to photos. I had a collection that was lost when I moved.” Too bad.
- And of course, in November, we unveiled our first Fast Pass memorabilia product: T-shirts at the Muni Diaries Etsy store, and onesies and hoodies with the same logo available at Secession Art and Design in Bernal Heights. We also have very cool Fast Pass-looking Clipper Card holders at our Etsy store. Look for an awesome new design of cardholders very soon.
Check out these photos of the Fast Passes through time (presented mostly in chronological order) and how San Franciscans have incorporated images of the paper Fast Pass into our favorite holidays. Long live the Fast Pass!
Photo by Cranky Old Mission Guy
Photo by Troy Holden
Image courtesy samsast
BREAKING: Fast Pass prices going up in July 03.30.11
Photo by eviloars
The SFMTA just announced a fare increase beginning in July 2011, mostly felt in the passes that the agency issues.
“A” Fast Passes, which allow riders unlimited Muni rides and BART within San Francisco city limits, are currently $70 per month, but will increase to $72 per month.
On the eve of its last regular day of usability, SFMTA announces that “M” passes, which are for Muni only and are currently $60, will increase to $62.
Other passes will also increase. Cable car rides will go from $5 to $6 per ride.
See all the new fares here (PDF)
Photo Diary: The Sign Reads ‘No Muni’ 03.30.11
WarzauWynn adds:
Indeed. And how many times have people felt internal anguish at this very thought?
I’d argue that the anguish is often external.
My own playground on the N-Judah 03.30.11
Photo by Premshree Pillai
N-Judah rider Vikram needs your help:
Me, I’d set up a wine bar. Or a miniature golf set. Or a tiny skatepark. All completely realistic ideas, I know.
What would you do with an empty Muni LRV or bus? Let Vikram know in comments.
Improvisational escalatoring at Van Ness Station 03.29.11
“Muni Better Late Than Never” shares this unbelievable treasure. Remember this when you get upset that your smartphone has no bars, or worse — god forbid — 1G.
No habla español on the 38-Geary 03.29.11
Photo by frankfarm
Ramona reports from the 38-Geary …
Odd people you run into on Muni —
When first getting on the bus, people would smile at him and nod, but then realize he was trying to bring them into his non-stop, illogical, stream-of-consciousness conversation. So they would look away quickly and suddenly get very interested in texting, or what was going on out on the street, or looking for something in their bags. Still, he seemed harmless, though a little unpredictable and overly intrusive.
Near the end of the route, he put his cards away and turned his attention to a man sitting at the other end of the bench who, like everyone else, was trying his best not to get involved in the free-wheeling (if one-sided) conversation.
“So,” he said to the man, “are you one of the resident… Chinese?”
When the man continued to ignore him, he asked, “What, no habla español?!”
(Still no response.)
A couple of minutes later he said to no one in particular, “You know, on Judgment Day, God is going to call your name in Spanish, and all you’ll have to say is, ‘No habla español!’”
Laughing and apparently feeling pleased with his own wit, he exited the bus.
Uh, here’s hoping this man is completely wrong about the end of times.
Interleague baseball love on Muni 03.29.11
According to Dolores:
when the J-Church pulled out of Montgomery and the operator announced that it would be continuing to the ballpark, not terminating at Embarcadero- the whole trained CHEERED.
Akit has some helpful tips for taking Muni to the ballpark.
And clearly, go, Giants!
Ride Muni like a boss. Our Fast Pass Clipper card holders and Muni Diaries T-shirts are all on sale 
