Spontaneous ESL lesson on the 18 01.25.11
Photo by smi23le
Greg at N-Judah Chronicles shares a story about a neighborly ride he had on the 18-46th Avenue the other day. Seems a fellow passenger decided he’d be their English tutor. Read the full story at N-Judah Chronicles. Wouldn’t it be great if we were always so kind and helpful to one another?
Drawn Diary: Cellphone Talker 01.12.11
International Public Transit Rules 01.07.11
Photo by Jennifer
Everyone seems to stand on the right side of the escalator even though the city’s transit authority had stopped encouraging standing on right hand side some time ago. I saw a sign encouraging riders to hold on tight to the escalator handrails: “The handrails have been sanitized regularly.” Hmm.
I thought about unspoken rules on Muni:
- Move back.
- Watch your backpack so you don’t hit people in the face.
- Step down to exit and yell “Backdoor!” for the uninitiated.
What else?
Young Man Who Lost Scarf on the 28 12.01.10
Photo by unlapsing
To the man who lost his scarf on the 28-19th Avenue bus this morning at Geary and Park Presidio, a young lady found your scarf. It appeared after the crowd moved a bit. The scarf is sort of neutral, brown, or brown and gray striped. Also, it is a long/large wool scarf.
We noticed many things about you, too. For instance: you had arm tattoos and you were slender.
The young lady who goes to SF State will carry it in her bag as she rides the 28 frequently and she will look for you for a few days at the same general time. She is an art/earth sciences major at SF State and obviously very kind. I hope you see her so you can get your warm scarf! In the meantime, try to stay warm.
Sincerely, Maria
Etiquette Inbox: Front seats for riders with kids? 11.09.10
Photo by yifany
Nick at Buboblog asks, among other things:
Should small children get dibs on the front seats? And if so, how do they fit into the hierarchy? For instance, do they trump a fairly spry 70-year-old?
If we know you, you’ve got an opinion on this. Weigh in, please, by all means.
Read more on Buboblog.
My Disability on Muni 10.27.10
Like all of us, Katie has a unique perspective. But hers might be unfamiliar to you. Read on …
I ride Muni every day. It’s important I get a seat–if I stand all the way from Taraval at Sunset to Van Ness, the rest of my day is ruined. 20 minutes of balancing on a mangled foot causes anywhere from 12 to 72 hours of pain. I use my cane every morning. When I can grab a seat, sitting in the handicapped seating is stressful.
I get on the train in the Sunset/Parkside district and ride it all the way in. My disability is largely invisible unless I’m barefoot or wearing a skirt that exposes my scar-covered right leg. I get dirty looks from older riders when I don’t get up to allow them a seat; I look like a perfectly healthy 22-year-old woman. I sit in the seat, repeat to myself “you’re handicapped and have a right to sit here” and stare at my foot-and-a-half while clutching my cane with white knuckles.
If someone asks, I explain that I am handicapped; that usually kills any discussion. Only once has someone decided to inflict themselves on me and made me “prove” my disability. After taking off my shoe and asking that my medical privacy be respected, the rider in question turned beet red and got off at the next stop.
Monday morning, I wasn’t able to get a seat. I spent the entire train ride being flung around by inertia. I fell into the person to my left three times. She yelled “Bitch” at me, then turned to look at me and saw my cane. She then muttered “oh, sorry” and moved 2 inches to the right.
I tipped into the able-bodied young man who was in the handicapped seating. He looked up at me, saw the cane in my hand, made eye contact with me and shrugged, then turned up his headphones and pulled his hood over his eyes.
Six hours after my train ride that morning, my entire body was still in searing pain. I had to hold on with my right arm only, as my left arm has tendinitis in the wrist and elbow in addition to being the hand I hold my cane in. My right ankle, calf, knee, hip, shoulder, upper back, and neck were all in various levels of pain and swelling due to not being able to sit that morning. Any pain medications strong enough to combat the pain and swelling caused by the morning’s ride were so strong that I was too strung out to work.
(more…)
I got big butt and I cannot lie… 10.26.10
Photo submitted by Muni rider Joey
What was this guy thinking?! Actually, we know:
“What do you want from me? I’m a guy. Yeah, a big honkin’ guy, and that’s why I just gotta sit here next to you with my legs spread wide apart because I have this equally big honkin’ mass between my legs. I can see you’re aggravated that my right thigh is on my seat and yours, but what can I do? Get a smaller package? You’ll have to ask god about that one.”
(We miss you, Muni Mind Reader!)
In the mean time, dear Sirs Spread-A-Lot, please remember: Don’t be a space evader:
Photo by PinkTentacles.com
Seat-claiming: A new low on Muni? 10.11.10
Photo by catcubed
Muni rider Remy saw something shocking on Muni recently:
What’s next? Calling shotgun? Spitting on the seat to claim it?
Her excuse was that she was pregnant. Well, turns out I am, too. Yet, I can guarantee she’s like this all the time.
What do you think? Should seat-claiming be allowed? If so, is it exclusively the domain of the pregnant, elderly, or disabled, or can we all partake?
Justice on the 6-Parnassus 08.04.10
Photo by Ian Fuller
Muni rider Aaron caught this exciting action on the 6-Parnassus last week:
I hope someone got video of this. The other thuggy girl sat there in awe with her mouth open as the elderly woman sat back down. Beauty, incarnate.
While we hope no one was injured in this excitement, we’re always happy to see Muni riders standing up to the thugs among us.
Be like Aaron. Share that Muni story you’ve been telling your friends at parties.
Can I Ruffle the Feathers on Your Sweater? 06.15.10
Photo by Flickr user sheepguardingllama
Last Friday, I was riding the 12 home after work from SOMA to the Mission. I was staring off into space when the man sitting next to me said, “Excuse me?” I looked up, thinking he might be looking for directions or have some sort of question.
“I don’t know if you know this, but you have feathers or fuzz all over your dress — on the back, and sleeve…”
I looked at my sleeve. It was true. The combination of black dress and fuzzy sweater meant that there was weird linty fuzz all over me.
“Oh yeah, there is. Thanks for letting me know,” I replied.
“Do you want me to wipe it off of you?” He asked me.
The thought of this mild-mannered but still very creepy man touching me in any way was not appealing, so I told him it was fine and that I was heading home soon anyway.
“Well,” he said. “So what’s your sweater made out of?”
Really not wanting to engage any further, I looked at the tag of my cardigan.
“Uh… looks like viscose, cotton and angora,” I read off.
He smiled at me, and I went back to staring out the window. About four stops later, he got off.
I don’t mind making conversation on the bus, but here’s a pro tip: asking other riders if you can touch them — probably not a good idea.
Ride Muni like a boss. Our Fast Pass Clipper card holders and Muni Diaries T-shirts are on sale 
