Muni Diaries

Share the Sounds of Muni with Street Sounds

eugenia — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 22:00:04 +0000

Rider Joanna told us about a website called StreetSounds that chronicles the sound landscape of U.S. cities to a “sound map.” You can upload audio clips from your everyday life and download clips from other users. Joanna, who does outreach for the site, also happens to be a public transit fan. “Anyone who lives in San Francisco knows that Muni is a big part of the sonic world here,” she says. In fact, one of her first uploads was a clip recorded from the 21 Hayes, she told us.

StreetSounds is an offshoot of The Smalls, an online “curator” of independent films. StreetSounds says that there will be an independent film competition based on the sounds submitted, so stay tuned for that.

I checked out the site and heard clips of BART swooshing by, a spoon scraping the bottom of a cereal bowl, a sidewalk musician playing keyboard, and boots clicking down Jackson Street. I love the idea of an audio cross-section of the city, sort of like the Muni playlist that we did awhile back. We’ve gotten some great and always unexpected sounds from your daily Muni rides, like a Metallica singalong, mispronounced street names, and a music video incorporating the sound of an articulated 71 bus.

So what are some of your favorite sounds of your life in San Francisco, and aboard Muni? StreetSounds and Muni Diaries want to know!

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New form of payment?

Rufus — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:32 +0000

Photo by Flickr user foreverdigital. Most likely not the man in the post below but still, youv’e got some respectable balloon animal creations there, Sir.

Ed. Note: Rider Rufus saw some interesting bartering going on last week on the T. This is the second balloon animal—related post that we’ve gotten in the last week or so. Is there a revival that I don’t know about?

Last night I was on the T headed home towards 3rd st at around 10:45 p.m.. This guy gets on with this bag and a bunch of balloon creations. He goes up to the driver’s window and says something I can’t hear because I’m listening to my music.

He goes back to his bag and proceeds to take out a balloon and a pump. In as fast as 40 seconds, the guy made a balloon dog, takes out a marker and gives it a face. He then gives it to the driver and receives a transfer in exchange and goes back to his seat. My only thought was “Only on Muni….”

Sunday FAIL: 22-Fillmore Wheelchair Lift Busts Fire Hydrant

eugenia — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:17:12 +0000

Sunday’s 22-Fillmore accident is like a really bad Rube Goldberg situation. We’ve got a customer falling out of the wheelchair lift, sustaining unknown injuries, then 20 minutes later the bus lurches forward and the wheelchair lift nails a fire hydrant, lifting it off the sidewalk, hitting a Muni inspector, and flooding the area.

From SFMTA’s official statement:

At approximately 5:45 p.m., a customer exiting a 22 Fillmore electric trolley bus fell from the extended wheelchair lift of the vehicle, which was stopped (pointed southbound) on Fillmore Street at Haight Street (the northwest corner).

The customer was transported to the hospital with unknown injuries.

At approximately 6:05 p.m., the Muni bus moved forward and the wheelchair lift hit a fire hydrant and sheared it from the sidewalk. The cause of the bus’s movement is under investigation.

The fire hydrant reportedly struck a Muni Inspector who had responded to the incident. The Inspector was treated at the scene.

Water from the hydrant reportedly caused flooding in at least one nearby building.

The intersection of Haight/Fillmore was closed by the SFPD and Muni buses serving the 6 Parnassus, 71 Haight-Noriega and 22 Fillmore were re-routed around the affected area.

Per normal procedure, the Muni Operator will be placed on non-driving status and tested for drugs and alcohol.

The scene cleared and regular Muni service was restored at 7:35 p.m.

Matt Baume and Eve Batey at SFAppeal put together a great report on the incident, complete with a slideshow (above). Someone from the city was handing out claim forms to people who own buildings or stores in the area, Matt reports.

Weekend Photos: City Bus

jeff — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:00:45 +0000

All photos by Flickr user jjutt

Well, despite today’s accident involving the M-Ocean View and a car, it was a way better week for Muni. Right?

Don’t forget to make your voice heard concerning the upcoming MTA budget. Town hall meetings are being held tomorrow and Tuesday. Meetings will be held at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 2nd Floor Atrium at 10 a.m. Saturday, and 6 p.m. Tuesday.

In other Muni-related news this week:

Driver helps nab alleged pickpocket. (Examiner)
Fare spat highlights growing tensions (Examiner)
Automatic raise for Muni drivers creates new twist (SFGate)
SF Supervisor Elsbernd Pulls Muni Operator Ballot Amendment (Streetsblog SF)

Closer to the site, we’re thrilled to have an amazing new contributor to our Muni Photos Flickr pool: Meet jjutt, whose photos adorn this week’s Weekend Photos. Have a nice one. See you Monday!

Photo diary: A muzzle by any other name

jeff — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 20:00:30 +0000

So I just straight-up took this photo from Amy (augustincic)’s Twitter feed without asking. Sorry about that. Just too gal-dang cute to pass up. All that Amy had to say was: “Following Muni rules!” Damn straight.

As the owner of a snout-deficient pooch myself, this absolutely kills me.

How could there possibly be less service?

AnthonyV. — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 16:00:35 +0000

Muni rider Anthony sends this screenshot, along with the following observation:

I was watching Nextbus.com for arrival times on the 24 line, and I couldn’t help but realize that our muni service is running pretty thin already. where will these cuts come from?

We all probably run into similar conundrums every day. It’s not exactly inspiring, let us say.

Here’s a full list of the latest proposal (still not adopted by the SFMTA board of directors). The proposed transit cuts are broad. See how they might affect you. Let your voice be heard at MTA town hall meetings on Feb. 6 and 9.

No Ride For You!

Mel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:10:18 +0000

Photo by Flickr user SlinkyDragon

Rightfully pissed-off rider Mel sends the following gripe:

This morning found me and my husband and one other guy sprinting a long city block to make it to the #9. We got to the doors in time, the dude in front of us who was sprinting gets on the bus, I raise my foot to get on…and the DOORS SLAMMED RIGHT IN MY FACE! The driver made EYE CONTACT with me and still sped off! WTF?

Seriously, it’s one of the worst lines in the city. Drivers seem to make a game of how far they can pitch us around the bus with rapid acceleration and braking and they’re stone cold deaf when fights break out.

I’m tired of paying more for less. Down with Muni and their crappy rude drivers.

My last ride on the dearly departed 26-Valencia involved a drunken sprint caddy-corner to catch the bus. The doors closed just as I drunkenly touched them from outside. The driver saw this, and opened the doors back up.

I only relay this story to suggest that, as often as Mel’s story occurs, perhaps, there’s the other side of the coin. Or maybe the doors open once for every 16.3 times they slam in your face. Either way, the drivers almost always see this happen. Shame on those who, unlike my lucky 26 driver that night, leave potential riders high and dry. Hmph!

Ladies Waiting for Muni, Be Warned: Pickup Artist Bootcamp this Saturday

eugenia — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:46:29 +0000

Jim Herd from San Francisco Citizen sent us this warning that “day time dating expert” Jeremy Soul is holding a one-day Pickup Artist Bootcamp this Saturday, when they will go out on the streets and find some hot ladies in the Union Square area. Specifically, the advertisement suggests that the smooth talkers find themselves a hot date on Muni.

Yeah. You read that right. More from Jim:

All right, here’s the elevator pitch for Saturday’s workshop. And, oh yes, “tram” is English English for MUNI.

“Find a HOT Date next time you’re on the Tram! Find out how.

Modern men lead such fast paced urban lifestyles they don’t have time to go out after work and meet women. Through a combination of classroom and in-field training, men can learn the latest skills and techniques to meet, attract and date beautiful women in any setting during the day – all in about 8 hours!

“Meeting women in daytime environments, aka Day Game, is scary to most men. But Jeremy Soul and his elite team of Day Game coaches have spent years learning this skill and can teach it to you.”

(Read more about this on SFCitizen, including a link to Jeremy Soul’s promo video. At your own risk, ok?)

Oh “Pickup Artists.” That is so…2005. According to SF Citizen, the classes are $1500 per person. The classes look like they are only for hetero males (yes, ladies, lucky us). When a reporter joined Jeremy Soul for one of his day time bootcamps, Mr. Soul reportedly charmed a woman on the street by commenting on her “smooth skin.” Creepy!

I wonder what Mr. Soul would say about this pickup line:

“Is your shirt expensive? Because you look so hot in it, I would totally rip it off of you right now, and I would totally replace it, if it’s not too expensive.”

True story. Someone actually used this pickup line on me and I nearly peed my pants in delight thinking about retelling it to my girlfriends. And this Saturday, ladies, you’ll have the same opportunity. If you spot any of the Pickup Artists Bootcampers, be sure to tell us about it. I can hardly wait.

Real-Time Muni Google Gadget

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:00:15 +0000

Self-proclaimed “Gen-Xer” Dave Sohigian has something to share:

It’s not really a Muni story, but I figured that your readers might want to know about a new way to view the latest real-time bus arrival information. If you use Google Gadgets, you can access a new gadget here: http://bit.ly/munibus that will show arrivals/departures for up to three stops in the SF Muni system. You can go to 511.org to find your stop IDs.

If you have suggestions or feedback on the gadget, please twitter @dsohigian.

Let us know how it works, too. Please.

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Photo diary: That’s not a dead body on top of that bus!

jeff — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 15:55:00 +0000

Photo by Julie Michelle of i live here:SF and Caliber SF

It’s a Muni closet.

It only looks like it is… it’s just a random pile of clothes thrown up there, like a rolling closet.