Soundtrack for a Midnight Ride on the 5-Fulton 08.05.10
Muni rider Shellby F. shares this positively groovy tale:
However, I hadn’t noticed the man sitting a few seats to my right. At once everyone’s attention was on him as he turned on the large black boom box that sat on his lap. The mood completely turned around as the catchy tune of George Clinton’s “Knee Deep” filled the bus. I took a glance at my friend, who looked back at me, then out to the rest of the bus. What seemed like simultaneously, everyone began to move in some way. Dancers, singers, toe-tappers, and head bobbers emerged from the once still bodies.
Our bus soared up Fulton. The streetlights whizzed by. We caught all the green lights. The bus driver drummed on his steering wheel to the beat as our midnight Muni DJ sang along.
And those who entered our magical bus did not hesitate to join in. No one entered with a blank face, instead with a great smile or even a dance move.
Before we knew it we were at Fillmore. We hopped off and watched the bus fly downtown, sad to see it go.
I had never had such a collective experience with other muni riders.. it was something I won’t forget for a long time.
If you’ve got a Muni story, however funky it might be, share it on Muni Diaries.
Best Muni Missed Connection EVER 07.06.10
Muni rider “roe” sends this amazingly detailed description of a missed connection on the 5-Fulton. We bet she looked so creamy …
Body Found on Muni Bus After Shift Ended (w/updates) 04.05.10
Update (12:00 p.m., April 5, 2010):
SF Weekly reports that the S.F. Medical Examiner has determined Christopher Feasel’s cause of death: cocaine and methadone overdose. Still, as the Weekly’s Joe Eskenazi points out, many questions remain.
Update (1:40 p.m.):
The ex-wife of the man found dead on the Muni bus told the SF Examiner that she had not seen him for over a decade and that addiction was the reason they separated, according to the Examiner’s update story. Feasel had a record of mostly petty crimes in San Francisco and San Mateo counties over the last 12 years, according to the Examiner. He did not have a fixed address at the time he was found on the 5-Fulton.
Read the rest of the Examiner’s update.
Original post:
My apologies for starting off your Monday morning this way: a man’s body was found on the 5-Fulton hours after the bus was parked in the Muni yard on Presidio and Bush, the SF Examiner reports.
More from the Examiner:
The deceased was identified by the Medical Examiner’s Office as 37-year-old Christopher Feasel of San Francisco. Investigators have not determined the cause of death and police said the body showed no obvious signs of trauma.
Workers discovered Feasel around midnight Friday at the bus yard at Presidio Avenue and Bush Street. The bus had been in the lot since 6:30 p.m., police Sgt. Lyn Tomioka said.
We’ll keep you updated with more information as we find out.
It’s Always Happy Hour Somewhere 03.16.10
Photo by Flickr user What What
Ed. Note: It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a gross story, huh? Here’s one from rider Alison. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Living in the Outer Richmond without a car leaves few options for across town travel. If I had ample time on my hands and wasn’t cripplingly lazy, I would walk or bike.
Alas, I ride the 5 Fulton. While other lines in my neighborhood are generally quieter (1 California) or faster (38 and 38Ltd Geary), the 5 Fulton is one block from my house (did I mention I’m lazy?).
Being a relatively seasoned Muni-rider, I’ve found that most Muni lines traverse at least one or two shady neighborhoods and the 5 is no different. From my house to downtown, the bus passes through Western Addition and the section of Market that the city forgot to gentrify.
Last week, on a perfunctory afternoon ride downtown, a man in his early 30′s boarded the bus in Western Addition. When people sit down across from me on any bus, I typically give them the once over and resume whatever activity I’m engaging in to expedite the ride. This particular gentleman caught my attention because, well, he was a midget. No, not a dwarf (characterized by their shortened limbs); a midget. And he was drunk.
He alternated giggling and incoherent babbling with surreptitious swigs of sake from a crinkled brown bag. But his giggles soon turned to looks of pain and before I could determine just how drunk he was, he threw up. Not a projectile vomit but more of a slow, awkward dribble that made its way down his sweater, leaving a unpleasantly colored trail. And, where many individuals who have just thrown up on themselves would cease and desist, he just kept on drinking as if nothing were amiss.
Thankfully he didn’t ride for too long and actually managed to disembark the bus without leaving a mess in his wake. Although my visceral reaction was overwhelming disgust, my heart went out to this small dude who, for the rest of the day, would be wearing his own barf.
Thank You, Magnificant Muni Drivers 03.12.10
Photo by Flickr user eviloars
Rider Dave Rhodes wrote MTA a letter about two Muni drivers who saved the day when Dave’s wife lost her wallet on the bus.
I’d like to voice my appreciation for two fantastic San Francisco Muni drivers, George and Bernetta. My wife and I had just purchased two Muni passes on March 2nd for the first time, having recently returned to this city after many years. We were on our way home from the Haight district and took the #33 from Haight St. up to Fulton and Stanyon to catch the #5 to Fulton and 25th.
When the #5 came, driven by Bernetta, my wife reached for her wallet to display her pass only to discover that it was gone. Bernetta saw that she was distraught and waved her aboard the bus anyway, stating, “That’s okay sweetie, we’ll work it out.”
We were shown the number to call for assistance and my wife hooked up with a very helpful operator who’s name I don’t know. She was told that the driver of the #33 (George) would be contacted and asked to look for the wallet. While my wife was on a cell phone talking to the operator, Bernetta also called from her bus radio or phone to try and get the other driver to locate the wallet as soon as possible.
We all knew that time was important, given the increasing likelihood that some nefarious character would find it before the driver did and help themselves to it.
After we reached our destination and disembarked, the MTA operator called back to say that the wallet had been located and that we’d be able to claim it from the #33 driver when he came around again. We were given a time to meet him and grabbed another #5 going back to Fulton and Stanyan to wait for him.
When George pulled up he was beaming, and said that he was happy to have found the wallet because so many items are lost or stolen, he was glad to see something have a happy ending. My wife had ID in the wallet so George was careful to make sure it was hers and then he happily handed it over – a check of the contents showed that the newly purchased Muni pass was still in there, along with a number of important documents and credit cards. We vowed then to be more careful and check our wallets and passes before leaving any Muni bus we happen to be on.
A few days later we boarded a #5 bus on Market Street to get back up into our area, and Bernetta was the driver. I didn’t recognize her at first, but she recognized us and said, “Hey, you got your pass back!” She went on to tell us how glad she was it had worked out and that she’d actually been worried about it!
So I’d like to commend two Muni drivers who care – George and Bernetta. To narrow it down because I know there are quite a few drivers, George was driving the #33 route and Bernetta was driving the #5, both on the evening of March 2nd. We’d also like to extend thanks to the phone operator who took our request for assistance that evening, even though we don’t know her name. She was very kind and helpful.
Photo Diary: Metrosexual Rage on the 21-Hayes 02.22.10
Photos by KayVee.INC
Saw the above gem via @nom_de_guerre this weekend. Indeed.
And then this screed came into my Google Reader this morning, via Mission Mission. I call it “Pastry Rage on the 5-Fulton.”
I dunno. Looks like slightly different handwriting to us. Check out the difference between the two “ON THE”s. Different N. Different H.
Still, we hope this is the beginning of something new and totally life-altering. Or something.
The Blind Couple and the Boy 01.08.10
Photo by Flickr user kevindooley
It was a crowded 5-Fulton outbound on a Tuesday commute. Somewhere near the Civic Center, a blind man and his girlfriend (also partially blind) got on the bus and were given seats near the front but not next to one another. Closer to City Hall, a boy around the ages of 7-9 got on the bus with his mother and stood near the front of the bus.
The boy had noticed the blind man’s walking cane and began to talk with him.
Boy: “Sir, what’s that stick for?”
Blind man: “Oh, it’s to help me find my way around because I cannot see.”
Boy: “You can’t see? What do you mean? Can you see me?”
Blind man: “Unfortunately, no, I cannot see you, at least not in this dim light [on the bus].”
Boy: “I wish you could see me. I would give you my eyes so you can see.”
Blind man: “You are so very sweet, thank you.”
The boy’s mother, meanwhile, seemed uncomfortable with her son being overly inquisitive with a stranger. She continued to hush and scold him for asking too many questions throughout the conversation.
Boy: “Do you cook?”
Blind man: “Oh, no way, I don’t. But my girlfriend cooks for me.”
The blind man motions to his girlfriend in the general direction of her voice.
Boy: “Oh, you are his girlfriend?”
Girlfriend: “Yes, I am.”
Boy: “Can you see me?”
Girlfriend: “I also cannot see, but I can see better than my boyfriend.”
Boy: “Why can you both not see? I wish I could give both of you my eyes so you can see me and everyone else here.”
Girlfriend: “That’s so very kind of you, thank you.”
The boy and his mother had to get off the bus around Fillmore. Before he got off the bus, he bid his farewell to the couple.
Boy: “It was nice meeting you, Sir.” He takes the blind man’s hand into his own and shakes it.
Blind man: “It was very nice meeting you, too. Thank you.”
Boy: “It was nice meeting you, Miss.” He hugs the girlfriend.
Girlfriend: “You are so sweet, thank you. You take care of yourself and your mother now.”
The boy and his mother exited, and enough seats freed up between the couple so they could find one another again by the sound of each other’s voices.
Ray of Hope on the Morning Commute 10.14.09
Photo by Flickr user Telstar Logistics
7:13am, October 13, 2009.
The first big rain of the season; I stepped onto the 5-Fulton bus for my usual commute and felt like I had just battled a true typhoon. I went to my favorite seat immediately and settled down.
There were a couple of men talking about San Francisco; they were both recent transplants to the city, so they were making comparisons of their previous locations to The City. I felt like it was just a simple exchange of a few words, so I drifted off into my own thoughts, and onto a warm slumber during the 40-minute commute.
Rain poured outside while our bus driver perilously navigated the slick streets; meanwhile the two men continued to talk across the aisle with each other, until one, who introduced himself as “James”, decided he would just sit beside his new companion, who said his name was “Jack”.
As the bus continued on towards downtown, more passengers boarded with gloomy expressions over the unexpected rain. However, through the gray faces, Jack and James seemed to melt into their own world, sharing their life stories with one another.
Somehow, that small scene from this morning has stuck with me all day–that, amidst all the recent negative Muni coverage, there are still small beams of hope shining through all the mess.
Summer Ballet Season on Muni 08.17.09
Photo by Flickr user aussiegall
San Francisco is lucky to have two great ballet companies right here in the city: The San Francisco Ballet and Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet. However, along with these formidable dance institutions comes summer dance camp. You know it’s summer in the city when the teeny tiny little 14 year olds arrive on the #5 Fulton.
Every summer they arrive after the 4th of July and stay for a few weeks. The girls (and occasional boy) all stay at the vacant dorms at USF, but the ballet companies are all near the Civic Center. So every morning they all get on the bus in the middle of rush hour traffic. The #5 doesn’t get a lot of school kids in the morning so the ballerinas are an unwelcome gaggle of chatterboxes for the morning commuters.
