Who’s the Muni Love Bandit? 02.01.10
Last year I spotted the same sign on the 47, and just this week rider Jeff Schwartz sent in another one that he spotted on an outbound 71 bus. I just want to know: who is this romantic bandit changing the signs and making our day just a little bit brighter?
A musical aboard the 71-Haight/Noriega 11.30.09
Seventy-One from memetic field on Vimeo.
Memetic (coincidentally, the winner of our “Be our 1,000th follower on Twitter” contest) sent us this poignant video. It’s called “Seventy-One,” and it’s neat.
Muni Mind Reader: Haight-Bus Punker and ‘Service Dog’ 08.28.09
Photo by Flickr user Mat Honan
It’s summer. It’s hot. Muni Mind Reader took the week off last week. But never you fear — she’s back and in fine form this warm August Friday. For this installment, Tiffany (aka, Muni Mind Reader) checks in with that colorful character you sometimes see on the 6, 7, or 71. Any of the Haight Street lines, really. He or she is known by many names and aromas, but enough of this intro. Take it away, Mind Reader!
Hey, what are you all looking at? You’re all just a bunch of society-lovers, aren’t you? Oh I’ve seen this before. You look at my duct-taped pants, weather-beaten trench, and standard-issued Doc Martens, and think, “If only he’d shop at The Gap or Banana Republic, he’d be such a nice boy!”
Well, listen up SOCIETY, I refuse to conform to your capitalistic, material-obsessed, world. Lucky for you, I’m not going to try to sit next to any of y’all. Instead, I’ll just sit up front where I can spread out a little bit, have more space for this radio, trash bag filled with other trash bags, sleeping bag, tarp, and duffel bag. The last three items I just picked up from the army surplus store on Haight Street. Incidentally, it’s where I do all my shopping. These pants are really just second-hand army ACU pants. I added the duct tape myself to enhance durability, cred, and had absolutely nothing to do one Wednesday afternoon. If you’re going to be a middle-class, early-20s, homeless-by-choice punk in this city, freakin’ army surplus stores are the bomb.
This is my dog, Warrior. Come here War! We’ve been together a long time. I got her at the SPCA. Now, anyone who has tried to adopt a pet from an animal shelter can sympathize with me over the long-ass process. Originally, I lied and said I had a job, thinking the key to having a pet in this city is to prove you have daily responsibilities and income to provide for the health and well-being of my furry friend. But then they worried I’d be out of the house all the time. So then I fessed up. Hell no man, I don’t live in your conformist world. My job is to let passers-by know they are the enemy and my decision to live under a few bushes in Golden Gate Park is a passionate statement on what’s wrong with the world. That’s when everyone realized I’d be “home” all the time. She’s been really instrumental in helping me carry around all my belongings. That’s why she always gets free passage on Muni. Cuz she’s a SERVICE DOG! Haaa! Stupid society.
Nah, he ain’t got no muzzle. What the hell do you want me to do? Conform some of the time?
So I know you’re wondering why it is I don’t smell quite as bad as I usually do. Usually you can smell the potent blend of my urine, my dog’s urine, weed, BO, and compost before I even get on the bus. I saw you all look up horrified when you heard all the plastic I was carrying rustle. But then you thought, Well that’s weird, I don’t want to throw up in my mouth. FOOLED YOU! I had my monthly visit with the folks. STUPID PARENTS. Nah, I’m just kidding. I love ‘em, and even though it can be pretty embarrassing to be picked up by your parents in the Panhandle (especially when they show up in their vintage Mercedes-Benz) I think they’re proud of me. Yeah, we headed up to Sonoma for the weekend. I got to take a shower, wash my clothes. I gave Warrior a bath too. It’s real pretty up in Sonoma, have you ever been? YEAH YOU HAVE BECAUSE YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM MY FRIEND!
All right, I’m ready to blow this joint. I promised my parents I’d at least fill out one college application today, though really, I’m just doing a 40 run for the kids at camp. Smell me later!
Photo Diary: 71-Haight: 77 Minutes 08.18.09
Photo by Flickr user andy54321
There’s something about the number 7 that I’ve always liked. Maybe NextBus likes it, too. The photog notes:
Probably a NextBus error, the 77-minute wait soon shifted to 12-minutes. But the ad, which I think was for something Muni-related*, promises “extra time in your day.” Haight & Fillmore outbound.
* the ad is actually for 511.org
If you’ve got Muni stories, we wanna hear it! If you’ve got Muni photos, add them to the Muni Photos Flickr group.
Brokeback Bus 07.26.09
This delightful bit of Muni FAIL arrived in our inbox today from Stefanie Kelly (@sfseen on Twitter):
Broken down 71 Noriega on Page @ Gough.
Worst part: Gough Street shut down @ Oak – all southbound traffic being diverted east on Oak.
Cheers!
If you’ve got Muni sights, sounds, smells or FAILs to tell, this is the place to do it.
Weekend Photo Diary: No Direction Home 06.05.09
Well, we’ve all renewed our ability to completely ignore weather forecasts, after rain was promised every freakin’ day this week, and delivered none. Nevertheless, we can’t be played off without referencing future skies, no matter how futile.
Not really sure what’s going on this weekend, other than Sunday Streets in the Mission. If you know of something fun, cool, vital, or pathetic, let us know in comments.
Otherwise, just enjoy yourselves these next coupla days.
xoxo,
Muni Diaries
30 Injured in 71 Haight-Noriega Crash 05.27.09
Thirty people were hurt, many seriously, in the Muni bus crash on Market and Jones last night around 8 p.m., according to CBS5, SFist, the Examiner, and our usual local media sources. The 71 bus crashed into another car, both going east on Market, reports the Chronicle (via Bay City News). Seven people were taken to the hospital and 23 were treated at the scene, Muni spokeswoman Kristen Holland told CBS5. The driver has been put on non-driving status.
We’ve reported about several past Muni crashes (F vs Zip car, N vs vehicle, Muni blocking intersection). Earlier this year, an ex-Tribune reporter died from Muni accident injuries. We learned last year that Muni has paid out nearly $66 mil to “people who allege injuries, fatalities, and property damage caused by the agency’s transit fleet.” Muni has reportedly been cracking down on their safety records.
So what the hell happened? The cause of the accident is still under investigation. No word yet on who was at fault. If you’ve got pictures or were around the scene, email us, tweet, or comment below.
Photo by Flickr user backofthebuspodcast of a 71-Haight/Noriega on a better day.
Hate on the 71-Haight 05.06.09
I was in a crappy mood last night after synthesizing 0% product yield in my chemistry lab. And the 71-Haight just exacerbated my foulness. First of all, it was one of the newer, boxier buses. Which I’m not a fan of because the bus becomes crowded more easily than on the taller, single-decker buses. And on a 71-Haight, filled with more street kids and drunks than normal, it’s no fun being jammed together on a drizzly night.
The drunk guy belching Israeli rap lyrics, teenagers quipping nonchalantly about clothes, and the driver sloshing us back and forth like a washing machine added to the funky mojo. It was just one of those rides where you can’t sink into your book because you feel the negative energy pooling around you.
Appropriately, the sour ride ended in big crash.
Wrong Diagnosis on the 71 11.26.08
I’m a non-traditional pre-medical student, so I constantly try to observe and classify behavior based on the limited medical information I know. And Muni provides the fodder for all sorts of behavioral speculations.
Riding on the 71 inbound last week, It didn’t take long to locate my specimen. He was a Chinese, clean-looking gentleman sitting one seat in front of me (I was slumming at the back of the bus). To my left sat a 30-something inconspicuous white guy talking with his also inconspicuous-looking girlfriend.
About 10 minutes into the ride, I started to notice some inconsistent, erratic behavior from the Chinese guy (whom will hereon be referred to as “CG” so I don’t have to keep saying “Chinese guy” and come off as both annoying and racist). CG was reading a newspaper, but every once in a while he’d put his paper down, look over his shoulder, and mouth derogatory cuss words at my bench mate. Among the blasphemous phrases were “fuck you,” “you’re a cocksocker,” “you liitle cunt,” and “I’m going to kill you.”
Outside Lands Update: Bike It 08.23.08
Muni hasn’t gotten any better with providing enough transportation for big events. After last night’s Outside Lands show, Muni was jammed. As with Bay to Breakers and any Giants’ game, Muni couldn’t keep up with the crowd overflow. At least three full buses passed me without stopping. Meanwhile, people continued to flock the stops.
Muni promised extra services on the 5, 71, and N lines for the three-day event. To see the full pre- and post-concert travel schedule, including tips for best stops, visit MTA’s Outside Lands page. But there’s really no bother. I ended up walking three miles to get home.
If you’re going to the concert, the best way to travel is by bike.
-Jenny
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