Hey, That’s My Tattoo! Girl Reunites With Her Muni Tattoo

100 Muni StoriesThere’s devotion, and then there’s next-level total fucking adoration. Julie is the proud owner of the Muni worm tattoo you see here. What better way to celebrate Muni’s centennial than slapping some permanent art on your neck?

A few days after we posted a roundup of various Muni tattoos, one of the tattoo’s owners contacted us to tell us more.

Julie is the proud owner of the Muni neck tattoo. Here’s what she had to say upon discovering it on Muni Diaries:

That is me 3 years ago, at the fresh-faced age of 18 when I first got the tattoo. The day after, I was in Costco with my mom, and three dudes stopped me to ask if it was really the worm, and snapped this picture.

Here’s what Julie said about why she got the Muni worm tattoo’d on the back of her neck:

At 15, my mom kicked me out of the house, and I was out on the streets. I would sleep on the 90 or 91 when it was extra cold or rainy out. The drivers, despite their rough exterior, showed me ultimate compassion and sometimes would give me food or hot chocolate. The entire experience of being a street kid had a huge part in the chick I am today, so I got the worm.

Plus, it’s unique to San Francisco, and I’m a city kid to the core.

And the reaction she gets to the tattoo?

It’s always fun. Usually a laugh or two and then a question of why I got it. A lot of tagger kids think it’s pretty cool which always amuses me. Muni operators get a good laugh out of it too, and cable car drivers always tell me it’s my life pass and I can ride their trolley for free any day.

So much awesome is happening on the nape of Julie’s neck and in her story. Thanks for sharing, Julie!

This and other posts are being corralled over on our 100 Days, 100 Muni Stories page. Check out these tributes to the Muni experience, and send us your best Muni memories.

San Francisco Character – Vivienne, Muni Operator

Rider Madeleine sent us a story about Vivienne, who drives the 108-Treasure Island. Vivienne has been a Muni operator for 20 years and is “very humble as to the importance of her job,” Madeleine reports. Madeleine, who is Swiss, tells us one reason why she enjoys having Vivienne on her bus:

I like her calling me ‘sweetie.’ I know, this is nothing unusual around here, but given that I am Swiss and used to Swiss public transit operator attitudes, the idea of being called ‘sweetie’ by a Swiss bus driver just amuses me… they are waaay too stiff and formal to do something like that.

Vivienne told Madeleine about what happened during a graveyard shift on the 91-Owl when she picked up a man on Van Ness who said he had just been hit by a cab. Read the rest of the story at Madeleine’s blog, SFCharacters.

Got another Muni driver who made an impression on you? Let us know. Or even better, are you a Muni operator? We want to hear from you!

Weekend Photos: What is NextBus trying to tell us?

And Sometimes It's In Braille
Photo by Flickr user eviloars

Here we are, arrived at another wet weekend. The worst might be over, though. In which case, go Go forth and have your fun. (srsly, that hard-ass rain lasted, what, 14 minutes?) Don’t forget to go gripe talk to public officials (in government, police, MTA) at a City Hall hearing on Monday.

Here’s your MTA weekend traffic advisory:
Construction on San Jose Avenue between Geneva Avenue and Niagra Avenue will require the closure of both northbound lanes and one southbound lane of San Jose Avenue from 11 p.m., Friday to 4 a.m., Monday.

Beginning at 1:45 a.m. Saturday, the M-Ocean View Muni line will turn back at Plymouth and Broad streets. A Muni bus will provide service between Plymouth Avenue and Broad Street and San Jose and Geneva avenues on Saturday and Sunday.

Also, the N-Judah track repairs will pick up this evening. Pay attention, folks!

Traffic Detour/Construction Schedule: 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 20 – 5 a.m., Monday, Nov. 23

Muni Bus Shuttle Schedule:

    8 p.m., Friday – 1 a.m., Saturday
    6 a.m., Saturday – 1 a.m., Sunday
    8 a.m., Sunday – 1 a.m., Monday

Note: The N-Owl service will operate until 6 a.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. Sunday; and 4 a.m. Monday

Additional Muni routes affected: 28-19th Avenue, 29-Sunset, 91-Owl, N-Owl

That, as they say, is all. Enjoy the photos!

Cable Car #25
Photo by Flickr user Troy Holden

Roar of the Four
Photo by Flickr user ebtmikado

Where New York meets San Francisco.
Photo by Flickr user Whole Wheat Toast