Your Muni ‘Day in Storm’ 10.13.09
Photo by Flickr user Picklesthefirecat
An email from Muni rider Katherine:
Hey guys,
Man what a weathery day!
From SFAppeal: “2:43 PM: Not really related to what we’re talking about, but since this is already a Muni post, what the hell? MTA spokesperson Judson True says that the L Taraval’s derailed between 35th and 36 Aves at 2:05 today. No one was injured, and the cause for the derailment is still unknown.
L riders will be taking a bus between 22 and the zoo.”
My update: my trusty security guard friend, Myles, was waiting to board the train that “derailed”. Apparently it was switching from the outbound to inbound rails and a giant gust of wind caused the electric guide bar thingy and attached electrical box thingy to come completely off the top of train. He thinks the system power cables came along with it. Hence, no L service after 22.
Definitely not a good day for my good ‘ol L line…
The derailment follows a morning of general wet, humid commuting in which NextBus joined its friend Muni in total broken-down-land.
And we’ve still got the evening commute to go … ah!
What has your experience been like today?
Muni’s new insurance policy — too late to cover this weekend’s West Portal crash? (update) 08.06.09
Photo by 2girls1queen
Update (August 6, 2:17 p.m.): SF Appeal helps answer the question this post asked 18 days ago. Thanks, guys!
Original post: Regular service has resumed after yesterday’s West Portal accident, but the fallout is far from over. The SFAppeal reports that 48 people were injured, four of them critical. Ahem, anybody smell a lawsuit coming? This brings us to a KCBS story that a reader sent to us about how the MTA board approved the purchase of something known as catastrophe insurance, which pays for lawsuits. Pretty sad that such a policy is warranted.
But lo and behold, a mere three days following the board’s vote, an accident more or less validates that decision.
Since the MTA board just voted to purchse the “catastrophe insurance” last Wednesday, we’re not sure if a further vote is necessary to enact the insurance policy. Or does the Board of Supervisors need to approve this?
And does the policy cover Saturday’s crash? We doubt it, unless this is a magic policy that’s magically already in place. It would be nice, if only to cover Muni’s already-broke ass. If the policy isn’t in effect, we foresee the potential for multiple lawsuits. If that happens, does Muni fall into an even deeper hole? Ugh.
L-Taraval, car crash? (updates) 07.30.09
Photo by Flickr user warzauwynn
Update: SF Appeal reports that the L-Taraval is running again. No injuries have been reported (yet?).
Original: I’m seeing a few tweets about a possible crash involving the L-Taraval and a car. Namely:
@cellojules Just heard a MUNI collision involving an L and another car. Yes, heard. Avoid 19th and Taraval and expect L delays. Glad my bus not involved
@cwbuddha Getting reports of an SUV/Muni collision at 19th and Taraval. Situation Snarled.
Please comment if you know more, and of course if you were on the LRV or saw this happen. Or have photos/video.
Light-rail vehicles collide at West Portal, dozens injured (w/updates + video) 07.22.09
Photo by Flickr user chrisjbarker
Started seeing many tweets just now about an apparent Muni collision near West Portal Station. We’ll try to update this post as frequently as possible with new information. For now, there are reports of 12 injuries, and delays on the K, L, and M lines in both directions. Updates are in reverse-chronological order, beginning with the latest:
Update:(Wednesday) just caught wind, via Twitter, of the first-ever videos of the crash, from SFGateSF Appeal (wtf, SFGate?):
The Day of the Muni Fails 06.04.09
Today seems to be the day of the Muni Fails. We have a taxi running into 2 cable cars, a Muni driver talking on the cell phone, an old guy driving on the J-Church tracks, and the streetcar stall at Van Ness Inbound that delayed for 15 minutes. Oh yeah, how can anyone forget about the Muni Humper and the racist douchebag?
I’ll comment on one of them since there wasn’t much media coverage on this one. I was riding the L to Van Ness Station when all of a sudden we slowed down. At first, I thought it was a regular stop and go, because that’s what usually happens during rush hour. Then, the operator made an announcement, saying, “There appears to be some delay, we should be moving in a couple of minutes.”
…a couple of minutes later, she said, “There appears to be a stuck train, so they’re working on it, we should hopefully be moving very soon…”
But, eventually, the passengers were told to disembark the broken train as they were “trying to get the train out of there. We hopefully should be moving in a minute or two, maybe three or four.”
As we finally approached Van Ness Station, she thanked everyone for being patient, and, as I got off, there was this guy who thanked the operator for making regular announcements.
Personally, I think this problem could have been avoided if trains were single-tracked around the station, but hey, it’s Muni, powered by shoddy OS/2 run ATC and sometimes patient, frequent-announcer operators, and fare inspectors.
Snarky Train Operator 04.23.09
This morning on the L Taraval the operator certainly gave his riders “what for”.
I was sitting on the train. We came up to 40th and Taraval. The train stopped at the train stop but didn’t open its doors for about a minute. The doors finally opened, people got on and then the train operator started yelling at the passengers over the loud speaker telling them that pushing the button to open the doors does not work until he releases the lock. He is not a man that will be rushed. He opens the doors on his own time and nobody is going to make him release the locks before he’s ready.
From 40th Avenue all the way to West Portal the driver would stop at every stop and then pause for about a minute before opening the doors. Once the new passengers got on he would give his speech again.
I wonder if people learned a lesson or just thought it was as funny as I did.
Do like Andrea and send us your Muni and BART stories.
Muni Diaries Anniversary Favorite: Don’t piss off the Pregnant Lady 04.01.09
Tara’s favorite diary got quite a response in the comments. We’re not taking sides, of course, and we do love a spirited debate about bus behavior: “I actually really like the pregnant-lady-trips-girl for a few reasons. It (along with a lot of our ‘what should you do in this situation?’ kind of Seinfeldian posts) generated a lot of debate on what we as non-pregnant, non-disabled people have the responsibility to do on public transit. Also, it’s just plain hilarious to picture a pregnant lady shifting from passive-aggressive to aggressive-aggressive because of some kid.” Visit the site tomorrow to read Jenny’s favorite diary as we wind down toward our first birthday Friday.
Don’t piss off the pregnant lady (originally posted February 19, 2009)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Pregnancy is making me mean
Today the muni was crowded. I had to wait forever for the L. I had the smarts to take whatever train to West P. and then wait for the L so most of the train ride wasn’t so bad. However, when I got on the L it was super crowded. I unbuttoned my jacket, stuck my pregnant belly out as far as I could and no one gave me a seat. In fact, most of the other Sunset residents on the train closed their eyes and pretended I wasn’t there.
Good Morning, My American Friends! 03.26.09
I love my outbound L train conductor so much. Here are some things he has told us:
Good morning, my American friends! We are on time today! (What? It’s 8:31!)
Help us stay on time. It is up to you. Anticipate your exit. Be patient. We all work together. America is beautiful, and trust me, I’ve lived in a lot of places. Everyone here helps each other.
It is a beautiful morning! I request this time for working because you are all so special to me. Someone out there loves you. Muni loves you. You are just beginning your day, but I am ending mine now. Have a beautiful day.
One time he told us the set-up of a joke at the start of the tunnel and told us the answer at Embarcadero. I want to write to Muni and tell them how great he is, but I keep forgetting to write down the coach number.
Photo by Flickr user The Retrospective.
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Share your own Muni driver story! One can only hope we have more drivers like this.
Fire at Castro Station (UPDATE) 08.28.08
Update: According to a trusted source, the problem is mechanical. Still unsure of where, or what nature. And also, the fire? Can anyone confirm?
Original post: This just in by way of text from roving Muni Diaries field reporter Eugenia Chien:
Fire at Castro Station. K, L, M lines are delayed or not running. They are advising people to take a shuttle on Van Ness. Civic Center Station a mess!
Then:
Now the F is nowhere to be found
Stay tuned for more ….
Sometimes, dreams do come true 08.19.08
I had a surprisingly pleasant Muni experience on the way to work yesterday, only because it went beyond my expectations. As I believe I’ve said before, I have a good Muni location, I walk down from the Lower Haight to Church and Duboce, give a quick glance for any incoming N-Judahs or J-Churches, and if I don’t see one, I continue down to Church Street Station and try my luck at an L, M or the dreaded K/T whatever the hell it is. I say dreaded because it is usually only one car, and even though it technically begins just one station away at Castro Street, it is usually packed to the gills. I guess that’s because it’s also a K, and has come all the way from Balboa Street Station. Anyway, when I got down to Church Street Station on Monday I was immediately disheartened because on the incoming train monitor I saw a one-car K was the only train coming. I said to myself, “I guess I’ll be standing all nice and intimate all the way to Powell Street today.” But, I was wrong, for the first time ever on my way to work and since the T was introduced, the train was sparsely populated, well air-conditioned and hauled ass downtown. Just want to give Muni props, that although it seems like you can and should only expect the worst, sometimes Muni doesn’t screw you. You have to enjoy it when it happens.
– Rob
Rob Nagle works at a free San Francisco daily newspaper that has been sprucing up its Web presence.
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