July Post of the Month — The Proof-of-Payment Game 08.03.09
Did you spot a Muni fare inspector this month? Chances are you did. So did Plug1, who sent us a post about the stepped-up Proof-of-Payment situation, our most popular post in July.
On the stepped-up Proof-of-Payment game 07.28.09
Photo from Plug1
You might have noticed (we have, on buses, trains, and Twitter) a few more Muni fare inspectors lately. A few more, or, in some cases, 10 more.
It’s happening. Muni is finally getting very serious about ensuring that all riders pay and/or show proof of payment.
The following just arrived in our inbox from the tireless Plug1:
as i off-boarded my T Train this morning at EMB/Folsom, i was greeted by no less than 10 SFMTA Fare Inspectors, accompanied by 4 officers from the SFPD. it was definitely a very thorough operation, almost like a dragnet or DUI checkpoint. everyone was checked and several tickets we administered. naturally, i fired off a few shots with my iPhone. i also met Robert Wolfgang, who is the (new) Security & Transit Fare Inspection Manager. we talked about Fare Evasion, Fare Inspector #32, and how Judson True might in fact be the hardest working man at Muni. Mr. Wolfgang seemed fairly serious about enforcing Proof of Payment, acknowledging that far too many people evade paying fares daily, some even running off when confronted by a Fare Inspector.
Muni trip turned Muni strip 07.08.09
Photo by Flickr user lexflex
The following account by Sonia involves real people doing real things. Really.
My mighty, mighty good man David and I were heading to an A’s game and decided to take the T-train from our apartment in Dogpatch to Embarcadero, where we could catch BART to the Oakland Coliseum or whatever it is called now. (For the record, I am a Giants fan, but David likes the A’s. Since both of us are good sports, we go to both teams’ games. Apparently, this is a no-no in the Bay Area. Too bad!)
So anyway, apparently, we picked the wrong weekend to use public transportation. Not only was it Gay Pride Weekend, but the Vans Warped Tour was also going on. The T was positively packed with drunk, sunburned people.
Even though the train was crowded, a woman in her tiny shorts, halter top and stripper heels decided to treat the handrail like a stripper pole. She lifted herself up and swung her leg over the railing, hanging upside down.
A Brief Remark on Muni’s Bay to Breakers Service 05.10.09
Has anyone noticed for the past two years, Muni hasn’t even bothered to update its Bay to Breakers page? Do note that the 15-Third has been replaced by T-Third for TWO YEARS NOW! Where are our taxpayer dollars going to?
If you have keen observations or mass-transit anecdotes, send them to us. Um, please?
What are your feelings about the Central Subway project? 05.09.09
Maybe you live along the existing T-Third route and would like to see the line extended farther north. Maybe you live in Chinatown, and would love an easier way than the 30 or 45 to hop over to SOMA or Mission Bay. Maybe you don’t live in either area, and are concerned about the costs and/or environmental impacts inherent in this estimated $1.57 billion, massive-construction project. Or maybe you’re just a transit geek, like us, and love all things rail.
Give Rachel Gordon’s post on the City Insider a quick read, and let us know your thoughts about the Central Subway project.
Goth Man Saves Pigeon 04.20.09
When the T train pulled up to the AT&T Park station, I noticed a couple people walking about looking at the feet. The train was fairly empty and the commotion seemed unnecessary. As soon as I sat down I realized this excitement was due to a pigeon in the train.
As we approached the next stop, the pigeon stopped by the doors, calmly looking around, checking us all out. When the doors opened, a do-gooder goth man herded him out. He saved the pigeon, we all thought.
But then as the goth man returned to his book and attempted to block out the happy sun rays beaming in, I started to wonder whether that pigeon didn’t know exactly what he was doing?
Muni v. Big Rig Collision – Third and 22nd Streets 03.16.09
Photo by Dan Pritchard via Twitter
Breaking news from SF Appeal: Truck/T-Third Collision at 3rd and 22nd.
The T-Third collided with a big rig today a little after 3 p.m. on the corner of Third and 22nd streets. The street has been reopened. Eight people required hospitalization, according to SF Appeal.
Blame the Driver 08.22.08
That headline isn’t sarcastic.
Turns out yesterday’s accident in the Bayview involving a light-rail vehicle and a car was the car driver’s fault. She was allegedly making an illegal left turn.
Tamara Barak Aparton reports for The Examiner.
T-Third Accident Sends 7 to Hospital 08.21.08
I feel déjà vu here. A light-rail train apparently rammed a car near Fairfax and Third this morning.
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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