Muni’s Number-One in My Book, Too


Photo: epugachev

Over at 16th and Church, rider Jayne made a run for the J-Church stopped at a red light. She says that, despite some hand-waving and the presence of two more would-be passengers, the driver ignored them and bailed once the light was green. Try to contain your surprise. But that’s not where this tale ends.

I decided to walk to the Church St. Station to catch the Metro. When [I] arrived at Market/Church, I saw the J streetcar was struck in traffic at Safeway. I proceed to walk down to the subway and catch a train to Van Ness Station. When I arrived at Van Ness…I saw the J-Church that didn’t opened the door for me slowly arriving…so I made my way on the platform to the front and, as the J pulled up, I stood at the side of the driver’s cab and gave him the finger and let it linger there for about 10 seconds or so.

There’s a first time for everything: 30-plus years of ridership, and she says it’s the first time she flipped off a driver.

Well, we’ve all been there: riding the high (“You’re stuck at a red, thank jeebus! Open up, kind sir or madam!”) and the low (“Oh. Walking won’t be so bad, I guess). Literally giving Muni the middle finger could be a bit much, but getting stonewalled is obviously a shit picnic.

What say, Muni riders? Is finger warranted here?

5 comments

  • loren

    i would have done the same, especially given the number of times this very thing has happened to me over my years in SF. there have been times where drivers have even made full eye-contact with me, weren’t totally full of passengers, and clearly weren’t out of service, just drive on by and not even slow down.

    their JOB is to stop and pick up passengers, and if they can’t be bothered to do their job (especially when i rely on them to get to MY job)- they more than deserve getting the finger… or at least, an angry earful.

  • Pete

    i’ve flipped them off for less.

  • jen

    Ha! I have had that happen to me SO MANY TIMES that I have lost count and, Lord help me, I’ve wanted to do more than flip em off. But what I can only say what had to be a Christmas miracle happened to me just a few days ago…..I was waiting for traffic to stop on Church, between 26th and Clipper (jaywalking, yes, shhhhh) and a J was coming my way. Damn, I thought, I’m going to miss the sucker when lo and behold the J performed an amazing feat. Wait for it, the driver saw me, STOPPED the train in the middle of the street and waved me accross! I nearly fell to the ground in shock……….

  • Jeremy

    I kind of understand it if they aren’t at a stop. It could be a liability for them if a passenger is crossing traffic to board. Also, it can slow down the line if the driver makes a habit of it.

    But, when they’re at a stop, the light is red and they ignore somebody who just missed it, that’s cold.

  • Mugato3000

    Seems a little extreme to me considering they were with in a block of all 5 lines and they ended up arriving earlier then the J they were trying to take. Seems to me this driver did them a favor.

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