Who you callin’ ‘dummy,’ dummy?

Photog David L. describes the following scene:

The woman behind me was talking on a cellphone the entire trip (Yapper alert!) with a creepy ventriloquist’s dummy on her lap. Not only was she talking on the phone, but she occasionally was talking in what I assumed was the dummy’s voice as well.

Quelle horreur!

We’d have that look on our face, too, if confronted by such a tragedy. Thanks, David!

Hot Valentine’s Day Contest on our Facebook Page


Photo by David Lytle

Hey you. Yeah, you. The one making come hither eyes at me across the aisle on the J-Church. Muni Diaries is looking for your tales of love and lust aboard public transit. Aside from instant fame and exhibitionism, you could win a goodie bag from Good Vibrations. Yep. Mhm.

Head over to the Muni Diaries Facebook, like us, and let the e-ink spill. Post your best fatal attraction story there, tell your friends to like your story, then hold your breath.

You have until midnight on Feb. 13 to enter. The winner will be announced on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

Thank You, Muni Hero of the 1-California


Photo by Brandon Doran

Riding on a nearly full 1-California last Thursday afternoon, I opened my eyes from my mini nap when I noticed that the bus wasn’t moving. It appeared that the bus driver was leaning over having a conversation with a passenger who wanted to board the bus.

I heard an older woman’s voice from the opened bus door: “Do you give change?” We all knew the answer.

Then I heard the same woman’s voice: “When’s the next bus coming?”

The bus stop happened to be one without the NextBus display, so nobody really had an answer for her.

Just as I was starting to feel a little bad for her, a young man got up from the first row, leaned over to the open door and said, “Ma’am? I’ll pay for you. Come on in.”

The woman got in the bus — she was a silver-haired lady wearing a blue quilted coat. The young man paid her fare, got up, and gave his seat to her, and we were on our way.

Thank you, young man in the black leather jacket, Levi 514s, black Adidas, and black messenger bag. There’s a big difference between feeling bad for someone and actually doing something about it. Your kindness made me realize we need to cross that line more often.

Saw a Muni model citizen? Give them praise here.

Smile in 3, 2, 1: Balloon Animal on Muni

Rider Anthony sent us this picture of ol’ yellow on a “very crowded 38L.” When you’re ass-to-crotch with strangers during commute hour, it’s the little things that count.

Balloon animals on Muni is my favorite meme, short of actual pets on the bus. (And the even rarer meme of the bus arriving just when I needed it.) I spotted my first balloon animal on a snoozing Muni in October, after which rider Kristin sent us a pic of its twin (or perhaps the same one?) on a 16X. Rider Heather sent us a blue balloon dog from 2010, and, stretching even further back, we’ve got this orange one on the 5-Fulton, via telluomo on Flickr:

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Muni News: New transpo board members, tunnel driver, new streetcar, Muni violence


Photo by Robert B. Livingston

  • Supervisors Campos, Wiener picked to lead transportation board (City Insider)
  • Man Who Drove Through Muni Tunnel Blew A 0.20 BAC (SFist)
  • Man Who Drove Into Muni Tunnel Last Month Pleads Not Guilty To DUI Charges (SF Appeal)
  • The C-line is back! (Market Street Railway)
  • Fare Hack: Exploiting a Clipper Card Flaw Is Easy (SF Weekly)
  • Another addition to the F-Market fleet (Market Street Railway)
  • Miffed Muni mom mauls fellow passenger for crowding her (SF Examiner)
  • Man Beaten And Robbed While Waiting For Muni (BCN via SF Appeal)
  • BART expansion to Livermore to be studied (SF Examiner)
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