Author: eugenia

Eugenia Chien has been eavesdropping on the 47, 49, or 1 lines since the mid-90's. She lives by the adage, "Anything can happen on Muni" (and also, "That's not water.")

One Big Pride Party on Muni

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Lesbians on the Subway
Photo by Flickr user SFBart

I never thought I’d say that I love riding Muni during Pride weekend, but I kind of do! OK, not really, but there was some silver lining Sunday in the form of random merriment on the bus.

My Sunday afternoon started with a total Muni fail — waiting for the 47 for half an hour and inching along Van Ness at the speed of walking. But most people seemed to be in a pretty good mood. When I finally got off of the 47 and hopped on the 14L, a girl with a little cross tattooed below her eye ran for the bus and sat next to me, catching her breath. She complimented me on my dress and then started fishing around in her purse. “You want one of these?”

It was this free “Pride Parade Survival Pack” that had little packs of antiacid, Advil, mints, a moist towelette, and sone Band-Aids in it. Totally sweet.

Later in the afternoon, I hopped on a crowded 38-Geary. Two young guys jumped on the bus, one wearing a name tag that said, “Bottom,” and the other guy wearing a button that says…yeah, obviously. I took out my Blackberry to check the time (neurotic habit), and Bottom excitedly says, “Hey, can I scan your barcode? Do you BBM?” I had no idea what he was talking about. “Blackberry Messenger, duh!” The two passengers next to me spent the next five minutes talking about Blackberry Messenger and whether it can scan a barcode tattoo.

If only every day could be this convivial — without the slow-as-molasses traffic.

Category: diaries, reflection Tags: , ,

The New Lazy Boy Recliner, SF Style

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Photo by Sherwin Stechico

Sherwin on Flickr spotted this guy whose flexibility and balance I can only aspire to achieve. Sherwin said:

Just a weird but interesting way to use a hydrant. He was actually reading a book. I guess he was comfy. He was there for at least thirty minutes as a couple of my coworkers and I went to get ice cream at Rite Aid across the street

May I suggest that the little seats inside Muni bus stops might be a little more comfortable?

Category: Photos Tags:

Weekend photos: Keep It Movin’

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Keep movin' movin' movin', raw-HIDE!
Photo by Flickr user andyi
Are you ready for Pride Weekend? Don’t forget to check the Muni reroutes that we posted earlier today. This week in Muni news:
– Taking on Muni union puts Elsbernd at the wheel (SFGate)
– Newsom backs Muni ballot initiative that takes on operators (City Insider)
– Residents steer bus off streets (SF Chronicle)
– SFMTA Appoints New Chief Safety Officer (Reginald Mason of the Metropolitan Transit Authority in Houston) (SFMTA)
– Mayor Newsom Slams Muni Union Leaders Again, Decries Work Rules (Streetsblog SF)
– Akit checks in with the latest on Clipper Card, WageWorks (Akit’s Complaint Department)

We’ve got something up our sleeves for you on Monday! Remember the site redesign that we told you about a couple of weeks ago? We polled your opinions and have been working hard at shaping up the new look with our developer. It’s on its way, and we sure hope you like the newer, prettier Muni Diaries.

Until then, enjoy the photos and your weekend. And send us your Pride Weekend Muni photos as they happen!

Muni Escalator
Photo by Flickr user s__i

Like Nino Did The Carter
Photo by Troy Holden
The 14 Line
Photo by Flickr user williambuckley


Photo by Tara Ramroop

Category: News

Ready for Pride Weekend?

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bus pride
Photo by Flickr user fatniu

Ready for Pride Weekend? Here’s how Muni routes will be affected this weekend, courtesy of SFMTA’s weekend update. In a nutshell, for Sunday’s Pride Parade:

•Extra Service: J, Metro Subway.
•Rail line reroutes: F.
•Bus route reroutes: 2, 5, 6, 8X, 9, 10, 12, 14, 14L, 19, 21, 27, 30, 31, 38, 45, 71, 76, K-L-M-N-T owl service.
•Traffic Delays: 12, 47, 49.
•Area Affected: Downtown to Civic Center.
•Time: Early morning until clear.

Extra service will be provided in the Muni Metro subway between the West Portal and Embarcadero stations from 8 a.m. to about 11 p.m. on Sunday. Extra bus service from Church and 30th to the Transbay Terminal will be provided from 8:15 a.m. and from Market and Van Ness to Church and 30th until 6 p.m. on the J Church Line.

From 7 a.m. until the end of the celebration, the F Market and Wharves Line will not operate on Market Street between Van Ness Avenue and The Embarcadero. During that time, the historic streetcar service will operate between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street, and in the Castro/Upper Market area, on Market Street between Castro Street and Van Ness Ave.

Check out SFMTA’s Pride Weekend page for details about the weekend, including reroutes for Friday and Saturday.

Category: News

NYC Subway More Disgusting than Muni?

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New York City’s D-train has just been declared the dirtiest train in the city, and Gawker is challenging their readers:

“Everyone who has ridden the subway has sat next to a pile of abandoned newspapers, been hit in the foot by an empty bottle, or accidentally walked into the “stinky car” with a homeless person at one end. These are the things that we need to overlook everyday in order to survive riding the most convenient form of public transportation in the Big Apple. But every so often something so horrendously disgusting happens that it shatters our ability to descend into the hot, steaming underground several times a day. A few weeks ago while waiting for a 6 train from Grand Central Station, I saw a pile of puke next to a garbage can. Sadly, that’s not too uncommon, but what made it grosser than gross was there was a rat eating the puke. Ew, ew, ew, ew!

We know you have some nasty stories to share about MTA-related gross outs. You might even be able to top my puke-eating vermin tale. Please, take to the comments section and let us know your worst. The one that turns our stomach the most wins a $10 Metrocard and the admiration of all our readers for surviving the worst underground atrocity. Good luck, and happy riding.”

The stories in the comment section of this Gawker post are pretty gnarly, but hey, New York isn’t the center of the universe! Here in San Francisco, Muni’s got loogies, fish guts, scary unexplained red puddles…

Dubious honor, for sure. I’ve only been on the New York City subway a handful of times and can’t attest to its grossness myself. East Coast transplants, what do you think?

Category: diaries
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