Category: Story Archive

Loretta: Muni bus driver, guardian angel

9 comments

America
Photo by Thomas Hawk

100 Muni StoriesLast night I fell asleep riding the 49 inbound up Van Ness around 9 p.m. Fell asleep BAD. Like I’m surprised no one checked my pulse to see if I was still alive (well, maybe they did and I just slept through it). When I woke up, I realized I had missed my stop at Jackson by several blocks and raced out the door. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that my phone, which I had been holding when I fell asleep, was no longer with me. I panicked, but there was no way to catch up to the bus.

I got to my friend’s house, and used his phone to call mine. Nobody picked up, and I expected the worst. It was a hat-trick in the worst way: the Giants get shut out by the A’s, I miss the season finale of LOST, and my cell phone is now being kicked around an empty bus. But awhile later we got a call from Loretta, the Nicest Bus Driver on the Planet. She had found my phone, and rather than sending it to lost and found—where she insisted it would have been gone forever—took it with her.

Today I met her on her route and she returned it to me. I tried to give her some cash as a thank you, but she wouldn’t accept it. Anyways, Loretta, you saved the day! Thank you!

Caitlyn

Category: 100 Muni Stories, From MD Editors, Story Archive Tags:

Watch Your Arm on Muni!

3 comments

Muni at Church
Photo by Flickr user Joey.Parsons

Rider Fannie saw a scary incident this morning at Church station:

Around 8:45 a.m. I got on a train that was quite full, after waiting for three full trains to pass by at peak rush hour. Then, this chick got her arm stuck in the door. Like in the sliding track…her left arm and elbow. I watched her scream with hysteria. Originally, she’d been very busy trying to cram on to the very full train, and getting angry. I would have helped her, but there were more than three people already trying to do so.

Somehow, they got her arm out. She had a pretty big bruise on the bone of her elbow…She was distraught (and I would be too).

They made us get off. (As in, empty out the entire two car train)

And some of us filled out information cards (as witnesses).

And then waited for two more trains before getting on.

Lesson learned: Muni vehicles are not worth (almost) losing a limb over.

Yikes. I’ll remember this the next time I try to jam onto a train…

Category: Story Archive Tags:

Audio diary: Mel’s early ’90s party bus

2 comments


Photo by Chipmonkey (^o^)

Stories are stories, and the internet is nice enough to let us listen to them as well as read them. For those of us in too much of a hurry, or simply too lazy to let your eyeballs scan and decipher the words here, that’s a bonus.

Stephanie from NPR’s Snap Judgment captured some of the stories told on-stage at our last Muni Diaries Live event. This one, by Mel, concerns a vivid memory of a cloudy ride on the N-Judah.

Have a listen, and let us know whether you like the audio diary format:
Mel’s party bus

Category: Story Archive Tags:

Weekend Photos: Blow your horn

3 comments


Photo by Flickr user fsquared

How was your week? Ours? Well, the usual. Not enough hours in the day, or days in the week, or weeks in the … ah, never mind. Here’s your weekly roundup of Muni news:

– 21st Century Barn Raising (Market Street Railway)
– Six Injured In Muni Bus-Van Crash (KTVU)
– Supes Propose Massive Changes To How The SFMTA Runs (SF Appeal)
– Gavin’s Delay In Appointing SFMTA Board Members Might Be Holding Up Service (SF Appeal)
– SFMTA’s St. Francis Circle Project Means West Portal Street Closures, Muni Service Disruptions, Parking Problems (SF Appeal)
– The real reason Muni stopped fare enforcement saturations (SFGate)
– The politics of restoring Muni service (City Insider)

On Monday, we posted a video that eventually went, how you say, viral. It shows bus riders in Copenhagen showing love for their bus driver by serenading him on birthday. *Tear* Later that day, we ran a few Muni-related Bay to Breakers photos we found. We put a question in to MTA concerning where the money comes from to run B2B shuttles. We’ll let you know what we hear back.

Don’t forget to send your Muni stories here, and your Muni photos here.

Have a good weekend! See you Monday.

The Elusive 29 Sunset
Photo by Nick.Fisher

19 Bus-Navy Yard
Photo by cidana

22 In Pipes
Photo by eviloars

F Market
Photo by tweetsweet

Category: Photos, Story Archive

Thank you, friendly 23 driver, from awkward bike girl

One comment

Bikes On The Bus
Photo by Flickr user Pete Boyd

I just got my first ‘grown-up’ bike this week! In preparation for loading it on the bus, I watched a YouTube video on how to use the bike rack on Muni. I was set!

That is, until I didn’t place the hook over the wheel properly. Bumping over the St. Francis hills on Monterey boulevard, my bike almost fell off the rack. Thankfully, the driver stopped in time, and was really friendly and patient while I fought with the rusty wheel hook and put it properly in place.

I was so embarrassed, but the driver was so nice and encouraging, I felt a lot better about it.

I ended up on his bus on the way home a few hours later, and he told me to take my time to get it right this time around. I thanked him, but forgot to ask his name.

So, again, thanks friendly driver with the Muni beanie on the 23 route between 6:00 and 11:00pm on May 20, 2010. You made my evening!

– Laurel, the awkward bike girl

Category: Funny: Muni LOLs, Story Archive Tags:
1 … 378 379 380 381 382 … 468