Your place to share stories on and off the bus.
Photo by Nick.Fisher
We first alerted you to the prospect of owning your very own Muni fare box last October. Today, its current owner has reposted it on Craigslist.
Just think: You could carry it with you and insist on paying only $0.60. Just be sure to carry plenty of dimes.
… nuts and I cannot lie! It’s why my leg is at your side….couldn’t help myself!
Photo by emforafew
As Eugenia said, “What is this guy even doing?”
Photo by Rick Audet
As I was riding the 24 home from work last week, two young men boarded the bus and immediately started sizing up the other riders in the back of the bus for potential roastability. Not finding enough meat for their roast they declared the bus “dry” as opposed to this morning’s selection which had been “wet.” This was a fairly incredible assessment, seeing as how the 24 is (always) stuffed to the gills with riders.
The roasters, doing their best with the available material, declared that “that dude there has a potato-head” (he didn’t). They then moved on to a young man who was listening to his ipod and had the luxury of pretending not to hear “look at this dude, he look like something out of mario brothers” (he didn’t). They then went on to mock his plain white t-shirt, cap and less than manicured fingers.
Meanwhile I’m feeling less and less comfortable, for the obvious reason that if unkempt nails were grounds for harassment, I could well be next. But mostly because I felt this was completely inappropriate. I mean, who does that? And why?
My stop was still three blocks away when I felt I could not handle it anymore. They had moved on to fresh meat, an older gentleman whose ear hair was somehow offending them (it wasn’t), when I vacated my seat. Clumsily and apologetically, I made my way to the front of the bus through the sea of fellow-riders. When I reached the front I reported to the driver that there were two young men harassing people in the back of the bus. The driver stood up and called to the back of the bus that they needed to “show some respect.” Feeling useless and edgy I then exited the 24, two stops early.
On my long walk home I thought of all the other ways the situation could have been handled. I had fantasies of rallying the other riders and declaring that we’re not going to take it! We’re all on the same bus here! We all have the right to a peaceful ride! Some of my less mature fantasies included roasting the aggressors: “your hair looks like bubble wrap!” and “if you’re lucky you might grow into those pants someday, son!” I digress.
Has anyone else witnessed a rider roasting? There must be a more effective way to handle it than to hassle the bus driver who is 20 ft and 30 people away….
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Rider Jared bought some headphones to enjoy his music on Muni. Little did he know that right after his purchase, he would overhear one of the most excellent exchanges between one very cranky rider and someone who was trying to get him to sign a petition. I’m tempted to copy this technique the next time someone asks me to sign my name on yet another clipboard. Read on. – Eugenia
As someone who spends a good chunk of his day on Muni and Caltrain, I listen to a lot of music. As my iPod earphones have been slowly making their way to white headphone heaven, I decided to take the plunge and buy some quality buds. After much deliberation between sound-cancelling and the regular version, I bought Bose’s around-the-ear model on Monday evening at their store in the downtown Westfield. I decided against sound-cancelling because I’m afraid to be struck by a bus and die. But if “Lost” has taught me anything, it’s that I’ll see you all in another life, brotha. Anyway.
Just like a little kid at Hanukkah, I asked the store owner, “Do you mind if I open it now so I can listen to them on my ride home?” After a few cuts and snips, I was on my way downstairs to the Powell Station sporting my new headphones.
For some reason Predictably, I had to wait a while until a lettered car appeared to take me to the Castro station (I was jonseing for some boba). Once it arrived (after I was told it wasn’t coming for another seven minutes), I hopped on and stood against the doors on the opposite side so I’d be closest to my exit.
One stop in, I see a guy in his 30s or 40s walking through the car and talking to people. Huh, that’s weird, I thought.
As he makes his way over to our side of the car I notice he’s holding a paper. I’m thinking, oh, he’s one of THOSE a-holes.
I love people who try to help a good cause, but I hate solicitors as much as the MILF from “The 40-Year Old Virgin.” As he approached me, I politely said no thanks (a few times… he was persistent) and he moved on down the train.
Here’s where it gets fun. As he was moving down the bus, he kept asking folks and they kept saying “no thanks.” Until he reached this one dude sitting down reading a book. Let’s recount the situation:
Solicitor: Do you mind signing my petition to…
Muni Rider (screaming at the top of his lungs): NO. YOU CAN’T PETITION. NO PETITIONING. YOU CAN’T DO THAT. THAT’S NOT ALLOWED. STOP IT. YOU’RE A BAD PERSON. STOP DOING THIS. YOU CAN’T PETITION ON HERE. STOP IT. STOP. DON’T BOTHER ME. STOP IT!!!!!!!!
The Rest of the Bus: (Silence)
He finally quit right before we hit the Church station. As the solicitor passed him again on his way to the front of the bus, I was afraid the psycho was going to shank him. But luckily he kept his cool this time around.
And do you know what pisses me off most about all of this? That I didn’t buy the noise-cancelling headphones.
What do Muni newbie riders need to know?
Because most people I know are seasoned transit riders, I tend to forget that Muni gets brand-new riders every day. Rider Melissa has just made the transition from BART to Muni, and told us:
Funny how different the commuter scene is. Lesson for today in Muni Riders vs. BART Riders: Muni Riders just don’t give a fuck! (Excuse my language…but it’s so true.) Doesn’t matter if you’re elderly, handicapped, young…Muni riders are all out for themselves. You just have to be aggressive and don’t take anything personally. Everyone is just trying to go where they need to go. [I’m] slowly learning and transitioning to a daily Muni rider….we’ll see how it goes.
Despite her skepticism, Melissa took a picture of her very first Muni pass to share with us, above.
I’m not sure I totally agree with Melissa’s assessment because I feel that on any Muni line, if you don’t know to step down, the rest of the bus will let you know. And if the back door doesn’t open for you, more than one rider will yell “Back Door” on your behalf. I’ve seen riders organize half the bus to move back for a wheelchair passenger to get on the 22. But maybe there’s something about BART riders that I don’t know?
Whenever I have visitors in town, this is my usual Muni-orientation talk:
– $2, try exact change or 3-day pass.
– Keep your transfer; it’s good for any direction.
– Step down to exit
– Some bus signs are simply painted on telephone poles (I think visitors find this consistently confusing).
Then I just give them a route map and they’re on their way.
What else would you tell a Muni newbie?