Category: News

Shell Game Guys At It Again On Muni

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People just won’t quit. Last March we reported about a group of guys scamming Muni passengers with the “three cup shuffle” game, which, as we found out, is almost certainly illegal. A month later a rider even sent us a video of the scammers in action (above). This made it into television news later in the summer. Despite the publicity, the problem hasn’t stopped. Rider Jon S. wrote us yesterday:

I just wanted to note that these guys are at it again. They were on the 38 Bus outbound. They got on while it was on Market Street and jumped off at Union Square when I started mouthing off to one of the heavies and went for my phone to call the police.

Good on you, Jon. Last time we posted about this, a rider told us that this game is one of the oldest tricks in the scammers’ handbook, so don’t fall for it!

Seen something that affects your daily ride? Let us know.

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Play ball! SFMTA: Ride Muni to AT&T Park

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A Parade For The World Champion San Francisco Giants
Photo by Troy Holden

We relayed a message from SFMTA a few weeks ago about taking Muni to the ballgame. But now, things are different. We’re a mere 13 hours away from welcoming our very own World Series champs back to their home stadium, as the San Francisco Giants prepare to battle the St. Louis Cardinals in their first regular-season home game in 2011 tomorrow at 1:35 p.m.

So once again, SFMTA is urging you to consider not driving to the game, but instead taking Muni, a cab, or bicycle to AT&T Park. Oh, and eat hella garlic fries and sandwiches from Crazy Crab’z, also, too.

Go, Giants!

Press Release–SFMTA Encourages Fans to Go Green to San Francisco Giants Baseball Games 4.7.11 (PDF)

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Teens Off-Board 44-O’Shaughnessy, Shooting Ensues

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Muni rider Tony sent us these photos of this morning’s shooting. Some teenagers allegedly got off a 44-O’Shaughnessy and shot an 18-year-old (possibly 17) man.

Tony says:

I was on the 24 which had to turn around bc of “police activity”. Woman next to me was an aunt of the victim. Said he was just 17 and was shot because he refused to move his bag when asked. They waited for him to get off the bus and the started shooting him. She said he was shot 10 times.

SF Appeal has more on the story.

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Win $150 for Your Muni Photo

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Endangered Species - Mission Blue Butterfly wrapped @sfmta_muni bus is awesome!
Photo by Anthony Brown

Update: Deadline extended to May 20!

You can win $150 and publication in Bay Nature magazine by submitting your photo to our Endanger Bus Photo Contest. The contest ends this weekend and we’ve got prizes ready to hand out. The contest will be judged by Cheryl Haines, director of Haines Gallery and executive director of the FOR-SITE Foundation, which she established in 2003 to support art about place.

The contest challenges you to photograph these beautifully wrapped buses roaming around town, courtesy of the EndangerBus project by artist Todd Gilens.

The contest ends this Sunday, April 10. Details :

Endangered Species buses Photo Contest
Find the Endangered Species buses (see bus tracker below) and catch them with your camera in motion or at rest.
Enter up to four images by emailing them to endangerbuscontest@baynature.org (minimum 1500 pixels in length or width)

Prizes

First place receives $150 and publication in Bay Nature Magazine.

Second place receives two tickets to the San Francisco Zoo and two $10 Clipper Cards.

Five other entrants will be picked at random to receive $10 clipper cards.

ENTRY DEADLINE: 11 p.m., April 10, 2011 Extended to May 20!

To find the Endanger buses, check out the real time bus tracker that Gilens created with GreenInfo Network on the EndangerBus.org website:

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Will Muni’s unfunded improvement plan actually improve Muni?

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Breda in the Garage
Photo by Telstar Logistics

You remember TEP, right? No? It was the result of extensive studies on how to improve Muni, in a dreamy little nutshell. It was unveiled with great fanfare in 2006, but it ran off the rails when that whole recession thingy started shitting money and jobs in 2008.

Now, SFMTA has brought TEP back to the forefront. SFGate reports:

The Municipal Transportation Agency launched the 18-month Transit Effectiveness Project — with great fanfare, extensive research and many community meetings — in 2006 and adopted it in 2008. Since then, with the agency facing budget crises, the plan sat idle, used only to help decide where service should be slashed.

Now Muni is dusting off the recommendations, beginning a required environmental review process that could take up to two years and restarting community meetings to discuss such controversial proposals as consolidating bus stops to speed service and stringing new overhead wires so Muni can change routes.

Read the rest of the story at SFGate. And tell us: What do you think about TEP’s plans to improve Muni? And how on earth will they find the funding to implement this?

We understand the “OMG I HATE MUNI” sentiment, but this could be your chance to offer realistic suggestions on how we can make it better. More back-door boarding crackdowns? Working with the driver’s union? Eating cake? Weigh in down in the comments.

Category: News

Muni LRV with door open in tunnel; D8 Sup. Wiener aboard train

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Update (10:02 a.m.): According to some very observant Muni Diaries readers (as well as SFist’s Leanne Maxwell), that’s District 8 Supervisor Scott Wiener in the foreground of the video above. Wonder when Sup. Wiener will convene another hearing about Muni’s inadequacies.

Original post: Muni rider Alex warns: “if this video i took friday night doesnt make your jaw drop i dont know what will.”

Jaw, dropped. Glad no one was hurt.

Apparently, the story made it to the esteemed halls of a couple of local television news empires. Wonder what they’re really saying about this at SFMTA.

Category: News
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