Category: News

Man Fatally Hit by 47-Van Ness (update)

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Market Street SanFran Muni &Trolley
Photo by Flickr user tbn97

Update 11:17 a.m., Sunday: SFGate reports that police have ruled the death a suicide. The Muni operator will not be held responsible.

A man was fatally hit by a Muni bus Saturday evening on Market and Van Ness, according to the San Francisco Examiner and reports on Twitter. A witness told the Examiner Bay City News that he saw the victim lunge in front of the bus:

Joe Kimbro, a witness who was riding the bus at the time of the accident, said he saw the man lunge in front of the bus as it drove toward the bus stop on South Van Ness Avenue.

“He meant to do what he did. He dove,” Kimbro said. He was sitting in a disabled seat in the bus when the accident happened

The gruesome accident left a pool of blood on the pavement. Read more at the San Francisco Examiner and also SF Appeal.

Other witnesses say that the man intentionally stepped in front of the bus, reports California Beat. ActionNewsSF also has photos of the scene as police taped off the area.

On Twitter, @BrianVanderpol said:

Just got a glimpse of a victim of a muni accident at Van Ness and Market. The wind blew the blanket off. I’m not ok.

We’ll keep you updated.

Category: News

What’s up in Chinatown, Muni? (updates)

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Update 11:50 p.m.: KGO/ABC7 has more:

The driver says the problems started when he went to investigate a malfunctioning wheelchair platform. The bus somehow lost control, rolled about 100 feet down a hill and crashed into a second bus.


And then…

The bus rolled into a collection of street-side newspaper racks and a mailbox before it came to a complete stop on a sidewalk.

That was from California Beat, which also reported that several passengers were treated for minor injuries.

Update 3:26 p.m.: @GarySoup tweets to let us know WTF:

Bizarre Muni bus on bus accident snarled service on Stockton St. Began when 8X driver parked [the] bus to get coffee from Cafe Honolulu. 8X bus rolled backward, sideswiped SB 30 bus. Rear end of bus knocked over traffic signal controller and mailboxes. 2 hrs to untangle.

I <3 the internets.

Original post: @disflylatina sent us this photo today. To state the obv, WTF?

Category: News, Photos, Story Archive

Weekend Photos: Pull the Cord

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pull the cord
Photo by Flickr user katiemarinascott

“The nightmare is over.” L-operator upon reaching Embarcadero.

When reader Ben sent us the above short email, I had to laugh. We know it’s not all that bad, though. Rachel from Fog City Notes shared a story of hilarity with fare inspectors this week, and we’re still trying to solve the mystery of why people do what they do when they wait for the bus. A big part of our urban existence happens on public transportation, so the next time you say to someone, “So I was on the bus today…” don’t forget to share that story with us.

Meanwhile, in Muni news:

  • Yes on Proposition G Headquarters Opens in the Castro — Fix Muni Now Kicks Off (SF Citizen)
  • Muni operators onboard, albeit begrudgingly, for service restoration plan (SF Examiner)
  • Some historic streetcars could return to the N-Judah line (Market Street Railway Blog)
  • Central Subway travel times disputed (SF Examiner)
  • Teen Suspect In Muni Gay Bashing Arrested (SF Appeal)
  • Muni chief urges riders to support federal transit funding (Examiner’s Under the Dome blog)
  • BART board decides not to increase fares (BCN via SF Appeal)
  • Protective streetcar shelter at Geneva nears completion (Market Street Railway)
  • Pot Ads on Muni? They’re Already on BART — So Why Not? (SF Weekly)
  • Dennis Herrera Running for Mayor (SFist)

Enjoy these photos and your weekend!

The old State Belt Railroad
Photo by Flickr user Roshan Vyas

Muni Rider
Photo by Flickr user David Lytle

These New Ads
Photo by Flickr user eviloars

Category: News

Smoke inside an 8X-Bayshore Express (updates)

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Photo by LiveSOMA

Update 10:29 a.m.: LiveSOMA now has photos of the removal of the smoked-out bus (wasn’t that a story at our last live event?).

Update 9:49 a.m.: Eyewitness Brooke has these details:

I was about to walk into Whole Foods on 4th at Harrison when I heard a commotion across the street. I looked over and saw several people running out of long Muni bus, the 8 line. A big purple cloud was coming from the back of the bus. It looked like a very particulate smoke, and people appeared to have some of the smoke powder on them. I stopped to see if I should call 911, if they looked hurt. They were pretty much freaking out and looked scared, but they didn¹t look hurt. Then I saw the driver walking to the back to assess the situation, so I didn¹t think it was necessary to get nvolved. I went into whole foods to buy a couple of things. When I came out of Whole Foods about 5 minutes later, the cloud was gone, but on the sidewalk and street there was a layer of violet-purple stuff on the ground about the length of the back half of the bus. It appeared that several of the people that had been on the bus were still there talking to the bus driver about what had happened.

Original post: @jblebrun reports of smoke inside an 8X:

Whoa.. muni 8x suddenly filled with fine white powder… looked like smoke. Entire bus was covered by white cloud. 4th and Harrison

LiveSOMA has photos and a story:

The bus driver explained how the whole bus filled with white smoke to the point where she couldn’t see and had to stop. Her quick reaction prevented any injuries, although an SFFD Ambulance arrived a few minutes later to double check the situation. Passengers were also asked to fill out ‘comment card’ type sheets that allow Muni to follow up.

Anyone else witness this? Any idea what happened?

Category: News Tags:

5 injured as car loses control near Muni bus shelter (updates)

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Video courtesy ABC 7/KGO

Update Wednesday 2:33 p.m.: Five victims still in hospital. SUV drive unlicensed, had no insurance. (BCN via SF Appeal)

Update 11:39 a.m.: ABC 7 now reports in more detail:

Investigators said the car shutdown and the driver had no control as she slammed into a group of people waiting for a bus. Because of the heat, the pedestrians were waiting in the shade of an apartment building and not a bus shelter.

“Her vehicle lost power, she lost the ability to brake, to steer the vehicle and as the vehicle was coming down the hill it gained speed and it veered across the street into a group of people that were waiting for a bus at this bus stop. We have five injuries as a result of this accident. Four people were transported with life threatening injuries. One person was transported with non-life threatening injuries,” said Mindy Talmage of the S.F. Fire Department.

Update, 10:58 a.m.: KCBS radio reports that four of those hurt in the crash have sustained life-threatening injuries.

Update, 10:54 a.m.: KGO radio tweets: “KGO traffic reporter Joe Vincent: Driver of the SUV that crashed into the bus shelter told SFPD that she lost power, was unable to steer”

Original post, 10:30 a.m.: ABC 7 reports that five people were injured when a car crashed into a Muni bus shelter on San Bruno and Arleta. We’ll bring you updates as we find them.

Category: News

‘Information Gladly Given’ T-Shirts

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Image by Market Street Railway

Awesome find of the weekend over at Market Street Railway blog. You’ve heard it or read it a thousand times on Muni buses: “Information gladly given, but safety requires avoiding unnecessary conversation.”

Sometimes, I want that to be my motto, on Muni, and off.

Anyway, MSR is selling these nifty shirts. Buy one online, yeah? Or, even better, get one at the Market Street Railway Museum.

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