Dear Muni Diaries: There’s this Situation on My Bus

What do you do when bus riders just can’t stop pinching the flabby adorable cheeks of your driver husband? Such are the problems that Dear Abigail Van Buren received back in 1978. Full disclosure: We adore old Dear Abby advice columns. Here’s her advice.

Dear Abby: My husband is not what you’d call handsome. He’s middle aged, a little on the flabby side, and he’s losing his hair. But he’s a bus driver, and Abby, I don’t think you know how crazy some women are for bus drivers. It must be the uniform, because the women fall all over Bill as if he were a Marine captain or something. Bill says that most of the women on his run are mental cases. They have tried to tip him, give him their phone numbers, and they fight for the seat right behind the driver so they can blow on his neck. One lady even pinched him.

Should I ask Bill to get into some other line of work? Or should I let him stay on that bus with all those crazy women? THE DRIVER’S WIFE

Dear Wife: Men who meet the public (in uniform and out) will be tipped, tempted, and even pinched occasionally. Give him lots of love. And trust. If a man is happy at home, he won’t look left or right.

Hmm … are women mauling your flabby, balding yet freakin’ irresistible bus driver husband? Smother him with love.

This gets me thinking, not about harassing bus drivers, but of all those odd situations that come up when riding public transit. Not sure what to say to that guy taking up two bus seats, the stranger passed out and drooling on your shoulder, or the woman over sharing on her cell phone? What would Dear Abby say about that?

Email us your bus-riding dilemmas. We have more Dear Abby gems for you, and if you send us your own bus dilemma, and we’ll respond with our best etiquette advice. Just don’t ask us which fork to use.

Guy Gets Beat Up Trying to Defend Muni During Riot (update)

Update (9:24 p.m.): Commenter Rafael elaborated the scene in which Simon (pictured) sustained his injuries:

this bus (on 3rd st @ Market) was eventually lit on fire…but I never saw it because I wanted to get my friend to safety. By the time I met up with Simon around 12:25 (@5-10 minutes after he got sucker punched ). He was bloody and had big knot on his head.

Downtown was a war zone. fires up and down Market. firecrackers everywhere. Anyway, I walked Simon pass the empty Muni. It was still being trashed from the outside. Someone was even throwing a kids bike at the back window trying to break it.
From what I can see…no windows were broken thru yet (time 12:35).

We wish Simon a speedy recovery, and San Francisco a more respectful celebration in the future.

Original post: Trisha sends the photo above of her friend who, in her words, “tried to defend Muni bus last night. Broken nose & teeth, concussion”

I’m still scratching my head over here. And sorry that anyone got hurt in what was supposed to have been a joyous occasion that brings the city together. Here’s hoping that Wednesday’s parade brings out our better angels, or what have you.

And now, an adorable puppy on Muni

We’re starting to accept Life Back to Normal around here. You? And how better to ease back into that (and the always unsettling idea of a baseball offseason) than to see an utterly adorable puppy on Muni? This little lass stole Heather’s heart, and she shared it. “I fell in puppy love last night on muni. Wish I could have taken her home with me.” We sympathize, Heather. We sympathize.

Video: Giants Riot on Muni

Yesenia filmed this video last night of Giants revelers rioting on Muni and sent it to us via the Muni Diaries Facebook page. In the video, rioters started filming a bus rider who didn’t have as much Giants spirit as everyone else. Here’s Yesenia’s account of the evening.

Here’s video I shot on my iPhone of rioting on Muni on McAllister and Larkin. I started filming toward the end, about ten minutes before the cops showed up. There were a few buses stalled there because the streets were overflowing with people. When rioting began on Muni, this particular gentleman on the back of the bus was having none of it. He sat there stonefaced amidst all the chaos, presumably texting to his friends about his miserable experience commuting on Muni yet again. Everyone outside noticed his lack of spirit and started taking pictures and video of him until the lights went out.

Earlier: Photos of buses set on fire, trashed, and climbed on by rioters.

Giants Win World Series! SF Trashes Muni! (update)


Photo by Mike Hendrickson

Update (1:46 p.m.): SFist posted this video of the burning bus as well as a response (via SF Appeal) from SFMTA spokesman Paul Rose:

Muni spokesman Paul Rose tells SFAppeal that the burned-out bus had just been revamped and was worth a cool $700,000.

Original post: Good morning, San Francisco. Hope you slept well. Wasn’t that fun?

Of course, we’re elated that the 2012 San Francisco Giants won the World Series. Shortly after the 4-3 win over the Detroit Tigers, much actin’-afool commenced. Muni buses were smashed, set on fire, and climbed on by rioters on the street.

Here’s a visual recap of stopped, walked-on, and/or destroyed Muni vehicles around town last night.


Photo by itsraydela


Photo by tomdgk61


Photo by jaygem


Photo by philipxanderson


Photo by eze415

By the way, the World Series parade will be this Wednesday morning. You can expect Market Street buses to be re-routed or halted, and streetcars to be out of service for a while.

Previously: The Giants win the World Series (2010 edition)

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