Ringside on the 19-Polk

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Bus!
Photo by Jeff Rizzo

It didn’t take new Muni rider Mari long to experience the underbelly of San Francisco transit.

I’ve lived in SF for not even three months and I already have a few horror stories. Probably the most egregious and surprising event occurred on the 19-Polk headed toward the Mission.

At about 7th Street and Mission Street at 5:45 PM on a weekday, the bus driver stopped to pick up a few passengers. Everyone’s attention turned to the back door where a middle-aged gentleman was grasping with all his might to get on the bus. Behind him is another middle-aged gentleman in a wheelchair grabbing on to the other man’s jacket while yelling, “Oh, no you don’t, you are not running away from me!” and other expletives while punching and pulling the man trying to get on the bus.

The bus driver says nothing, of course. We are stopped and us passengers look back and forth at each other just wanting to get to our destinations. A teenage boy starts to cheer them on: “kick his a**, old man!” while blocking the back door.

Finally, the bus driver says, “Move away from back door,” but the teenager continues to taunt and cheer on the old men who are punching each other on the sidewalk now. Passersby yell, “Stop, stop!” to the stronger man doing most of the punching.

Finally, my patience has dwindled and I say in a very loud voice to the teenager, “Move out of the way! We need to go!” The teenager rolls his eyes at me and slowly walks off the bus. Finally, we are able to drive away.

Just another day on Muni…

At least the teenager got off the bus, right?

What’s your Muni story? Share it on Muni Diaries.

Category: diaries, reflection Tags:

Journeys Along the Red River

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Despite the presence of many, probably wet groceries on the 8BX, I immediately thought this liquid coming toward me was urine. I didn’t immediately catch that it, advancing slowly in my periphery, was reddish. And you really can’t blame me after this. Or, I guess, if you’ve ever sat in the back of a bus.

I’m guessing it’s blood coming from that grocery bag, but feel free to enlighten me with your theories.

Category: diaries, WTF: Weirdness on Muni Tags: ,

Weekend Photos: So Fresh

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Oister
Photo by LiteBritee3192

What are you doing this weekend? Here are three fun things:

MissionMission is having a Ping Pong party, Berlin Style at The Secret Alley. Friday August 5, Mission and 17th Street, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Take Muni there: 14, 33, 47, 49. BART too (16th Street station).

Creme Brulee Cart is now a truck! The new and legit truck debuted this morning at Civic Center. Will the truck be at the Fort Mason Off the Grid tonight? Only one way to find out. Friday, August 5, Fort Mason, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Take Muni there:  28, 30, 49, 47, 76.

Free Dubstep/Reggae festival at Fillmore/Gene Suttle Plaza. Saturday, August 6, Fillmore and Geary, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Take Muni there: 2, 3, 22, 31, 38.

Enjoy these photos and your weekend! And remember: you can get all the hilarity of Muni Diaries right there in your Facebook stream! Like us on Facebook, won’t you?

Louisville and Los Angeles
Photo by Franciscophile

Headlights
Photo by Mike Dillon


Photo by Tess29

Heart your Muni Meter
Photo by Jen Gallardo

Category: diaries

A Jarring Morning on the 10-Townsend

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Temporary Transbay Terminal
Photo by Sergio

Jared @lickthefridge was on a 10-Townsend in May when the bus stopped, jarringly and strangely, at Second and Folsom. He says he still wonders how this story ended.

I tried to hang onto the pole and I was spun around and dropped my book into the stairwell where I had fallen…I picked up my book. I expected the bus to continue moving again…But the driver was still in his seat and was not out in the streets trying to reconnect it.

The bus driver did not say anything and from my vantage point in the back of the bus I could not see outside very clearly. The passengers on the bus began to talk and complain and inquire about what was going on. The driver made no announcements and would not answer anyone’s questions. He continued to sit in his seat.

When it became apparent that the bus was not going to continue its route, people in the front of the bus began to exit. I tried to exit out the back doors but the doors would not open. I waited as the line of people moved forward to the front of the bus and exited.

While I was waiting to move to the front of the bus, sirens from police cars and an ambulance and a fire engine filled the air. The hustle bustle of the city streets was reduced to background noise. A police officer came onto the bus and ordered everyone to get off the bus.

As I stepped off the front steps into the street, the cause of the sudden stop became apparent. Lying in the street about five feet diagonally from the bus’s front right tire was a young woman. She was semi-curled up with her hands by her side.

Read the rest of Jared’s story on his site, Lick the Fridge.

There wasn’t anything in the news about this one, but we think it ended OK. Per this message from SFMTA spokeswoman Kristen Holland:

…there was an incident on May 6 at 8:25 a.m. at 2nd and Folsom Streets involving a bus on the 10-Townsend route. The pedestrian, who evidently walked into the front door of the bus, was transported with what appeared to be non-life threatening injuries.

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