Bike Theft on Muni

Photo by Flickr user juicyrai

Muni rider Sara sent us the following tale of jackassery on the 21-Hayes:

The rider caught my eye from the second we boarded the 21 at Market and Montgomery on Monday night. I noticed as the cute 20-something with amazing curly hair slipped his bike on the front rack before jumping aboard, sitting in the very first seat across from the driver. I noticed as he chatted nicely with the driver about the new line changes, and how he groaned with the rest of us about the obscenely loud speaker (seriously, that’s another entry – since the Muni updates on Saturday, some of the speakers have been blaring out of control). And then I also noticed how he dashed off the bus lighting fast on Hayes and Buchanan as the driver yelled something muffled. All I made out was “Your bike!” But that’s all that mattered. Even from the watchful eye of the first seat, the 20-something’s bike was snatched off the rack before he could stop it.

I was floored, but as word traveled around the bus, people came forward with other stories about bikes being jacked off the front of the bus (“They took one from a group of tourists!”). Is this a common occurence? It struck me as really sad. And slightly annoying, because the driver wouldn’t leave until the police came, so we all had to wait for the next bus to arrive. It was a bonding moment on the 21 last night, no doubt, but I’m guessing the poor guy never got his bike back.

It’s ridiculous enough to get your phone snatched out of your hands on the bus, and now your bike might be next?

Did your bike get stolen on Muni or did you witness what Sara saw? Let Muni Diaries know.