Who Can Outwalk Muni: SF Examiner or Willie Brown?
Photo by Mike Koozmin/Examiner
Who can walk faster than Muni? Intrepid SF Examiner reporter or Da Mayor?
You might remember another man attempting a similar challenge to best the bus. In September 1998, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, “Mayor Walks, Muni Runs“:
The race began at the Civic Center station at 7:40 a.m. Brown, stung by a Chronicle story on Tuesday that said walking down Market Street was as fast as riding beneath it, said he wanted to give the Municipal Railway another chance. He donned his sharpest Panama hat, Rockport wingtips and orange polka-dot hankie for the jaunt.
Looking at young Mr. Reisman, I can only surmise that his gait may be faster than the mayor and that he may be wearing footwear more appropriate for power-walking than Willie’s wingtip shoes. You can read more about Reisman’s trip at SFExaminer.com.
Here’s the thing. The problem of congestion on this part of Stockton is already (albeit slowly and expensively) being solved via the Central Railway, isn’t it? On the other hand, I could have written about how I hopped off of the 49 a week or so ago near Pine because I could already see that Van Ness southbound was backed up from people trying to get on 101 and I needed to get down to Hayes Valley for dinner and a show. (Like the others, it was basically a tie, but I felt like I was doing something.). Now I usually know better than to try and hustle down Van Ness on a Friday or Saturday night, but then again, those are usually the nights where I want to travel on it….
My weekly mistake: hustle down Van Ness on Fri/Sat night trying to get somewhere.
His Williness had a better chance. Reisman lost to an individual Muni bus. Brown had many LRVs stacked up not moving–slam dunk.