A Jarring Morning on the 10-Townsend

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.