Eugenia Chien has been eavesdropping on the 47, 49, or 1 lines since the mid-90's. She lives by the adage, "Anything can happen on Muni" (and also, "That's not water.")

Boarding Muni with One Arm and Two Babies


Photo by Lulu Vision

Editor’s Note: What happens when you need to get on Muni and you have one arm, two toddlers, and a double stroller? Read on.

On Wednesday evening our babysitter, a teenage girl who has only one arm, was taking our twin toddlers home in a double stroller on the L line. When she attempted to board the train at Wawona and 46th using the handicapped ramp she was refused entry by the driver, who told her she would have to fold the stroller and enter at street level. Folding and carrying a double stroller and a pair of toddlers up a flight of stairs is an extremely challenging feat for any able-bodied adult, let alone a one-armed girl. It should be noted that this was the train’s first stop during a non-peak time so passenger space at the front of the train was certainly not an issue.

Eventually some passers-by were able to lend assistance. When the train reached her stop at Taraval & Sunset she asked to leave the train via the handicapped ramp and was again refused. If it had not been for the help of other passengers she would not have been able to disembark at all.

I’ve encountered the “no strollers on the train” attitude before, and I usually begrudgingly accept it even though I don’t understand how a stroller is fundamentally different in principle than a wheelchair. (It’s worth noting I have also encountered many drivers who have been courteous and accommodating for parents with babies). But I can’t understand how anyone could be callous enough to enforce that rule against an actual disabled person trying to handle two babies at once. I believe the driver’s conduct violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Real classy, Muni.

Current SFMTA policy leaves it up to the driver to allow or disallow strollers on Muni. According to SFMTA’s official website, “If a baby stroller is allowed on board, the child must be removed from the stroller and the stroller must be folded up while it is on the vehicle…wheelchair lifts are not intended for use by non-disabled passengers, including passengers with baby strollers or large packages.”

Last month, we posted about a proposal to ease up this policy, thereby allowing unfolded strollers on buses. But this incident seems to be, simply, about common sense and when to approach issues on a case-by-case basis. What do you think of the driver’s reaction?

Muni Fashion Trend Twitter Alert


Photo by David Lytle

100 Muni StoriesScrew Fashion Week. The latest fashion trends can be spotted on Muni, as a sharp-eyed Twitter correspondent observes.

@SheEatsWell: There’s a guy on my bus rocking a headband. And he looks good. Oh #dirtythirty #sfmuni #100MuniStories

Disclaimer: That’s an older photo of another guy rocking a headband on Muni and possibly not the same guy rocking the headband on Muni in @SheEatsWell’s tweet. But I think this young man is also wearing his headband with lots of swagger.

100 Days, 100 Muni Stories” is our way of celebrating Muni’s centennial year. We want to put your stories and tweets on an advertisement in the bus! Check out on other stories competing for the ad spotlight, and send us your story or clever tweet. Remember to use the hashtag #100MuniStories!

Today Only: Win a Handsome Muni Streetcar Poster

Want this beautiful new poster of the F-Market on your wall? We’re giving this poster away today to one lucky Facebook fan on the Muni Diaries facebook page! You don’t have to be a new fan; all our Facebook fans are eligible to win. But if you’re not following us on Facebook already (ahem, what?), today’s the day!

This poster is courtesy of @khayreebutler, who also has other great posters that showcase Muni’s fleet of vintage streetcars. The posters are up on ThirtySecondExposure’s Etsy site.

The contest closes at 11:59 p.m. tonight, so go over to the Muni Diaries Facebook page and join us. We’ll announce the winner on Facebook tomorrow.

Memorial for Jimmy the Civic Center Busker

We may have lost another busker whose music served as a staple for our commute hours. Reader Laura and her young child often enjoyed Jimmy’s music when he played at Civic Center station. But, one morning last week, her husband found this poster, put up by Jimmy’s friend, noting the busker’s passing.

My husband Darryl took this picture in the southeast corner of Civic Center station on last Thursday morning, of a poster apparently put up in Jimmy’s honor. Later that day the poster was removed when he’d brought flowers to put under it. Jimmy was just a gentle-seeming person with kind eyes who played guitar most mornings in the southeast corner of Civic Center station.

We gave him money sometimes, and our four-year-old son sometimes danced to his music if we had time to stop for a few minutes on the way to preschool. We didn’t know anything else about him – even his name, until last week – but were shocked and saddened to see the poster (also shocked and saddened that the poster came down so fast.) We would love to make a donation in his honor at a social service provider if we could find out which one might have been helping him. Otherwise we’ll just pick one…

Last year, we saw an amazing outpouring of support for beloved busker Jesse Morris. If you have more information about Jimmy, or memories of seeing him play at Civic Center, please comment and let us know.

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