Self-Cleaning Straps Keep Germs Away on the Bus?

cyclean self cleaning bus strap for muni
Photo via Cyclean

How many people touched that nylon fabric strap you’re holding onto on Muni, and what did they touch before getting on the bus? If the thought of this gives your germaphobic self an anxiety attack, check out this self-cleaning strap designed by a group of Chinese designers who won the Red Dot Award.

How do these straps clean themselves? According to the designers:

The handle strap can be rotated through a small plastic chamber that contains a rough sponge, a cleaning and disinfecting agent, and rollers. The handle strap can be cleaned by pulling down on one side of the loop to feed it into the chamber. The rollers clean and disinfect the strap as it is fed through. The strap emerges from the chamber clean. The sponge can be replaced and the cleaning agent can be refilled.

Hmm. Replacing the sponge and cleaning agent might be where the process can break down here, but straps in the picture look pretty darn clean and enticing. The “Cyclean” straps are still just a design and haven’t been manufactured yet, according to Fast Coexist. So for now you’ll have to make do with good ole hand sanitizer gel. Look on the bright side: at least we haven’t heard about bed bugs on Muni!

H/T: @jesskuo

Upset at Muni Late Night Service? Speak Up Now

muni late night transfer
Photo by cbcastro

If you think that the lack of Muni late night service is a buzz kill, get yourself to this afternoon’s city hearing to listen in on the discussion. Among the topics on the agenda:

-Availability & frequency of transbay transportation
-Availability & frequency of Muni LRV lines (Market Street Tunnel)
-Accessibility to information on Muni OWL lines
-Daytime vs. Nighttime Muni routes
-Transportation available to bar patrons and late night/early morning workers
-Public Safety

Deets:
Land Use and Economic Development Committee
Monday, April 14th
1:30 p.m.
San Francisco City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 263

H/T: SFWeekly

Traffic Control Romance

market street san francisco
Photo by mingz chong

Reader D. saw a cute gesture the other day when she ran into an SFMTA employee directing traffic.

The other day as I was crossing the street at 4th and Market I saw one of the traffic control officers carrying a bouquet of yellow roses. As she carried them to her scooter vehicle (Scorpion?) she had a HUGE smile on her face.

I kidded her by asking, “Is a bouquet of flowers standard SFMTA equipment?” While still smiling she explained that some anonymous admirer had them delivered to her as she directed pedestrians and vehicles at that particular intersection.

I told her to check for a card and sure enough there was! She had to get back to performing her duties so I didn’t stick around to see just what was written.

But I’m glad I was there at the right time to witness a rather charming romantic gesture.

Aw. Happy Monday to you too, D.

Transit News: Muni Driver Accused of Insurance Fraud, BART Bedbugs

california cable car by sirgious

This week’s transit news for you, which we can best sum up as, “Don’t touch anything on BART.”

  • Muni driver accused of fabricating attack (SFGate)
  • BART rider finds bedbug on SFO train (ABC)
  • Crews working on plan to repair Quint St. Bridge in San Francisco (ABC 7)
  • BART board approves 37% raise for general manager, more (Patch)
  • Teen gets long sentence for shooting at San Leandro BART station (Contra Costa Times)

Video: NYC subway riders menaced by large rat


New York City commuters turned pretty much hysterical this week after spotting a large rat scampering around their subway car. According to the New York Daily News, the rodent boarded the downtown A train during the morning commute, leaving riders trapped on the train with it as they traveled through a tunnel. A pretty amusing video uploaded by one of the passengers shows fellow riders standing on their seats and shrieking.

Guess living in a big city doesn’t make you immune to some things. Let’s cross our fingers that this never ever happens on N-Judah.

New Shirt Explains Your Relationship With Muni

love hate muni shirt

Passing by Union Square last Saturday I happened upon this clever Muni t-shirt by Kye, who sells the shirts with his dad, Kye Senior. Actually Kye Senior is Kye IV, a leathersmith who originally created the shirt for a Muni driver friend. He told me that he befriended the Muni driver when she started buying leather belts from him (you can find Kye’s belts at his Lifetime Leather Etsy store). One day the Muni driver told him about the “sand people” who always made her bus a mess. It turns out that many homeless people dug themselves into the sand at Ocean Beach in order to keep warm, and when police officers come by each night to rouse them, they had no other choice but to board her bus to keep warm. Unfortunately this meant that they also spilled mounds of sand all over her bus.

“I love and hate Muni!” she told him.

And right after that, Kye and his son created the shirt out of the Muni worm font in her honor.

The shirt isn’t on sale on Etsy currently but you can find Kye IV and Kye V around Union Square.

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