Humanity spotted on Muni: She’s a lady(bug)


Pic by Flickr user chriss

In our early days (oof, more than nine years ago), we focused our storytelling and story-gathering energies on the written word, a story you’d tell to the happy-hour crowd after seeing or hearing god-knows-what on the journey over.

As the times changed and more photos and videos found their way into our inbox — and as our “inbox” expanded to include that social media you kids are always on — we came to appreciate a good written yarn even more than usual. Take it away, Bram.

I was traveling on the 7 bus recently from Haight St. to downtown, which I use almost daily. It is truly a smorgasbord of life, with many overcooked people yelling, shouting and not being particularly civilized. That is OK, but it certainly hardens you.

Across from me was a woman with a backpack on her lap. I noticed she had a company ID in her hand and was trying to encourage an object onto her plastic ID. It was a ladybug.

She pushed, asked and begged until it made its way onto the plastic. She then gently placed the card under a seat, so Lady would not be crushed by feet, and waited until she walked to freedom.

Me, would have flicked it out the window, onto the next seat or aisle and not thought twice about it.

I got off before her. Turned to her and said, thanks for putting my faith back into humanity.

Thanks for sending, @bramgoodwin. Inspired to spill a real-life, so-San Francisco story of your own? Share on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our email inbox, muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com, is always open.

Found: The Muni suggestion box is open

The letter box on Muni buses isn’t just for religious flyers. Rider Terry F. recently spotted a hand written note in the box on his bus, and it turned out to be a polite reminder to Muni repair:

To Muni Repair,

There are 6 yellow tiles missing (broken) at the platform at the first stop at Caltrain stop outbound. Keep up the good work with picking up the trash.

 

Miss Lisette S.

In the age of tweeting your Muni complaints, I can really appreciate a letter writer. Thanks, Terry, for passing this along.

Other repair requests to Muni:
Poop-cleaning neighbors still need help
BART riders weigh in on escalator repair date
Lost and found: this Muni driver has your ID

Have you seen other noteworthy letters or missives of any other form? Tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our email inbox muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com is always open!

Are you a podcast fan? Hear our live stories on the new Muni Diaries podcast! Find us on iTunes and Google Play!

This Muni Metro left us googly eyed

…and also a little scared and a touch like Cookie Monster.

Not one week after we receive an important dispatch on the Muni Scream lights—party on, pareidolia—we receive word, from rider Matt, that the application of googly eyes for delight-inducing purposes is alive and well.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen googly eyes on Muni Metro and we certainly hope it’s not the last. If you’ve yet to be convinced of the delight factor, googly eyes actually represent a totally an important art movement.

h/t to rider Matt—thanks, Matt!

Spotted googly eyes in the wild? Gone googly-eyed over something you saw in the wild? Both are fair game here at Muni Diaries, and we’d love if you shared on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our email inbox, muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com, never has eyes bigger than its stomach, so don’t fret and feed the beast.

Has Muni got your goat?

Sounds about right.

All puns aside, sender-inner Emily treated us to a delightful scene over at Muni’s Presidio Division: your standard, so-very-SF web of overhead bus wires, sleeping Muni coaches, AND GOATS, OMG!

In addition to feeding our Muni menagerie obsession, goats are a tried-and-true vegetation management technique. In fact, the fine, well-horned staff of City Grazing was recently spotted on Twin Peaks, doing their part (nomming delicious, delicious weeds) for this year’s Pink Triangle event.

If you’ve got important cuteness (or weirdness, or oddities, or…) other important news for your fellow riders, tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our email inbox muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com is always hungry, too.

 

Do you know about the Muni “scream” light?

Somewhere (on a Metro), not-so-secretly, a Muni fixture is feeling exactly the same way as you. Muni rider Diana Tran on Twitter pointed out this light fixture below the door bars, which looks like a face screaming in disbelief (or annoyance or pain?). And now we can’t unsee it.

Here it is:

Closer:

Ack! Arg!

Thanks to rider @mwichary for the tip. Pareidolia for the win.

Got other oft-overlooked observations for your fellow riders? Tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Our email inbox, muni.diaries.sf@gmail.com, is always open!

1 38 39 40 41 42 801