Muni Diaries

Photo by Bhautik Joshi

Life on Muni/BART is never boring: this year’s Muni Diaries entries brought you tattoos, live rickroll, and so much more unexpected stuff that you just can’t make up. Here is our tribute to 2011 — 12 great Muni stories that made the year.

1. Real Live Rick Roll on Muni. Genius.
2. Girl With the Muni Tattoo. This story is probably better than the movie.
3. “I ran into my dad and he was driving Muni!” True story.
4. Muni Drinking Game. More dangerous than riding the bus.
5. Wil’s Muni love story warms the coldest of hearts. I’m waiting for the wedding invitation any day now.
6. RIP Jesse Morris. A incredible talent that touched many lives.
7. J-Church Got Meat. You never know what you’re gonna find, do you?
8. Old School Dance Moves on Muni.  These kids can move.
9. Muni monsters. Watch out!
10. Cops, Muni, Occupy SF. The comedy writes itself.
11. Big Buck Hunter on Muni. Mobile version needs some work.
12. Best Muni themed wedding ever? Even the chocolate is shaped like the bus!

You’ve counted down the best whatever of 2011, but only here will you count down the best Muni stories of 2011! Here’s editor Tara’s favorite story of the year, the giant Styrofoam riding Muni, by rider @RitaBookNews.

Why Tara loved this story: “With WTF-inducing uniqueness and comical enormity, this simple photo had it all. Bonus WTF points for taking a disabled seat on a crowded bus.”

Editor Jeff (and majority-of-the-time the @munidiaries Twitter master) loves “Contagious Laughter on the 33 Stanyan,” submitted by rider Kevin Murphy. Jeff said: “Probably because I’m a big fan of laughing for no real reason. And because so many stone-faced bus rides could use the lightening up. Seriously, had I been on the bus in this diary, I would’ve doubled over and choked and spit and stuff.”

The contagious laughter started out like any other bus ride:

It was Thursday night in the Mission on the first cold evening of the season. I was sitting on the 33 bus heading home from yoga. She gets on at 16th and Mission but I don’t really notice her because I’m listening to Slowdive and looking at whatever my phone is showing me. I only start becoming aware of her when I hear this deep-chested “HA HA HA” laugh. On the third round of “HA HA HA,” I look up to see who’s having such a good time.

She’s sitting mid-bus: a tiny woman in an anorak jacket with the hood pulled up to her chin, giving her a weeble–like look. She’s talking a mile a minute to no one I can see, punctuating her monologue with the “HA HA HA” laugh. It’s a big laugh for such a little lady. There’s a definite twinkle in her eye.

Read the rest of “Contagious Laughter on the 33 Stanyan.”

We’ll return tomorrow with more favorites. Did you read an unforgettable Muni story this year that you think deserve accolades? Drop me a line.

Photo by Timbuk2 Designs

Is there anything better?