Cool Idea: Muni Media Map Project

Intent on a book riding MUNI's 38 Geary
Photo by Adrian Cotter

Rachel Cassandra from the art collective Revel Art wants to know: how do you feel about your Muni line? She is looking for artists to create work inspired by their Muni line, which will later be a part of a multimedia exhibit. Of course this idea is right up our alley. (And bonus points from me because Revel Art installed a great community altar at the Day of the Dead parade, my favorite San Francisco activity. Watch the time-lapse video on Revel Art‘s website.)

Details from Rachel Cassandra:

The Muni Media Map:

What: A multi-media exhibit featuring work inspired by each of the Muni Bus/Train Lines accompanied by a giant, wall-sized map referencing each piece.
Want: We want you to choose a Muni line, and explore it through any medium you choose: dance, baking, portraiture, video, photography, prose, sound, and more!
How to submit: Fill out this handy Proposal Survey or the Call for Submissions form. Email Rachel Cassandra for an address if you want to go the snail mail route.
Other important stuff: We want to represent as many lines as possible, so we’re only allotting one project per line, unless you would like to collaborate. We’ll assign routes as they come in, so send us your submission soon.
The Big Show: The Muni Media Map exhibit will be shown on Saturday, May 28th at the Schoolhouse as part of the 100 Days of Spring show!

(The image above is from Adrian  Cotter, one of our favorite on-the-bus iphone artists. Check out his sketches on the J-Church and 12-Folsom.)

Weekend Photos: The Faces of Muni Riders


Photo by Matthew Davis

Muni Diaries Live No. 5, with its stellar lineup, is a mere two weeks away! We’re getting super-psyched. Be sure to pick up discounted advance tickets ($8) if you haven’t already. They’re running out, and you can use that savings on some of the delightful libations at the Make-Out Room.

Another thing we can hardly contain ourselves about is the San Francisco Giants first home game, under way right now at AT&T Park. SFMTA encourages you to take public transit to and from all games this season. We agree. Or, at least walk or take a cab. Driving there is just silly.

The Muni Diaries Facebook page is another way for you to stay close to the action. “Like” us on Facebook today, and you won’t regret it.

So, yes, Muni didn’t seem to want to stay out of the news this week:

  • Muni crash settlement would bring total cost of West Portal crash to nearly $7 million (SF Examiner)
  • Is the SFMTA too big and unwieldy to function properly? (SF Examiner)
  • Muni hires PR firm to handle media during contract negotiations with workers (SF Examiner)
  • Fare evasions still high in SF as Muni loses $19M in 2010 (SF Examiner)
  • Supe Wiener: Wild Muni Ride “one of those ‘Twilight Zone’ situations” (BCN via SF Appeal)
  • Muni’s new $100K public-relations firm fires first salvo in labor negotiations (SF Examiner)
  • Man Shot By Teens Getting Off Muni Bus In Bayview Thursday Morning (BCN via SF Appeal)
  • Man Shot By Teens As He Got Off Muni Expected To Survive (BCN via SF Appeal)
  • How Smartphones Can Improve Public Transit (Wired.com)
  • Texting Muni Driver on Paid Suspension (SF Appeal)

Enjoy the weekend and these beautiful photos!

Awkward
Photo by Troy Holden


Photo by Ben Soto

MUNI roller disco
Photo by Bhautik Joshi

Hot on Twitter: Sleeping passengers on Muni

Dead assleep on the N-Judah
Photo by WeMeantDemocracy

Here’s our favorite Twitter conversation (twitversation?) on @munidiaries this week:

When you see people sleeping on #muni, do you ever just want to wake them up? — @faernworks

sometimes i like to sit behind them and make a loud screech then smack the window real loud. Hilarity ensues.@Jonathanstack

AHHH no way! i like to cough really loud- but that has multiple benefits… — @faernworks

OH! thats a good one too! makes me want to bust out my spray bottle and “sneeze” — @Jonathanstack

oh that’s just gross! i’ll call you out if i catch you doing that one 😉 — @faernworks

See what fun awaits when you follow Muni Diaries on Twitter?

10-Townsend driver up and quits, but needs a roof over her head

Muni accident F Market smashes into 10 Townsend Bus on Market at 2nd St 4
Photo by Steve Rhodes

Bhautik has the deets on a memorable Muni ride this morning:

Get on the 10 this morning; going along and we pull up to a red light at 2nd and Folsom. The bus driver opens the doors to let people on and off, gets up out of her seat and announces to the bus “That’s it, I quit!”, and walks out. Stunned silence for a moment as she goes and drops some mail in a nearby postbox and gets back on chuckling and saying “..but I like a roof over my head better.”

Everyone laughs along and we all experience a +1 awesome start to the day. It might (allegedly) be the worst-dressed line on Muni but it’s definitely got some of the best drivers 🙂

Oh, to be present on some of these Muni rides. +1 awesome, indeed.

Megan’s DIY Fast Pass Art

What are you going to do with those Fast Passes you’ve saved over the years, now that they are a veritable collector’s item? Rider Megan B. sent us a photo of a really cool way to display them. She mounted them on a 36×48 canvas, and the result looks pretty fantastic. She had sourced the material from her partner’s 16 year (!) collection of Fast Passes. Want to see what this looks like in Megan’s home?

Oh, Fast Passes, how we’ll miss your colorful ways. Nicely done, Megan!

Don’t forget, you can dress up your Clipper card with our Fast Pass Clipper Card holders, which have just arrived at the Muni Diaries Etsy store.

Shell Game Guys At It Again On Muni

People just won’t quit. Last March we reported about a group of guys scamming Muni passengers with the “three cup shuffle” game, which, as we found out, is almost certainly illegal. A month later a rider even sent us a video of the scammers in action (above). This made it into television news later in the summer. Despite the publicity, the problem hasn’t stopped. Rider Jon S. wrote us yesterday:

I just wanted to note that these guys are at it again. They were on the 38 Bus outbound. They got on while it was on Market Street and jumped off at Union Square when I started mouthing off to one of the heavies and went for my phone to call the police.

Good on you, Jon. Last time we posted about this, a rider told us that this game is one of the oldest tricks in the scammers’ handbook, so don’t fall for it!

Seen something that affects your daily ride? Let us know.

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