Muni Superhero
Photo via Hoodscope
Gene at Hoodscope sent over this photo of his seat mate on the K. Thank goodness for riders like Gene, who, instead of just staring at the Muni Superhero, decide to have a conversation with the man himself.
Least-favorite BART commuters
Photo by dannyman
CCT has the deets. Here are some highlights:
Music demon
He’s listening to this music, and it’s so loud you don’t need to share his headset — you can hear it at the other end of the carriage. He won’t have any hearing left in 12 months if he keeps up this noise level. Despite the misconception that this is not limited to young people and rap music, this blasting of tunes is also regularly displayed by 30-somethings with country tracks and the familiar middle-aged AC/DC fan in his business suit — easy to spot with the foot beating to Angus Young’s guitar.
Headbanger
Not to be confused with the Music Demon, these are the BART riders who wear their handbags, satchels or computer bags over their shoulders and walk down the center aisle banging heads and shoulders as they go, oblivious to the damage they cause. This species is often experienced in the center aisle on domestic flights as well. Be careful because they are also known to attack your cheek, your ears and the occasional eye. Advice: Put your bag on the floor between your feet. I would like to get off the train in a half-hour without damage to my facial features.
Read more at Contra Costa Times, whose URL-generation baffles the mind …
Muni Bike Rack Protester
Damn, this guy has some balls. According to @johnnytravis’s tweet:
Man defies Muni driver who refuses to open door by stopping to read book on bike rack
Well-played?
Loretta: Muni bus driver, guardian angel
Photo by Thomas Hawk
Last night I fell asleep riding the 49 inbound up Van Ness around 9 p.m. Fell asleep BAD. Like I’m surprised no one checked my pulse to see if I was still alive (well, maybe they did and I just slept through it). When I woke up, I realized I had missed my stop at Jackson by several blocks and raced out the door. Shortly thereafter, I discovered that my phone, which I had been holding when I fell asleep, was no longer with me. I panicked, but there was no way to catch up to the bus.
I got to my friend’s house, and used his phone to call mine. Nobody picked up, and I expected the worst. It was a hat-trick in the worst way: the Giants get shut out by the A’s, I miss the season finale of LOST, and my cell phone is now being kicked around an empty bus. But awhile later we got a call from Loretta, the Nicest Bus Driver on the Planet. She had found my phone, and rather than sending it to lost and found—where she insisted it would have been gone forever—took it with her.
Today I met her on her route and she returned it to me. I tried to give her some cash as a thank you, but she wouldn’t accept it. Anyways, Loretta, you saved the day! Thank you!
Caitlyn
Watch Your Arm on Muni!
Photo by Flickr user Joey.Parsons
Rider Fannie saw a scary incident this morning at Church station:
Around 8:45 a.m. I got on a train that was quite full, after waiting for three full trains to pass by at peak rush hour. Then, this chick got her arm stuck in the door. Like in the sliding track…her left arm and elbow. I watched her scream with hysteria. Originally, she’d been very busy trying to cram on to the very full train, and getting angry. I would have helped her, but there were more than three people already trying to do so.
Somehow, they got her arm out. She had a pretty big bruise on the bone of her elbow…She was distraught (and I would be too).
They made us get off. (As in, empty out the entire two car train)
And some of us filled out information cards (as witnesses).
And then waited for two more trains before getting on.
Lesson learned: Muni vehicles are not worth (almost) losing a limb over.
Yikes. I’ll remember this the next time I try to jam onto a train…
J-Church Disruption
Photo by Flickr user vision63
SFist and 511.org both report that there’s an obstruction on the outbound J-Church line, at San Jose and Baden. All trains are switching back at Glen Park and shuttles are in place. Did you see this happen? Send us pictures and let us know.