Spotted: BART in the land of Vegemite


Photo from Mission Mission

S.F. neighborhood blog Mission Mission last week featured quite the find: a taqueria in Brisbane, Australia, that uses Mission street names instead of numbers for customers to take to their tables.

Awesome site that it is, a few days later, Mission Mission was back with photos of said placards. We couldn’t help but notice that one of these things was not like the others. See the BART sign above.

Happy dining!

Weekend Photos — First Week of the New Decade on Muni

muni snacking
Photo by Flickr user brandi666

Before we get into this week’s happenings, I have to point your attention to the above photo of a young, impossibly cool Muni rider. God, I couldn’t dream to be that cool at that age. Or now, actually.

We started off the first week of the year, unfortunately, with a Muni crash of the 19-Polk, when both the bus and the truck driver ran the stop sign, as shown in a video released by the SFMTA. Another piece of disturbing news: The SFAppeal reports an assault and robbery on Muni when a person who was texting on the bus was punched and had his/her phone stolen. Hey, can’t we all get along?

In better news, I hope you’re ready rock 2010 on Muni this Sunday at the No Pants ride! Last year we spotted a gentleman wearing no pants and carrying a pineapple for inexplicable reasons. I can’t wait to see who will top that this year.

Enjoy these photos and don’t forget to add your own pics of Muni at our Muni photo pool.

Have a great weekend, everyone.


Photo by Flickr user Daniell Lefebvre

365/236 Montgomery to Castro
Photo by Flicker user Noodles and Beef

DSC_0048
Photo by Flickr user andy54321

BART photo roundup

Riding on BART
Photo by Flickr user LeeFlicksPhotos

It’s a new year. Posting has been spotty here at BART Diaries, half owing to our respective vacations, and half owing to, well, a lack of content. That means you, dear reader: It’s time to spread the word about BART Diaries. Tell your friends, your families … hell, tell your fellow BART passengers how fun it is to share and read BART stories. Remember: This site is nothing without your submissions.

In BART-related news, the trial of former BART police officer Johannes Mehserle got under way this week in Southern California. There were protests outside the courtroom, natch. It ain’t gonna be purty. Mehserle is being tried for the Jan. 1, 2009, murder of BART passenger Oscar Grant. If you didn’t know that, now it’s safe to come out from under that rock.

BART also began issuing passes to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans on active leave. Very nice of the agency, wethinks.

And now, for more BART photos. Don’t forget: Another great way to tell it like it is on BART is by joining and contributing to our BART Photos Flickr group, from which we get so much of the beautiful art that adorns the posts on this site.

Happy weekend!

boarding bart at 16th and mission
Photo by schlachet

Dog on BART
Photo by echoes71

Firemen on the Rotunda
Photo by grimreynard

The Blind Couple and the Boy

Abstract
Photo by Flickr user kevindooley

It was a crowded 5-Fulton outbound on a Tuesday commute. Somewhere near the Civic Center, a blind man and his girlfriend (also partially blind) got on the bus and were given seats near the front but not next to one another. Closer to City Hall, a boy around the ages of 7-9 got on the bus with his mother and stood near the front of the bus.

The boy had noticed the blind man’s walking cane and began to talk with him.

Boy: “Sir, what’s that stick for?”
Blind man: “Oh, it’s to help me find my way around because I cannot see.”
Boy: “You can’t see? What do you mean? Can you see me?”
Blind man: “Unfortunately, no, I cannot see you, at least not in this dim light [on the bus].”
Boy: “I wish you could see me. I would give you my eyes so you can see.”
Blind man: “You are so very sweet, thank you.”

The boy’s mother, meanwhile, seemed uncomfortable with her son being overly inquisitive with a stranger. She continued to hush and scold him for asking too many questions throughout the conversation.

Boy: “Do you cook?”
Blind man: “Oh, no way, I don’t. But my girlfriend cooks for me.”

The blind man motions to his girlfriend in the general direction of her voice.

Boy: “Oh, you are his girlfriend?”
Girlfriend: “Yes, I am.”
Boy: “Can you see me?”
Girlfriend: “I also cannot see, but I can see better than my boyfriend.”
Boy: “Why can you both not see? I wish I could give both of you my eyes so you can see me and everyone else here.”
Girlfriend: “That’s so very kind of you, thank you.”

The boy and his mother had to get off the bus around Fillmore. Before he got off the bus, he bid his farewell to the couple.

Boy: “It was nice meeting you, Sir.” He takes the blind man’s hand into his own and shakes it.
Blind man: “It was very nice meeting you, too. Thank you.”
Boy: “It was nice meeting you, Miss.” He hugs the girlfriend.
Girlfriend: “You are so sweet, thank you. You take care of yourself and your mother now.”

The boy and his mother exited, and enough seats freed up between the couple so they could find one another again by the sound of each other’s voices.

BART minus the pants

My pantsless legs on MUNI
Photo by Flickr user nelz9999

It’s that time of year: Time to ride BART and Muni with no pants on and freak out all the grannies and grampses riding on a Sunday afternoon.

What follows is organizers’ Improve Everywhere’s Facebook page devoted to this Sunday’s event. Rather than linking to FB and making many of you sign in or sign up, we’ve gone ahead and pasted it all here. Remember: the organizers do not want those participating in the ride to do anything conspicuous like take photos. We’re honoring that request, and not asking you for any. Instead, we’ll do our best to round some up early next week. SFW, natch.

All are invited to participate in the 9th Annual No Pants! Subway Ride. The event will take place starting 1:30 PM on Sunday January 10.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION:

1) Willing to take pants off on subway
2) Able to keep a straight face about it
3) At least $5 for the BART/MUNI rides and some extra for bar/etc.
(or a fast past)

If you are unfamiliar with the No Pants Subway Ride, read the history at Improve Everywhere.

THE PLAN:

Pittsburg/Bay Point train, times below.

Go to the station of your choice, before the scheduled train arrives. If you can, arrive with no pants (if you are bringing pants for later, have them in a bag or otherwise concealed; if you need to, discreetly take your pants off in the station before getting on the train). Then get on the train when it arrives. Act casual. Don’t take pictures, if you can help it. Try not to notice the other pantsless people, unless someone points them out to you. If asked, pretend you have no idea why everyone else has no pants. See the improv everywhere page if you need ideas on why /you’re/ not wearing pants.

This is the new revised schedule; if you can plan on boarding from the other stations that are suggested, PLEASE DO. The more spread out we are the better.

1:47 San Bruno
1:51 SSF
1:54 Colma
1:58 Daly City
2:01 Balboa Park<-Last names that start with A-H
2:04 Glen Park
2:07 24th & mission<-Last names that start with I-P
2:09 16th & mission
2:11 Civic Center<-last names that start with Q-Z
2:13 Powell
2:14 Montgomery
2:16 Embarcadero <—we all exit

After we exit on embarcadero, we will proceed to MUNI and go from there. Our goal is to be by MUNI by 2:30 After this our new adventure will begin!!!

Let the search for the pants lead you! Wear comfortable shoes and bring some extra cash. Once again try and refrain from taking pictures, the more it looks that we just forgot pants the better. There will be plenty of photographers that are spectating for us. I know its going to be hard not to take pictures, but at least tone it down 🙂

———————————————————————————-
The last year event page and all the details/pictures we posted:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=41689368279&index=1

———————————————————————————
The main stop everyone boarded on was @ 16th and mission but I’d like to have it more spread out this year so everyone isn’t getting on at the same stop. If some could disperse to 24th and mission that would be great. (the more spread out we are the better)

Remember that you might want to bring pants for later in case it does get cold. The forecast is a high of 58 so we are looking good so far.

I’ll update this more this week. Thanks and hope to see everyone in their best attire.
—————————————————————————————
THESE INSTRUCTION ARE FOR EAST BAY ONLY DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE ON THE SF BAY SIDE
*EAST BAYERS*
You are very important too, so make sure you come. It would be great if you would arrive on this train or around 2:16 so the confusion of both trains in the station emptying out with pants-less passengers.

1:27 Concord
1:32 Pleasant Hill
1:35 Walnut Creek
1:39 Layafette
1:44 Orinda
1:50 Rockridge
1:55 McAuthur
1:58 19th & Oakland
1:59 12th & Oakland
2:03 West Oakland
2:11 Embarcadero< exit here
Our train will arrive a couple minutes later so just wait for us.

Vivek-

A call for no pants

My pantsless legs on MUNI
Photo by Flickr user nelz9999

It’s that time of year: Time to ride BART and Muni with no pants on and freak out all the grannies and grampses riding on a Sunday afternoon.

What follows is organizers’ Improve Everywhere’s Facebook page devoted to this Sunday’s event. Rather than linking to FB and making many of you sign in or sign up, we’ve gone ahead and pasted it all here. Remember: the organizers do not want those participating in the ride to do anything conspicuous like take photos. We’re honoring that request, and not asking you for any. Instead, we’ll do our best to round some up early next week. SFW, natch.

All are invited to participate in the 9th Annual No Pants! Subway Ride. The event will take place starting 1:30 PM on Sunday January 10.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION:

1) Willing to take pants off on subway
2) Able to keep a straight face about it
3) At least $5 for the BART/MUNI rides and some extra for bar/etc.
(or a fast past)

If you are unfamiliar with the No Pants Subway Ride, read the history at Improve Everywhere.

THE PLAN:

Pittsburg/Bay Point train, times below.

Go to the station of your choice, before the scheduled train arrives. If you can, arrive with no pants (if you are bringing pants for later, have them in a bag or otherwise concealed; if you need to, discreetly take your pants off in the station before getting on the train). Then get on the train when it arrives. Act casual. Don’t take pictures, if you can help it. Try not to notice the other pantsless people, unless someone points them out to you. If asked, pretend you have no idea why everyone else has no pants. See the improv everywhere page if you need ideas on why /you’re/ not wearing pants.

This is the new revised schedule; if you can plan on boarding from the other stations that are suggested, PLEASE DO. The more spread out we are the better.

1:47 San Bruno
1:51 SSF
1:54 Colma
1:58 Daly City
2:01 Balboa Park<-Last names that start with A-H
2:04 Glen Park
2:07 24th & mission<-Last names that start with I-P
2:09 16th & mission
2:11 Civic Center<-last names that start with Q-Z
2:13 Powell
2:14 Montgomery
2:16 Embarcadero <—we all exit

After we exit on embarcadero, we will proceed to MUNI and go from there. Our goal is to be by MUNI by 2:30 After this our new adventure will begin!!!

Let the search for the pants lead you! Wear comfortable shoes and bring some extra cash. Once again try and refrain from taking pictures, the more it looks that we just forgot pants the better. There will be plenty of photographers that are spectating for us. I know its going to be hard not to take pictures, but at least tone it down 🙂

———————————————————————————-
The last year event page and all the details/pictures we posted:

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=41689368279&index=1

———————————————————————————
The main stop everyone boarded on was @ 16th and mission but I’d like to have it more spread out this year so everyone isn’t getting on at the same stop. If some could disperse to 24th and mission that would be great. (the more spread out we are the better)

Remember that you might want to bring pants for later in case it does get cold. The forecast is a high of 58 so we are looking good so far.

I’ll update this more this week. Thanks and hope to see everyone in their best attire.
—————————————————————————————
THESE INSTRUCTION ARE FOR EAST BAY ONLY DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE ON THE SF BAY SIDE
*EAST BAYERS*
You are very important too, so make sure you come. It would be great if you would arrive on this train or around 2:16 so the confusion of both trains in the station emptying out with pants-less passengers.

1:27 Concord
1:32 Pleasant Hill
1:35 Walnut Creek
1:39 Layafette
1:44 Orinda
1:50 Rockridge
1:55 McAuthur
1:58 19th & Oakland
1:59 12th & Oakland
2:03 West Oakland
2:11 Embarcadero< exit here
Our train will arrive a couple minutes later so just wait for us.

Vivek-

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