Weekend Photos — After the Storm

T-Third, Where Art Thou?
Photo by Troy Holden

It was an exciting week for new media around here. We saw the arrival of a New York Times blog for the Bay Area, titled cleverly enough: The Bay Area. This week also saw the unveiling of The Bold Italic, which bills itself as an experiment in local discovery. These come on the heels of the debut of Caliber SF, a great new San Francisco photography group site featuring some of our favorite local photogs. We’re thrilled to see these ventures take off, and recommend you add them to your readers and bookmarks now.

And to catch you up on transit news you might’ve missed:

*To Reduce Delay and Fare Evasion, Muni Considers All-Door Boarding — Streetsblog SF

*Hearing on Muni fare cheats and thugs — City Insider

*Second Teen Pleads Not Guilty In Muni Assault On Actor — SF Appeal

On to the choicest photos to arrive in our Muni Photos Flickr pool this week …

Turn off Don Chee Way
Photo by Flickr user franciscophile

CableCarDriver1
Photo by Flickr user mg7107

B-Side Images
Photo by Flickr user Shannon Claire ~ B-Side Images

One Day A Real Rain Will Come
Photo by Troy Holden

Stay safe, and have a great weekend!

The why/where/how of fare inspectors

Bustin the hobo.
Photo by Flickr user WeMeantDemocracy

It’s easy for us law-abiding, government-loving socialists to cheer when Muni fare inspectors show up on the bus. And cheer I did this week, when an alpha fare-inspector and her two ticket-wielding comrades showed up on my 47-Van Ness a couple days ago and handed out at least two tickets.

Though some drivers do have the time and desire to come up with creative punishments for fare-jumping, it’s understandable that most of them do not. Enter fare inspectors. Though one guy in front of me complained about Big Brother watching us, I personally don’t think it counts as some kind of police state if the law-enforcers are actually nabbing people who did wrong. Still, once I stopped silently cheering them on from my seat, I did start thinking about the why/where/how of back-door policing.

From an Oct. 19 SFGate story

Fare evasion on Muni occurs most frequently in the afternoon and at night, the study found. Among the lines where the problem is most prevalent are the 9-San Bruno, 14-Mission, 38-Geary and 47-Van Ness, but few are immune.

It doesn’t seem like an accident that the 47, one of four lines called out in this story, ended up with not one, but three fare inspectors the day after this story ran. Great, whatever works, right? But it did lead me to wonder whether the fare-checking would continue in earnest once the story died down and once the SFMTA office was jammed with people contesting their fines.

In other words, I wondered whether this was simply a good show or temporary move to prove that something was being done. Or will fare-jumping significantly decrease in a year’s time? I certainly hope it’s the latter, especially since I’d argue that fare-jumping is easier to eradicate than other types of petty crime.

Let me explain. We learned from an SF Gate story on crime cameras that certain crimes (homicide, drug deals, etc.) are conveniently moved out of the cameras’ range if cameras are around, thereby decreasing the crime in one area and increasing it one block down. Before you know it, it’s a life-size game of whack-a-mole for the police.

Fare-jumping seems more precise than that. If you’re on Van Ness and want to head into the Mission on Muni, the 49-Van Ness or 14-Mission is your only real way to accomplish this. If you know there are fare inspectors on either line, you are either going to pay your fare, take your chances, or find another line to jump if all you’re into is wasting time on the bus. But if there’s regular fare-inspecting, I think jumpers are more easily backed into a corner, as there are only so many lines that can remain uncovered. Especially if there are more fare inspectors on the hottest jumping lines, during the hottest jumping times.

Or maybe this is completely false logic. Nonetheless, fare inspectors really can’t hurt anyone, in my opinion.

Disclaimer: Before I officially lived in SF and carried a trusty FastPass wherever I went (and uh, before I contributed regularly to a transit-oriented website), I’d somewhat regularly sneak onto the back of an F-Market/Wharves line on my way to work. I could have easily paid the then-$1.50 a ride, but I couldn’t be bothered. I didn’t have cash. Muni “owed” me for some transgression. Everyone else was doing it. All of these are poor excuses.

BART Missed Connections — The Red Raincoat (and others)

red raincoat
Photo by Flickr user -{ thus }-

As we’ve done over at Muni Diaries a few times, today we’re inaugurating a new feature on BART Diaries — Missed Connections. We see it as doing our part to bring together potential sexy super-couples, thrilling threesomes, or just a one-night stand or fuck buddy. What have you …

We start things off with this MC, straight out of a grocery store romance novel …

The Red Raincoat on BART – m4w – 29 (mission district)

You smiled when you got on BART around Powell street in your red raincoat. You sat two seats away with your hood up while I read a book trying not to stare. I had a brown cap and headphones on. Then when you got up to leave at 16th street and Mission you caught my eye and smiled at me all the way out. The doors of the train stayed open longer than usual telling me to follow you. But I missed my chance. Perhaps I can have a second?

8:15pm Cutie pie on Powel ST BART Platform – m4m – 23 (downtown / civic / van ness)

You walked past me a little slow, I was talking with my classmate. I glanced at you, and my classmate said “excuse me” but you didn’t turn around. My train came up (Dublin Pleasanton Train) I stepped on and tuned around, and smiled and there you were, smiling right back at me. You’re such a cutie pie, please get back to me!!!!

Tan Cardigan: You had my Attention but the Cat had my Tongue – w4m (Bart 24th St. to Montgomery)

You: Messy blonde hair underneath a cap, long-sleeved plaid shirt underneath a tan cardigan, Sperry’s or some other kind of boat shoe. Me: Blonde hair, peacoat, plaid skirt, carrying too much stuff. I thought you kind of looked like a contemporary Kurt Cobain, which is neither here nor there, simply an association with your sweater and hair. You moved your bag so I could sit on the bench. There was enough room already, but it was a nice gesture. I should have said hello (or at least thank you); I don’t know why I am so damn shy, but my shyness accounts for my failure to be polite. I snuck a few glances, but couldn’t muster eye contact.

Boy in red sweater at Embar. Bart – w4m (Downtown Bart)

Last night at Embarcadero Bart we sat across from eachother around 7:30.

I just had left work in my coat, work clothes and running shoes. 🙂

Seen a potential mate on BART? Let us know here.

Trolley Dances 2009 (update w/more photos)

Giving the history of the J Church - Trolley Dances 2009

Last week, we told you of the then-upcoming event, Trolley Dances, set for last weekend around the city.

Sadly, none of us were able to catch the action. But we came across this post from Mariam In The City, in which Mariam recaps the action.

A choice bit:

As we approached 30th and Church the Muni driver announced over the loud speaker to look out the left side of the train for a special performance. Of course I was on the other side and couldn’t see much, but I did catch a few glimpses of the couple dancing on the sidewalk. Everyone on the train started cheering as the man lifted the woman into air with her puffy, black and white polka dot skirt. We all clapped and waved good bye to the dancers as the train moved on. It must have been quite a scene for people walking down the street wondering what was going on.

Read more at Mariam In The City. And if you witnessed any part of Trolley Dances, let us know in comments.

Journey through time in time because it is time, Deep Waters Dance Theater - Trolley Dances 2009

Blue Ramp - Trolley Dances 2009
All photos by Flickr user Steve Rhodes

Update (October 23, 10:30 a.m.): Here are some more photos we’ve managed to round up. First, from one of the dance instructors:

trolley_dances_1

trolley_dances_2

trolley_dances_3

Topless BART Train Voyage (SFW*)

* if your “W” is okay with male nipples.

BART rider Barb alerted us to the following: a video of a man walking shirtless through a series of moving BART cars, set to the tune of Scott McKenzie’s song, “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”

Some of the riders’ reactions are priceless.

1984 Muni Metro Guide

MUNI Metro Guide (1984)

Found this cool picture from Eric Fischer on Flickr. I thought it was neat to see Muni rendered in this kind of art. Here’s what Eric had to say about it:

It comes from a brochure that is basically information on how to ride the Muni Metro system.  It has [this] drawing, plus a map and general Muni and fare information. It must have been something that they used to have a bin of in the stations, like the BART fare and schedule brochures.

I got my copy at Community Thrift, I think.

Thanks, Eric!

Found other transit relics? Share it with us.

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