Rug for Muni Lovers

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Muni rider Chibbs alerts us to this must-have area rug for Muni Diaries headquarters: A $3,000 wool rug bearing the image of a Muni transfer.

From the dark corner of the internets, Chibbs found Swedish artist and interior decorator Carouschka Steijffert, who designs this rug as well as rugs bearing the image of the Milan and Copenhagen transit tickets. Muni historians out there, help us out: Is this a transfer from the days of yore?

And also, dear, dear reader: If you or someone you know purchase this rug, please, for the love of God, let us all know. A photo shoot would be in order, stat.

BART’s Oakland Airport Connector — Yea or Nay? (updates)

BART @ Bayfair Station, 2007
Photo by Flickr user sftrajan

Update (9:04 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009): Transbayblog has a recap of last night’s City Council meeting, in which the council approved the OAC, with a caveat or two.

Original post: Things could come to a boil at tonight’s Oakland City Council meeting, when the council will vote on a resolution rejecting a proposal for an elevated line connecting the Dublin/Pleasanton and Fremont lines to the Oakland International Airport. The estimated cost of the project: $522 million.

We at BART Diaries see both sides of a fairly complicated and certainly expensive project. But we want to know how you, dear reader/BART rider, feel about this. Let us know in the comments.

Oh, and if you’re so inspired, Transbay Blog is awarding prizes to anyone who shows up to tonight’s City Council meeting to speak about the OAC (Oakland Airport Connector).

Tagger arrest (from outside) on the 14

Muni Bombing As An Artform
Photo by Troy Holden

We’ve had plenty of public speculation as to SFPD’s patrolling of Muni, or lack thereof. Monday, though, the Ingleside police station chief’s daily report included a tagger getting arrested by a cop who wasn’t actually on the bus at all:

7:59 pm Mission @ Trumbull Graffiti arrest
Officer Hurwitz was on undercover patrol. The officer was stopped at a red light next to a bus. The officer looked up and saw a suspect writing on the rear window of the bus. The officer quickly stopped the bus and took the suspect into custody. Report number 091022362

Newsom-Muni-Parking Meters: It’s getting ugly in here

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Photo by Flickr user myelectricsheep

SF Weekly has a nifty play-by-play of sorts detailing the long, drawn-out drama involving our broken public transportation system, and suggested studies of ways to keep the thing afloat.

Muni Diaries isn’t taking sides in all of this, of course. We’d simply like public transportation to be affordable. That, and we feel like good ideas are worth exploring further. Good ideas like extending parking-meter hours in an effort to let those who choose to drive help pay the way for those unable to do the same, which his Gavination seems to be against. Even studying the aforementioned.

Oh, and the obligatory Gavin joke: Wait, he’s still the mayor?

Black Stripe Tattoo on the 31 – is this you? Muni Missed Connections of the Week

Without Knowing What Is Going To Happen Next
Photo by Flickr user ashleyniblock

The weekend brought a round of amusing Craigslist Muni Missed Connections, courtesy of tattoos and LoveFest.

Black glasses, black stripe tattoos on arms… – m4w (31 Muni Bus)

“You only got on the Muni briefly, and got off at the college. Your left arm has one fairly solid, wide black stripe tattoo on it, the right arm had what looked like 2 or 3 thin solid black stripes, and you were wearing a white tshirt, jeans and black glasses.

You’re beyond cute….like, way beyond cute!!!

I wonder what it’d take for a guy like me to take you out for a drink or something….”

I really love it when Missed Connections are, like, long, semi-drown-out conversations.

Beautiful Asian lady – m4w

You and I held the same bar… in that crowded muni. I think you are beautiful. I doubt if you noticed me. Coffee?” (italics, ours)

The same bar??? Uh, cute.

Girl in the red hat – 71L at 8:30 am – m4w (haight ashbury)

“Normally I pass on MUNI, but this morning I took the 71L downtown. We sat next to each other, eventually. I’m groggy in the mornings, but wanted to say I thought your nail polish — a funky blue color — was pretty cool. That’s all.”

Could a chance ride and some funky nails be the seeds of romance?

29 Bus – Sunset/SFSU – m4w – 22 (sunset / parkside)

“I see you on the 29 bus a few times a week, both in the morning on the way to SFSU and in the afternoon on the way home. More often than not, the bus is crowded and we end up at opposite ends, so I figure this is the most convenient option for the time being, since it doesn’t require me yelling over the heads of fellow muni riders at you, a girl I’ve yet to meet. I’m not sure we’ll ever talk, but you’re almost excessively cute and catch my eye every time we ride.

Here’s to seeing you tomorrow!”

College love. Charming.

On the Muni with my bike and 2 friends. You are the gorgeous redhead. – m4w – 26 (We got off at Steiner)

“You got on the bus, I forget where, I had 2 of my buddies with me, and we all had bikes. I saw your friend, who I thought was cute, then I saw you. I normally am not attracted to redheads, but you are gorgeous. Perfect face and beautiful hair. Cute style, and red painted toenails with white snowflakes or stars? lol not sure. I looked up at you a couple times, and we made eye contact, but just felt weird that you were with your friend and I was with mine. Then as I was getting off the bus you definitely gave me an amazing smile through the bus windows. Doubt you will read this, but you are amazingly beautiful. So if you do. I’m Shaun. Tell me what I was wearing and what I looked like.”

A night of browsing for Muni Missed Connections simultaneously makes me believe in both chance encounters and total wastes of time. It’s the romantic/cynic in me.

If you’ve spotted a hottie, attainable or not, on Muni lately, let us know.

Weekend Photos


Photo by Flickr user Brian Brooks

It’s been a busy week in transit news:

  • Muni trains benefit from reduced traffic on Market (Streetsblog San Francisco)
  • A bomb scare at the Transbay Terminal turned out to be a bag stuffed with…leather (?!) (SFAppeal)
  • CSI-worthy scene at the Civic Center station. (SFist)
  • N-Judah rider hit by car when exiting train. (N-Judah Chronicles)
  • Charming use of BART station space as practice space for an unexpected sport. (BART Diaries)

We’re all off to the mountains to get some nature time this weekend, but we’re all just one Tweet away, so don’t forget to send us your stories.

Have a great weekend and enjoy these new photos from our Flickr pool.

(UPDATE: Sorry about the late photo credit, guys. My computer went kaput before I went away for the weekend and did not save my latest draft! – Eugenia)

Non-Muni Trauma
Photo by Flickr user Whole Wheat Toast
(From the Trauma shoot)

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