Tag: 8X-Bayshore Express

Smoke inside an 8X-Bayshore Express (updates)

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Photo by LiveSOMA

Update 10:29 a.m.: LiveSOMA now has photos of the removal of the smoked-out bus (wasn’t that a story at our last live event?).

Update 9:49 a.m.: Eyewitness Brooke has these details:

I was about to walk into Whole Foods on 4th at Harrison when I heard a commotion across the street. I looked over and saw several people running out of long Muni bus, the 8 line. A big purple cloud was coming from the back of the bus. It looked like a very particulate smoke, and people appeared to have some of the smoke powder on them. I stopped to see if I should call 911, if they looked hurt. They were pretty much freaking out and looked scared, but they didn¹t look hurt. Then I saw the driver walking to the back to assess the situation, so I didn¹t think it was necessary to get nvolved. I went into whole foods to buy a couple of things. When I came out of Whole Foods about 5 minutes later, the cloud was gone, but on the sidewalk and street there was a layer of violet-purple stuff on the ground about the length of the back half of the bus. It appeared that several of the people that had been on the bus were still there talking to the bus driver about what had happened.

Original post: @jblebrun reports of smoke inside an 8X:

Whoa.. muni 8x suddenly filled with fine white powder… looked like smoke. Entire bus was covered by white cloud. 4th and Harrison

LiveSOMA has photos and a story:

The bus driver explained how the whole bus filled with white smoke to the point where she couldn’t see and had to stop. Her quick reaction prevented any injuries, although an SFFD Ambulance arrived a few minutes later to double check the situation. Passengers were also asked to fill out ‘comment card’ type sheets that allow Muni to follow up.

Anyone else witness this? Any idea what happened?

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Vigilante operator’s assistant on the 8X

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8x
Photo by Jaymi Heimbuch

Frequent Muni Diaries contributor and wunderkind Whole Wheat Toast shares this diary:

I was at 6th and Harrison waiting for the 8X to take me into Visitacion Valley for some photowalking. The bus comes.

But instead of the usual “show the driver the pass and go in,” I was greeted by a male, probably the same age as me, maybe older, that said very loudly, “PLEASE MOVE TO THE REAR OF THE BUS!” I thought he could be somebody hired by Muni, but then again, I couldn’t find a Muni badge on him.

As the bus pulled away from the bus stop, he kept yelling repeatedly for people to move behind the yellow line. People kept telling him that there was no room to move.

The bus enters the highway. Shortly after the bus merges onto the freeway, the person catches another guy, telling him, “CAN YOU PLEASE MOVE BACK BECAUSE THE DRIVER NEEDS TO SEE THE MIRROR!” That’s when I noticed he was in front of the yellow line.

But, that’s not all he does. As the bus neared the exit to Silver Avenue, he startled me as he called out the stop. “SILVER! SAN BRUNO AND FELTON!”

Alas, it gets more interesting. As the bus approaches Felton, he heads to the front door. As soon as the driver opened the door, he jumped down the stairs, and stopped everyone who wanted to get on from getting on. “STOP! LET THE PEOPLE OFF!” Everyone that was getting off at the stop got off at the back, and because he blocked off the entrance of the bus, the people that wanted to get on got on through the back.

He eventually got off the next stop, at Bacon. After he got off, a sigh of relief by the passengers on the front of the bus.

Then again, I’m glad this guy was dedicated to doing something the driver was unwilling to do; we need more Muni drivers like him. But then again, I kinda feel sorry for the driver for having to deal with this guy.

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