Your place to share stories on and off the bus.
Sure, we’ve seen Muni worm tattoos, F-Market streetcar tattoos, Fast Passes, Muni transfers …
But it wasn’t until this morning that we’d seen or heard of anyone honoring the San Francisco institution of cable cars with permanent ink on their skin. Muni rider and cable car lover Luna sent us her new skinwork: “Got my #cablecar #tattoo!” Yes you did, Luna. Yes you did. Red and gold FTW.
Getting an MRI, which scans the body to help detect medical problems or diseases, can be a claustrophobic experience. Or as friend of Muni Diaries Erich puts it “it’s like getting stuffed inside a toilet paper tube”—with thumps.
To make the experience more pleasant—for kids in particular—the new UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay has created MRI suites with different Bay Area themes that feature murals, music, sound effects, and even images projected on the inside of the machine. Our favorite, for obvious reasons, simulates a cable car ride, letting kids imagine they are zipping down a big hill.
Making kids feel more comfortable can eliminate the need for sedation or anesthesia, according to a UCSF article that explains more about the MRI suites.
Pretty cool, we think, but it does beg the question: Who’d have ever thought public transit could calm somebody down?
Photo by Kevin Montgomery
The San Francisco SPCA Adoption Center has reopened, and how. The newly remodeled facility features San Francisco-themed cat condos fit for a king (or the cat who thinks he’s a king).
Wouldn’t you know it, this precious micro version of the city, per @kevinmonty, includes a cable car. I know the inclination is to be all, “HA, cats would never show up on public transit,” but cats totally show up on public transit, if you’re wondering.
Learn more about adopting through SF SPCA here.
Angels get their wings when Muni meets San Francisco Giants, or something like that that’s probably true.
Our San Francisco Giants, 2012 World Series champs, got champion-worthy bling from Tiffany’s last weekend. Since we can’t get cable cars on the field, we settled for this “cable car” party bus to deliver the goods. But, to boost authenticity and pay homage to the home city, real-life cable-car gripmen and conductors walked the rings to the field.
Cable car operators are Muni’s cream of the crop and the city’s unofficial ambassadors—but don’t forget that many of them drove our everyday lines once upon a time.
@sfgiants follows us, and you should, too! See you and your thumb thoughts @munidiaries.
Cable car driver just rung bell in rhythm to protesters chanting “BofA! Doesn’t pay! Taxes in the USA!”
Thanks, Justin!
Justin Beck is a great photographer. Above, the slot.
Like Justin does, share your photos at our Muni Photos Flickr group. And don’t forget to share your Muni stories here at Muni Diaries.