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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Catching the Muni Bus Illegally Should Not be Rewarded


I believe that if you attempt to catch a public transit bus or train and risk your own life doing so (an act considered against the law), you should not be rewarded with the driver opening the doors and letting you in; instead, the driver should just refuse to let the passenger board.

I noticed this twice in a five minute window during today's commute. One was "rewarded" while the other one was refused service:
  • At 36th and Geary, two people ran and crossed against the red light while the driver had her doors closed and was one second from moving the bus (since she had the green light). The driver let the passengers board.
  • At 33rd and Geary, a lady jaywalked across the street to catch a fast approaching bus less than 100 feet away and stood in the lane waiving her hands like a madman, and the bus passed her because that corner was not a bus stop; the driver also had to weave around her because she was standing in the lane. I even yelled at the lady, "ARE YOU CRAZY? Doing that is like committing suicide!"
In other instances, I've witnessed passengers transfer from bus to train by crossing the street diagonally, simply because the train was there to pick-up passengers.

There should be an official policy with public transit agencies, if you risk your own life or commit an illegal act in an attempt to catch a bus or train, you should never be rewarded with a ride on that vehicle and be refused service.

What's more important? Risking your own life to catch a bus or getting to your destination safely?

Plus, get out of your house EARLIER!

3 comments:

Erorg said...

I think that with MUNI already running late, and expecting us to pay large fares, they should actually let anyone one without having a huff about it. Bus stop being on corner or not...

Why? Simply because I know I run and run thinking I have 2 minutes to catch a bus, and ITS EARLY...why shouldnt I be rewarded for my effort to meet MUNI TIME when I run on NORMAL TIME?

Then again, if you are an idiot and stand in the lane, you should be run the fuck over.
As for crossing "diagonally" on streets... Ive thought this should be legal since I was a kid. They do it in Europe, Japan, and so many other countries, hell even Seattle allows it (they have ALL 4 WAY STOP LIGHTS in some areas), so why not in SF? Actually, at large pedestrian/transit areas, I think 4 WAY STOP and Diagonal crossing should be legal and encouraged.

Larry-bob said...

Muni could do better at facilitating bus transfers, particularly with cutbacks. My partner Tom said yesterday that he took a 21 to the new endpoint at Stanyan, and a 5 roared by without stopping, and he had to run to catch the 33.

Erorg said...

Larry-

GREAT POINT!!!

Many times I take the 47 down 11th to Harrison to catch the 9 bus or a 27 bus... and the 9 will be behind, and then if my 47 stops lets me off, the 9 passes.

In Seattle (where I used to live for 5 years) any bus stopping to let passengers off to transfer to the bus behind will flash their rear lights. Buses behind needing to transfer to the front bus will honk horns and flash lights. Both buses are required to stop. It just works well.

Why dont they do this in SF!?