Just one from 9/9...

This is the first time I've written about MUNI. Basically I always
bite my lip and simply take it because I have no other choice. Today
changed all that. I need to find someway to vent my fustrations.

I entered the Montgomery station at 6.40 pm and the platform was
completely packed. There was an M car already in the station but it
was already over-spilling with passengers. I decided to wait for the
next one. Boy was that a mistake! No M trains came at all. A series of
N Judah two cars came, and came. and came. A total of five two car N
trains right behind each other. A couple of L's and K's then more N's
after that. But no M's even though the announcements kept saying that
an M train was only minutes away.

Then I saw it, and M Breda approaching and I picked up my bags ready
myself to fight the crowd to board. But the side sign said it was a N
Judah. What gives? I walk up to the front and asked the driver. He
said it was a N not a M. I saw a man who tought it was a M as well but
rushed in and when he finally realised his mistake, he was too late to
get out. He was screaming and banging his fists on the door; scaring
other passengers and the train rumbled into the tunnel. I start to
pace around with other commuters waiting for the mystical M car. The
time was now past 7.30. I've been waiting for my car for nearly an
hour. I start talking to a women also waiting for the M and asked a
passing supervisor if there are any M cars in existance. He says
there's one coming in a few minutes. None came. Overheard from a
conversation between a N Judah driver and supervisor "The automatic
system is not working and when we switched to the manuel system, it
also failed" Wouldn't it be nice if MUNI could tell that directly to
the commuters?

It's now nearly 8 pm and I am seething! An M finally comes and I was
one of the first in the crowd to rush in and find an empty seat!!!
What luck. Then came the announcement from the driver. "This is a L
Taraval car, not a M Oceanview". The cursing crowd including myself
stumble out. Its 8.23pm and a real M car comes into the station. It
was a single rinkity Boeing. Once again I was one of the first in
again as the crowd surges forward. I move all the way to the back as
the car becomes packed. We're finally off!

However, the Gods of MUNI still hads plans for me. Just as we neared
Civic Center, everything stopped. The driver informed us that there
were two other cars ahead of us in the station and they were not
moving. He called Central Command to get information on what is going
on and time is 8.30. The driver announces that he still had not
received a reply from Central Command fifteen minutes later. By now I
am sitting on the floor at the rear. The first time I had to do so.
The conversation on the train amoung the stranded passengers was about
MUNI and Willie Brown. I am getting a headache and I cannot get the
picture of sly Willie Brown and his stupid crooked smile laughing at
me. We got going again at 8.56pm and the trains passengers cheered.
We're moving but at a real crawl.

When the train popped out of West Portal, it suddenly hits me. My God!
It's dark outside. Night has fallen! This is the first time I had
entered a MUNI Metro station during daylight and emerge during
nighttime. By the time I got to my stop at Stownstoen it was 9.30 pm.

Let's see. I started my commute at 6.40pm and reached my destination
at 9.30pm. What's wrong with these numbers. It took me nearly three
hours to get from Montgomery to Stownstown. For Willie Brown and his
"yesmen" who say that MUNI is now running fine... which planet do they
come from? Willie Brown, you can go kiss my ass!!!!

P.S. I'm sorry to take my fustrations out on this e-mail. In fact I
should thank you for creating this vitual punching bag for angey MUNI
riders to vent their rage.