The N-Judah Chronicles

Last night I had a chance to catch an interesting lecture/discussion on blogging and the Internet taught by Sreenath Sreenivasan from the Columbia School of Journalism. Not only was it fun, but I got a chance to meet some interesting people and get a nice tour of the hallways of the San Francisco Chronicle's headquarters as well.

While there was a lot of great information presented during the Professor's discussion, one site in particular caught my attention - HopStop.com. As many loyal readers and users of MUNI know, 511.org's directions for MUNI can sometimes be a bit off, and now there's an alternative being offered via HopStop.

The site originated in New York City, born out of the frustration of its creator and his navigation of New York City's complex subway system. HopStop, however, does more than just give directions based on address. It can help you find directions if you want to use just the bus, a combination of bus and walking, or just walking, between any two points. Even better, the system can pick out directions based on pointing to somewhere on a map, or naming a specific restaurant or other location by name, and you have your choice of nine languages.

I took some time to try out the site and it is pretty good. There are other features I have yet to try, such as the mobile access via SMS and cell phone, but the fact that someone's at least trying to build a better mousetrap (or in this case mass transit info system) than the one we have now is really nice.

Best of all, if you're using the site and find something that should be fixed, they'll send you a free T-shirt for your troubles.

It will be interesting to see how this service, as well as the advance of Google Transit (now in beta in several cities) will evolve, and what that will mean for the behemoth at 511.org, and for MUNI. For now, try out the site and let them know what you think.

Posted by Greg Dewar at 3:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"Mason Powell" was kind enough to provide these scans of some very interesting pages from the old Market Street Railway employee magazine, the "Inside Track" which featured the their own version of Goofus and Gallant, conductors "A. Lert" and "I.M. Tired," among others.

It is an interesting look at how management communicated in a more informal fashion the ideal behavior of employees. Perhaps the next time you are riding MUNI you can decide if your driver is an "A. Lert" or an "I.M. Tired." Click on each thumbnail to enlarge and read each one!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It looks like our still-spectacular weather will stick around for a few more days, which is good news, because that means you can enjoy some of the weekend events without having to dress for summer (colder) weather.

Just like last year, the annual Love Parade will be held at the Civic Center, and no doubt feature many, many DJs, and many many other things to look at and listen to. I went last year and was astounded at just how loud it could get, and yet, I didn't have that awful pain in the head one gets at a live show. I think the 8 dollar vodka cocktails helped, though.

Also, on Sunday, you can take the N-Judah to Carl and Cole for the Heart of Cole Valley Festival. Definitely smaller than other neighborhood fairs, but also a bit less prefab, as well. All of the local merchants will be particpating, but best of all, local artist Niana Liu will be there. Her special brand of art, focused on San Francisco, and often times the N-Judah line and MUNI has always been a favorite here at the Chronicles, and we've bought a lot of her postcards to send to our friends Elsewhere.

Let's just hope no one gets killed or hurt in any MUNI accidents, and that the weather holds for a few more days!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hopefully, you got out this weekend and enjoyed some of the spectacular warm weather we had recently, as a respite from the many woes of MUNI this past week. Even today, with its sunny weather (even out here in the humble Inner Sunset), you're reminded of why September in our fair city can be truly enjoyable.

In unrelated matters, the international headquarters of the N Judah Chronicles is moving, and I'm selling off a few very nice items I don't need in my new place. One is a 4.5 month old IKEA desk in excellent shape that I would love to keep (but no longer need). The other is a really nice designer microwave that I've had in storage for a year. It's also in excellent shape and has all the manuals, etc. So, if you're interested, drop me a line - I'm willing to deal!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

On Wednesday, I hopped on MUNI, to take a trip downtown to check out the "soft launch" of the Market St. Railway Museum and take a few pictures. Although the "official" opening is not until early October, the Museum is open now and has some great exhibits plus some really nice photos and posters for sale. What could possibly go wrong?

Little did I know we were going to have Yet Another Muni Blowout, and we were also going to get Yet Another Mindbending Quote from Muni Spokesdroid Maggie Lynch. I was amazed.

First, of course, was the meltdown itself, when we were all stuck on the N-Judah waiting to go into the tunnel, only to find out that a train ahead of us was "stuck" and we had to get out. There is nothing as fun as being cooped up in a crowded train, not knowing what's going on - or why you can't leave.

The many rush-hour commuters that morning were just thrilled to get out en masse to try and catch a train on the F-Line, or one at the Church St. Station. The poor station agent just let the masses in, to speed things up for people so they could get to work on time. No one was happy, to say the least.

But the real fun was watching coverage on KPIX News about the latest meltdown, in particular this gem of a quote from our well-paid spokesdroid:

Muni spokesperson Maggie Lynch said, "Unfortunately, what we've had is like Lemony Snicket -- a series of unfortunate events -- and they just came all together, and it makes it seem like there is an overriding problem."

Put aside for a moment the mismanaged cultural reference, and read that statement again. It flies in the face of any reasonable nalysis of the many analyses of MUNI indicating significant systemic perfomance problems with MUNI management and service.

To somehow suggest that there's "no problem" after Yet Another MUNI Folly Day, as MUNI's spokesperson does is simply amazing. I can't fathom how someone could say something like this with a straight face, much less repeat it to the press and expect to be taken seriously.

However, Mayor Newsom does not seem amused by the latest antics. Let's hope he can suggest to the well-heeled managers of MUNI it is in their interest to get things on the move. Something's gotta change soon, or we're all going to be a city of de facto pedestrians, outrunning MUNI.

UPDATE, 9/16: The Chronicle recaps the week in Muni Follies, with a bonus of both an F-line closuer and our famous Cable Cars as well. And we got more silliness from MUNI's spokesdroid.

I wonder if we are at that point in our culture where an agency can routinely screw up and the People In Charge can keep peddling the PR that "nothing's wrong" and still a) be taken seriously by The Media and The Public and b) keep getting paid out of our taxes and fares?

Posted by Greg Dewar at 4:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Once again, the half-assed budgeting and planning by MUNI reared its head in the "No Duh" section of the San Francisco Chronicle today when it was revealed t that raising the cable car fare 67% to $5 may be pushing people off the system. The raise was part of the MUNI "raise fares kill service" death sprial SPUR has documented so well.

While those of us who follow such things see this as yet another "No Duh" moment for MUNI, it really isn't. See, unlike us civilians, the folks who run MUNI don't sit down, figure out how much it actually costs to run a competent system, then figure out how to pay for it in a reasonable way.

Instead they screw around with the margins, protect fat paychecks for management, and you and I, the rider/citizen/customer are left wondering why it is a supposedly green city like San Francisco has such a dopey transit system.

But to truly appreciate the thinking of the manager types that run things, check out this quote by well-paid spokesperson Maggie Lynch on why the Cable Cars aren't doing as well this year vs. years past:

Lingering winter rains probably drove some people from the open-air cable cars, and the growing popularity of the F-line historic streetcar that runs between the Castro and Fisherman's Wharf also may play a role, Lynch said.

You have to be f*&%$ing kidding me. The fact she can say this with a straight face to the press is either an example of sheer nerve, or sheer stupidity. Notice the use of the qualifier "may" to escape any sort of "WTF" questioning later on. Nice!

Now, I love the F-Line streetcars as much as anyone else, and think the work the Market Street Railway Museum to fix up these cars and promote MUNI history is one of the coolest things anyone's done lately. I also dig the fact you can take a historical streetcar to work.

But to think that tourists from around the world are coming to San Francsico for the F-Line instead of the historic Cable Cars is a joke.

Tony Bennett didn't sing about PCC cars. If you asked people in any city in America, or the Rest of the Planet, what iconic image represents San Francisco, frankly if you found one person who said "the Historic F-Line cars" over Cable Cars, the Golden Gate Bridge, fog, or anything else the city is famous for, I'd be amazed.

But what is most amazing is how much of our taxes and fares go to pay people who peddle such logic to you and I, expecting us to nod our heads and say "Duh, yeah!"

Then again, MUNI originally wanted to abolish the cable cars entirely, and successfully conned voters into voting for a measure that claimed to be "saving" the cable cars, when in fact it dismantled the majority of the system that was left, leaving the tourist ride we have today.

I guess at MUNI, some things never change.

And you wonder why I have an "On Notice" board....

Posted by Greg Dewar at 4:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

So this is why the N was running so strangely today. I knew something was up when I saw packed cars full of folks going outbound in the middle of the day, and other strange behavior. Makes me glad I'm not in a rush to get anywhere today. Unfortunately, the folks trying to get home on a Friday probably aren't too happy.

MUNI? Nate Ford? You're still "On Notice..."

UPDATE 9/12/06:Wow! Put the SF weather "on notice' and suddenly it's nice and hot again! If you're not outside already, do so at once! We're getting one of our promised "warm" fall days, so enjoy it!

More thorough blog fun up and coming once the Internet is restored at the N-Judah Chronicles' headquarters in the scenic Inner Sunset!

Posted by Greg Dewar at 3:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)