MuniDiaries is running some obituaries for the discontinued lines that Muni is implementing this weekend. Well, today really for a lot of them… There’s one up for the 4 here.
When I first moved in to the neighborhood I was pleased with the transportation choices- there are the 44, the 1, the 1BX (ahh my beloved express bus) and the 4 all within the same intersection more or less (and the 2, 38 & 31 a few more blocks away).
When I switched appartments to where I am now, I knew I’d be much closer to the 4, but I didn’t mind (at first). The 4 starts in front of my current apartment, or just down the street by a few doors.
But recently Muni announced their cuts, cutbacks, whatever and I eagerly looked to see if the 4 would be cut, and alas it was going to be killed off! I was excited! But why you ask? Most people seem to like the 4. I say Fuck the Four!
Here’s my rambling rant about the 4:
1) Muni bus drivers are supposed to kill their engines when they’re idling at their first stop waiting to start. The guy who runs the first or second 4 doesn’t. At least the bus is electric, but this guy leaves the bus lurching on its brakes so it makes this electric whine at 5:30 or 6am. It sounds like Chewbacca taking a crap (see below – audio nws).
2) Smokers & Screamers – there’s a couple that walks together to the bus and they courteously wait for the 4 to start while they chit chat and smoke their breakfast. But they usually wait under my window. They stink. And they’re loud.
There’s also a couple that screams while they talk to each other while they wait. I hate them too. Screams!
3) The 4 doesn’t want you to ride it – The few times I’ve tried to take the 4, I was thwarted by Muni itself. Once a driver stopped a bunch of us from getting on and said “There’s a 1 coming, it’ll be faster” (it’s not). A woman pointed out that one wasn’t coming and that’s why she walked over to the 4. He basically started arguing with her about taking his line. And this has happened more than once.
Another time, the 4 was about to leave so I jumped on with another person and the driver had two Muni trainees with him. The trainees said- “we’re training, this bus isn’t in service.” The woman looked at one of the kids and said “then you need to be trained on how to turn on the sign that reads ‘no passengers’ – and close the door if you’re in training”. Awesome
One time in or near Japantown I tried to grab the 4. The driver wouldn’t stop and pointed behind him to an oncoming 3. He wasn’t full (barely had any riders) and the 3 was. I got on the 3 and the driver who saw this even said something like “I don’t know what that guy is doing…”
Another time near Nob Hill a 3 driver saw me waiting for a 4 and motioned for me to get on and said- “you don’t want to wait for that line, you’ll never get home.” Even though I had to transfer later and wasn’t fond of the 3, I was already liking the 3 drivers.
5) It’s never full anyway and deserves to be cut. The few times I did manage to ride the 4, there were very few riders.
Pingback: Out of the Frying Pan? — Kenneth's Rants and Other Things