Thursday, January 04, 2007

Who's the Douche?


So, yesterday, SFist posted about the above video which was filmed by fellow SFist writer Mattymatt. You can't see much, but you can hear an argument between a MUNI driver, a rider, and the rest of the passengers on the bus.

I had some issues with the way the video was presented. In the introduction, Matt writes that two guys tried to get on the bus with expired passes. Since he didn't say when this was filmed, I posited that perhaps the driver was the douche if the guys had presented December passes since there's a three-day grace period for Fastpasses.

In the comments, Matt explained that he didn't see the passes, but they looked like daily passes, the kind that expired after 90 minutes--which would be a transfer, yes? Not a pass. Even thought the guy in the video keeps saying he showed his "pass" to the driver.

OK. OK, I am being very nitpicky about this, but only because I have had way too many run-ins with bus drivers who are complete douches that I tend to instantly side with passengers in cases like this. I've gotten into arguments with drivers for having an expired transfer after waiting over 90 minutes for the fracking bus to show up. Should I really have to pay another buck-fifty because the bus was late? I've also gotten into it with drivers who would take the transfer I was issued at an underground stop and not replace it with another transfer, even though it's a clearly written rule that every passenger must have "proof of payment" when riding a MUNI vehicle. And those are just two instances of douchery from bus drivers. So, I'm not ragging on Matt or his video, I am just pointing out that as douchey as the public can be, bus drivers can be even more douchey. Also, I just like incorporating the word "douche" into this post as much as possible.

Regardless, NBC 11 felt the video was newsworthy, and actually interviewed Matt for last night's 11 o'clock news! I uploaded the segment to YouTube, and you can watch it below. His comments about the public are particularly amusing.

5 comments:

Jess Hutch said...

I'd like to know what the guys had - expired fastpasses, expired transfers, no transfers, or what. It would really clarify who I should be irritated with here! Dangit!

When I watched Matt's video on SFist, I have to admit that it was the guy trying to get on the bus who pissed me off - if he had a valid pass or transfer, why didn't he keep mentioning that? And I hate people who hold up the already tedious process. But it's true, I've had my share of mean drivers, so it's kind of a toss-up.

Anonymous said...

I'm still angry at this one muni driver, and you can tell me if I'm being a big baby, but here's what happened: You know how you're not supposed to enter a bus through the rear door? Fine with me. But on the last, "Spare the Air Day," I thought it would be okay since Muni is free and you don't have to show anyone a pass anyway. That morning, when the 30 pulled up to the Old Navy, I was closer to the rear door so I jumped in. And the driver ROARED at me in his scariest voice, "NUH UH! GET OFF!"
"What?" I said.
"GET OFF! YOU CAN'T COME IN THAT WAY."
"But it's spare the air day!" I wimpered.
"DOESN'T MATTER! GET OFF!"
And so I stepped of the bus, walked around to the front door, walked in past the jerk driver who didn't even look at me, walked back to where I was before, and sat down. What was the point of all that? So then I just sulked in my seat, angrily writing a letter to Muni in my head, knowing I would never send it.

I know they have to deal with the public, and some of the public is nuts, but I don't think that gives Muni drivers the excuse to be rude. And I find them to be rude a lot.

Rain said...

Tim, that driver was being a douche. That's ridiculous. So often I find MUNI drivers like to act like little dictators running their own tiny, traveling countries. I've ridden the bus for about 30 years (which is a kind of sad fact to admit) and the truly nice and courteous drivers I've met? I can count on one hand.

Anonymous said...

I've seen my fair share of rude muni drivers, true. But the way the video guy keeps repeating "youre a public servant"? dehumanizing! His voice sounds similar to the voice of a guy I encountered a couple of months ago. I'm waiting for the muni on market street. A young Asian couple wheels their wheelie luggage up onto the platform simultaneously with a cab coming to a stop in front of them. The passenger in the cab rolls down his window and SPITS RIGHT AT THEIR FEET! When I do my 'I am disgusted' eyeroll, he says 'hey, sweetheart, get in, I'll take you wherever you want to go'. Then...as the light changes and the cab rolls away, he yells "VOTE REPUBLICAN!' I think this guy arguing with the muni driver [or "public servant", cmon--'servant?!?!'] in the video is the SAME GUY. DOUCHE, no question.

Jess Hutch said...

Yeah, the whole "servant" thing is completely obnoxious. From his voice I could tell that guy felt so... entitled. You know?