Wednesday, December 16, 2009

This rainy morning in San Francisco

I usually ride my bicycle to the Caltrain station at 4th and King streets whenever I take the train to Palo Alto for my job. Today it was raining and I needed to transport the company laptop - didn't feel like getting it or myself wet. So I walked the two blocks to the corner of 24th and Guerrero streets to await the 48 Quintarra. I planned to take the herky jerky ride up and around Potrero Hill to the 22nd and Pennsylvania street Caltrain station. I've done this ride before and it sucks. Slow crawl along 24th street on a bus packed with elementary school kids at around 8:30 in the morning is not for me. Well, this time, I got on the bus at 24th and Guerrero. But I got right off one block later at 24th and Valencia.

What follows is the paragraph I wrote, in total anonymity, on the SF MUNI transit complaint site:

At first driver waved me and another person away indicating the bus was too full. Then after a minute, he honked the horn telling us to get on, but to move back. I paid my fare in change and took the transfer from the driver and then set about trying to make my way behind the yellow line. The driver said something like: why did you grab the transfer out of my hand after I let you on the bus? you don't grab the transfer that way, "sugar" I said: don't I get a transfer? He said: yes, but don't grab it out of my hand like that. Exasperated, I explained that I didn't mean to do it and I was sorry and he said: "Yes you are sorry, uh huh" at which point I noted his employee number and told him I was getting off the bus. He basically made an issue where there was no issue. I was just trying to get to work and I got disrespected for no reason. I swear I didn't "grab" the transfer. It doesn't matter - even if I did he had no call to speak to me that way and act like he did me a favor by letting me on "his" bus. I don't think I'll ride muni anymore. I don't get insulted walking or riding my bike.

So, after I disembarked I threw the transfer into the air and huffed off. I was so mad. So mad! I decided that instead of using the next 2 hours to make it to train station and then to Palo Alto, I'd just go to a coffee shop, Luv-a-java in Noe Valley, and just start working. This worked out well for me today. Around lunch time I came home and put on my slippers. And here I sit at my desk. Not EVEN givin' a fuck.