SFist Rants: Curb Your Yellow Bus Elsewhere
We know the frustration of driving around the block, constantly searching for a parking spot. We're guessing we’re not the only SFister who occasionally has to drive (for work) that may sometimes feel this way. Been there, done that. It’s likely not news to anyone, and we hope we don’t receive angry comments telling us we shouldn't be driving at all in our fair city.
Our block circling antics have happened everywhere from Russian Hill and North Beach to Civic Center and SOMA, at varying days and times. However, we don't usually like to play the blame game on why there is a lack of parking spots in our own 'hood. Go ahead, say it: "why don’t ya just park further away, suck it up and deal, right?" We do, we do. But, if and when our journey for a parking spot alone tops an hour before 5:30 p.m. on a weeknight, we may start to feel antsy and stressed, while looking for answers.
Beginning in August, we noticed a prime 2+ parking space hog in the four block radius to our apartment. This parking offender (well, it offends us because we so covet those spaces!) was happening daily, not just once or twice a week. That means the offender was taking up over two parking spaces with his or her vehicle. And who or what was this offender? A ginormous SUV? A SBC repair truck? Copper thieves? No, no, and no. We continue to be surprised that the spots are hogged by one of SFUSD’s finest: a yellow school bus! As a reminder, we really like to let our detective work develop a bit if possible. We weren’t ready to jump to conclusions just yet, even though we kept seeing the same bus, with the same license every night. Of course, we just had to whisper to ourselves, "Don't they have a school bus lot or something like that to park?"
SFist Mary Ladd contributing
We rode the bus often enough in junior high to observe it can’t be an easy job. Different town, different times, but in the interest of Cold Case Yellow Bus, we talked to local breeders to try and figure things out. It’s true that bus drivers undoubtedly work hard, and perhaps may deal with the occasional feisty or even hostile kids, traffic, constant noise, and food fights. Maybe even while simply waiting for the kids to board. We think it’s important for bus drivers to be able to do their job and at the end of the shift, have a place to park their busses. Call us Ms. NIMBY if you must, but we just wish it wasn’t in our already crowded neighborhood.