Cyclists: Let the Backlash Begin (or Not)
So Much For That Plastic Bag Ban
Verizon Droid: Big Deal? Or Just Another Late Arrival Rival?
Car Thief Steals Vehicle To Get To Auto-Theft Trial
3rd Annual California Dreaming Same-Sex Ballroom Dancing Competition
Our security guy returns this week with a post about the measure taken before a big event as well as some more answers to recently posed questions.
Do you guys have to be at full staff for big events? And is part of your job to be tour guides?
At major events - yes. (i.e., New Years Eve, Halloween in the Castro, etc.) We try to get as many there. On the last NYE, the union balked at having people "ordered" to work / having their days-off cancelled. So, we schedule the available shifts and posted up OT slots for the events..
tour guides? A byproduct of the job and what management wants us to do -- "be nice to the tourists."
How will you handle the All-Star Game and all the increased traffic for it?
Most of us are out at 2nd / King Streets, watching the crosswalk and tracks. At this location, we may be out along 3rd and King, too. Some of us are out at Embarcadero / Powell Streets to help point the out of towners toward the right direction (AT&T Park). We have been told to not cite the out of towners...
There is not much fare enforcement going on now....
Wait -- a program for operator training only just started in the last few months???
Our involvement? Yes - we've attended training classes for about one half up to one (1) hour to educate the new operators on fare inspectors, the POP program. This came about after we asked to be a part of the training and management thought it would be a good idea (duh). Prior to this, new operators didn't know about us until they got to the subway.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
okay, this is really nice but feels slightly outdated seeing as how the allstar game happened yesterday.
what i want to know is who the bald security guy is and his female coworker. they are EVERYWHERE! seriously, those two must be cloned for the number of times i see them
I have an observation and question for the Muni security guy:
I was on the Van Ness platform, and two fare inspectors were on the platform talking and laughing while myself and other passengers exited and entered trains. Not once did they ask anyone for their POP, and instead were deep into a conversation in the middle of a briskly active platform.
When I arrived at Powell station, I headed up stairs and was asked for my POP by an inspector. Confused, I politely asked him why he asked me, but the two jokers at Van Ness ignored me. His reply was that those guys likely were waiting for a specific train they worked.
It seems to me that it is a waste of time to have inspectors just standing around the platform waiting while on the payroll, when they could check POP while they waited for their train.
Is this a union rules thing, or am I missing something here?
isn't the bald pop officer a female???
I had an experience just like Mark's -- I traveled from Castro to Powell last Sunday afternoon, and there were lots of guys in security vests just sitting at both stations. In fact, the ones at Castro were trying to flirt with an uncomfortable Italian tourist -- it wasn't pleasant.
The bald officer is female. She pulled myself and my four year old daughter off the train today because I didn't have my POP. I told her to get on the N Judah safely at my stop in the outer sunset, I have to board the second car. The first car stops out in the middle of traffic, and it's not a risk I want to take with my kid. The second car has no driver, and the window is closed so you can't pay your fare even if you wanted to. I had my fare in my hand, and showed it to her. I explained if she wanted to write me a citation for this purpose, go right ahead. I had no problem with that.
She gave me a lecture about my "anger issues." Then told me that she had to go and deal with a "life threatening issue." Thus, she wasn't going to cite me this time. But rest assured, she'll do it the next time. She still stuck around and lectured me about all the many ways I could have "not risked breaking the law" and paid my fare. (I guess the life threatening issue was able to wait a few more minutes.) I told her thank you, and that I respected her job.
She also kept talking to my kid about how "scary it is" to be taken off the train like that. Nice. Luckily, my kid wasn't phased. She just wanted to know why SHE was angry.
Whatever.
wait are we talking about the tall bald really white guy with the slightly shorter african american female partner? because i will SWEAR im thinking of someone else
When will the fare inspectors ride the buses??
They are needed the most on buses!