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Ask a Muni Security Guy
In this week's installment, we take on the dog days of summer with dog related questions.
I am so glad you responded to questions today because I came up with a big one yesterday. I was on an F heading up market around 3rd when a regular bus in the opposite direction passed us with the sign saying "EMERGENCY CALL 911". I looked around and no one else seemed to care about this. I've never seen a bus with this sign before so I thought it might mean 'this bus is having an "EMERGENCY" please "CALL 911"'. I know lame, but i thought it might be a way that the driver can alert others without drawing suspicion to whomever on the bus is causing trouble (but i assume they have some other way like a panic button). I didn't call 911 because I figured my muni driver would've done something if it'd mattered, but please tell me what the hell is this sign and what is it for? If its some way of remininding pedestrians "if you have an emergency, please call 911" then i think its a horrible way to advertise it.
This is a way for the drivers to be discrete and have the police notified. Please call it in. Remember the number on the bus, coach, trolley - the direction of travel, where you last saw it and any odd observations you may have seen.
Emergency? Doubt it. It's more than likely just some MUNI ineptitude.
See also:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19417968@N00/273582229/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19417968@N00/881294951/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/19417968@N00/791638545/
No doubt, but we wish to have these reported, just in case it is the real deal.
Are drivers required to display their ID numbers? I see an awful lot of drivers with no visible numbers, usually because they're wearing a civilian jacket over their uniform.
While working? yes, required to be visible. The numbers are on their hats (if they were them) and on the right sleeve of their shirt OR work jacket - (bicep area of the shirt, normally four (4) digits).
So what EXATLY qualifies as a "service dog?" I think it's becoming increasingly clear that the dogs that are in question are NOT service dogs. The dogs I see are Pit Bulls with homeless people. I don't believe for a minute that they are service dogs. In fact, I would think they would be a threat to valid service dogs. How is your office handling this increasingly dangerous situation? Please be specific.
Service dogs and their owners receive a special ID, identifying the dog as a service dog, whether it be in training or with the owner. Not "just anyone" can get one of these ID's.
"A service dog is a type of assistance dog, specifically trained to help people who have disabilities other than visual or hearing impairment. Examples of these include psychiatric service dogs, mobility assistance dogs, and seizure response dogs. Service dogs are sometimes trained and bred by private organizations. In other cases, the disabled handler may train their dog themselves with or without the aid of a private trainer."
Right on point.
So, basically we can all take any dog we deem a "service dog" on MUNI. What a crock of shit. Just another accident on MUNI waiting to happen.
No, refer to the above