It has now been revealed that Saturday's collision at West Portal was the result of train operator Henry Gray switching to manual mode when approaching the platform -- a violation of official Muni protocol that was an informal practice by most operators -- twenty-four seconds before blacking out at the controls. Department of Motor Vehicle records show that Gray has a spotless driving record.

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are now focusing on operators' reports that it had been common practice in recent years to switch from automatic to manual mode when approaching platforms before getting authorization, in order to speed up passenger loading and unloading. Judson True declined to comment and Nathanial Ford gave a prepared statement, saying, "The Muni system is a safe one and safety is our absolute top priority."

Irwin Lum, the president of the Transit Workers Union, claims that prior to this informal practice of switching to manual mode early, surly riders "had been known to grow impatient and hit the emergency release button, then file off en masse at West Portal station."

Since the accident, SFMTA has implemented a number of measures to ensure that operators stay in automatic mode at all metro stations, including issuing bulletins, hourly announcements, and requiring that train controllers stop any trains that appear to be in manual mode while contacting the operator.

So, metro riders, remember that your safety is Muni's priority the next time you get impatient about having to wait a few several extra minutes in a tunnel!