Mmmm, SUV sandwich!  :-P Streetcars get their revenge against motoring by ganging up on this SUV....

 

http://laughingsquid.com/historic-muni-streetcars-make-suv-sandwich-on-market-street-in-san-francisco/

 

 

If still photos don't do it for ya, here's some video....

 

http://www.comcast.net/video/sf-streetcars-sandwich-suv/1204280389/fanNews/newest/

 

Unfortunately, a few people were hurt in the accident. OK, I only assume it's an accident. After all the streetcars have decades of pent-up anger in them....

good for the street cars!  I've often wanted the shaker rapid to do that to a car or ten!

It was worth it.

So much for crashworthy SUVs!

Could be worse. Could have been a freight train (note how long it takes for the freight train to stop with every rail car's brakes on full emergency -- just be glad it wasn't your stuff in that United Van Lines truck driven by that IDIOT!)...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj7Zd5Favzg

Moral of the story: Don't f$&k with a train.

 

I remember this incident in the Chicago 'burbs a few years ago, at a notoriously dangerous grade crossing:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XRqXsB_H5Y

 

Freight train: 1

Semi truck: 0

Could be worse. Could have been a freight train (note how long it takes for the freight train to stop with every rail car's brakes on full emergency -- just be glad it wasn't your stuff in that United Van Lines truck driven by that IDIOT!)...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj7Zd5Favzg

 

Why even bother throwing the brakes on?

 

By the way, WHAT A SOUND!

 

:: SHUDDER ::

I guess the engineer figured he may as well stop the train so he could chat with the cops and pick some pieces of truck out of the front of his locomotive.

I guess the engineer figured he may as well stop the train so he could chat with the cops and pick some pieces of truck out of the front of his locomotive. his teeth.

....

 

By the way, WHAT A SOUND!

 

:: SHUDDER ::

 

It's a pretty horrific sound.

 

Did you notice the sheriff's vehicle stuck in the traffic on the right? I would love to hear the radio chatter between the deputy (I assume) in the truck and the dispatcher.

Muni is a MESS.  Trust me, I ride it all the time.  This is not an isolated incident.  The drivers are rude, arrogant, stupid, unhelpful, lazy AND overpaid. 

The unfortunate thing about Muni is that they  have lost sight of the ONLY goal that public transportion should have--to transport the public. 

We have had two major accidents in a month, both of which were the operator's fault.  Just after a huge fare increase. 

Muni is a major pain in the ass to almost every resident....it is so out of touch with the populace that it is laughable, and is a political sacred cow.  Very very frustrating. 

Example after example of their mismanagement comes to mind...........

This accident was about 4 blocks from my house...you would have thought it was WWIII...there were helicopters, police, newscrews, you name it. 

Muni is a MESS.  Trust me, I ride it all the time.  This is not an isolated incident.  The drivers are rude, arrogant, stupid, unhelpful, lazy AND overpaid. 

The unfortunate thing about Muni is that they  have lost sight of the ONLY goal that public transportion should have--to transport the public. 

We have had two major accidents in a month, both of which were the operator's fault.  Just after a huge fare increase. 

Muni is a major pain in the ass to almost every resident....it is so out of touch with the populace that it is laughable, and is a political sacred cow.  Very very frustrating. 

Example after example of their mismanagement comes to mind...........

This accident was about 4 blocks from my house...you would have thought it was WWIII...there were helicopters, police, newscrews, you name it. 

 

And you didn't run out and take photos for us?  tsk, tsk, tsk.  I think SFBob is going to have to come over to your crib and break one of your knees!

Could be worse. Could have been a freight train (note how long it takes for the freight train to stop with every rail car's brakes on full emergency -- just be glad it wasn't your stuff in that United Van Lines truck driven by that IDIOT!)...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sj7Zd5Favzg

 

Why even bother throwing the brakes on?

 

By the way, WHAT A SOUND!

 

:: SHUDDER ::

 

Yeah, it's pretty awful.  Apparently there was an "obstruction" on a set of tracks near where I used to live.  The sound of the freight train slamming on the brakes sounded just like that.  Woke everyone up that night.

 

 

Cat Pancakes? http://www.Break.com/index/worlds-slowest-cat.html

Listen for the Beavis & Butthead laugh in the last two seconds:

I do feel bad for the people who got their SUV smashed between the streetcars. I really don't think it's right to laugh at them because that definitely ruined their week. Just put yourself in their situation and you'll feel different. But I do HATE the stupidity that surrounds most RR crossing accidents. Most of them can be avoided, and it's always people not following directions, or not using common sense. If there is a sign that says not to shift gears while crossing, then don't shift gears. If you think you won't be able to make it all the way across the tracks in traffic, then who cares about the people behind you. Just wait at the stop line until you know there is room on the other side. There is a crossing right by my school and most of the time I avoid it. But when I don't, and there is heavy traffic, I am appalled at the amount of people who STOP on the tracks. Idiots.

I do feel bad for the people who got their SUV smashed between the streetcars.  I really don't think it's right to laugh at them because that definitely ruined their week.  Just put yourself in their situation and you'll feel different.  But I do HATE the stupidity that surrounds most RR crossing accidents.  Most of them can be avoided, and it's always people not following directions, or not using common sense.  If there is a sign that says not to shift gears while crossing, then don't shift gears.  If you think you won't be able to make it all the way across the tracks in traffic, then who cares about the people behind you.  Just wait at the stop line until you know there is room on the other side.  There is a crossing right by my school and most of the time I avoid it.  But when I don't, and there is heavy traffic, I am appalled at the amount of people who STOP on the tracks.  Idiots.

 

Put ourselves in their position?  Think about what you just typed.  How did the car get in between to trains?? Lets follow this story to see who was in the wrong/at fault.

Can't you drive on the same ROW that the streetcars use? If you can't then I stand corrected, but if you can who knows what happened. Sorry if I'm trying to see the other side of it. I didn't think I would get slammed for it.  And maybe you should think about what you type before you slam.  Sometimes just a subtle and tact correction can be made...

Reports elsewhere online seem to indicate that the operator of the orange streetcar (the one behind the SUV) was distracted and rear-ended the SUV. The streetcars operate in mixed traffic through this area, and don't have a separate right-of-way.

Can't you drive on the same ROW that the streetcars use?  If you can't then I stand corrected, but if you can who knows what happened.  Sorry if I'm trying to see the other side of it. I didn't think I would get slammed for it.  And maybe you should think about what you type before you slam.  Sometimes just a subtle and tact correction can be made...

 

Slammed?  Who is slamming you?  You cannot be that damn sensitive?  Lighten up.  DAmn.

 

As LIG stated the cars/trains share the right of way.  Thats why I say lets watch the investigation.

Ok, well you can calm down a bit also.  I'm not trying to start an argument.

Put ourselves in their position?  Think about what you just typed.  How did the car get in between to trains??

 

What was that all about?  I think you could have said that a little differently.  That's all I am saying.

All I was saying was that I wouldn't be laughing at the situation and to think a little more about it.  Nothing more.

They are not trains, but streetcars that operate on public streets. The SUV could have been turning, thereby moving legally and safely in front of a streetcar. The streetcar operator was distracted and rammed into the innocent SUV.

 

Me wonders if this was a Toyota Prius, if people would be commenting the way they have been...

 

Me wonders if this was a Toyota Prius, if people would be commenting the way they have been...

 

Hell no. Anyone who drives an SUV is guilty as hell, and should be banished to an environmental purgatory. Even if the Muni streetcar drivers are mean, lazy, worthless SOBs, they are in fact driving streetcars, not SUVs, which automatically puts them a step away from sainthood. See how it works?

I'm wondering what would have happened if the SUV wasn't there. 

 

Actually I'm not wondering.  There would have been a train into train crash.  There's no doubt about that.  Look how smashed that SUV is.  I think the orange tram was moving fast and hitting the brakes would haven't done much to evade a collision with the red tram in front.

Can't you drive on the same ROW that the streetcars use?  If you can't then I stand corrected, but if you can who knows what happened.  Sorry if I'm trying to see the other side of it. I didn't think I would get slammed for it.  And maybe you should think about what you type before you slam.  Sometimes just a subtle and tact correction can be made...

 

I don't recall streetcar ROW where that incident happened unless it's a completely separated lane or a station, which from the photos it does not appear to be.  Some of the streetcar tracks are in turn lanes, so the train operator is clearly at fault if the driver was stopped, waiting to turn.

 

Me wonders if this was a Toyota Prius, if people would be commenting the way they have been...

 

Hell no. Anyone who drives an SUV is guilty as hell, and should be banished to an environmental purgatory. Even if the Muni streetcar drivers are mean, lazy, worthless SOBs, they are in fact driving streetcars, not SUVs, which automatically puts them a step away from sainthood. See how it works?

 

Even a Hybrid SUV ... one that can get about 35 mpg's in city???

Can't you drive on the same ROW that the streetcars use? If you can't then I stand corrected, but if you can who knows what happened. Sorry if I'm trying to see the other side of it. I didn't think I would get slammed for it. And maybe you should think about what you type before you slam. Sometimes just a subtle and tact correction can be made...

 

Slammed? Who is slamming you? You cannot be that damn sensitive? Lighten up. DAmn.

 

As LIG stated the cars/trains share the right of way. Thats why I say lets watch the investigation.

 

MTS ... always tryin to start sh!t... ;)

The F line on Market just runs down the middle of the street.  But everyone here knows....don't get anywhere near Muni.  That intersections was an accident waiting to happen. 

There used to be a sign that prohibited cars from being in the same left turn lane as the Muni, but I'm pretty sure it is not there anymore.  Regardless, it is a violation to use that lane if a streetcar is present.  And you never want to get between two streetcars, simply because they move slowly, tend to make frequent stops, etc.

Accidents are almost never completely one sided.  But Muni does have a terrible reputation and the driver admits to being distracted, and there are many witnesses that said he was chatting up a passenger.  Keep eyes on road and libido in check.

Oh...if I took a picture of every Muni wreck I'd be pretty busy!  Hmmmmm career change?

I'm wondering what would have happened if the SUV wasn't there.

 

Something like this, which happened just a few weeks ago:

 

 

edit: can't figure out what i'm doing wrong with the vid embed and this may have already been posted somewhere else...

 

Mod: Fixed.

Yes, that driver had a black out before he crashed, but somehow took the car off automatic and switched it to manual.  It is a wonder that no one was killed.  47 people went to the hospital on that accident. 

Muni is self insured, which means that the citizens of SF cough up all the cash for the injuries and that translates to higher operating expenses, cut routes, etc.  Somethings got to give.

The operations manager of the system will not be renewing his contact.

The whole thing is that SF is would not function without Muni, so it has the city by the throat.  Several years ago the system had a major malfunction and the city was paralized. 

I'm wondering what would have happened if the SUV wasn't there.

 

Something like this, which happened just a few weeks ago:

 

 

edit: can't figure out what i'm doing wrong with the vid embed and this may have already been posted somewhere else...

 

Mod: Fixed.

 

I think we just found the ideal urban use for SUVs.

I'm wondering what would have happened if the SUV wasn't there. 

 

Something like this, which happened just a few weeks ago:

 

 

edit:  can't figure out what i'm doing wrong with the vid embed and this may have already been posted somewhere else...

 

Mod: Fixed.

 

Everyone's all chill in that video.  The one girl just looks uncomfortable with the situation before her.