The Chronicle reported that five people were injured after the “topless” tour bus they were riding ran into some overhead wires while driving through the Richmond District on Friday afternoon.
The double decker bus, operated by Big Bus Tours, was heading north on 12th Avenue around 3:15pm.
As they crossed the intersection of Balboa and headed towards Anza, a low hanging wire first hit the bus’ windshield, popped over the windshield, and then collided with some passengers riding on the top level of the bus, which is open to the air.
Four passengers suffered cuts and bruises on their face and hands, and another woman, 67 years old, had injuries on her face and head. Four were taken to to San Francisco General Hospital, but all were released later that evening.
The Big Bus Tours driver had veered off the normal Park Presidio route to try and avoid snarled traffic on the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. The alternate route on 12th Avenue was a designated backup route and is regularly used by the bus company.
But what he didn’t expect was that one of the overhead wires on that block of 12th Avenue had come loose and was hanging lower than normal.
Thankfully there were no serious injuries. It’s not clear whose wire became dislodged or if it’s been fixed since Friday. But let’s hope another group of bus tourists doesn’t get a nasty surprise like this.
Sarah B.
I’ve actually been meaning to contact Supervisor Mar about these buses that constantly take 12th Ave. to avoid traffic. I see at least three an hour all day long if I am home during the day. It feels as though 12th Ave. is their regular route and not a back up route at all.
Good to hear that the injured people weren’t hurt too badly.
It’s not just 12th Avenue, they’re up and down 15th when there is no left onto Fulton from 14th (which is about half of daylight hours).
This sort of accident would not happen if utilities were underground. Urging or requiring the open top buses to restrict their routes to streets without utility wires would prevent this in future.
Perhaps some pressure to remove this visual blight from AT&T, PG&E and Comcast and to reduce power outages during less-than-perfect weather might appeal to a larger percentage of the district.
Thank you, 4thGenRichmond. I was going to write about putting the utilities undergound as well.
Underground utilities are grand, but I would not expect much traction due to the cost and the complete tear up of streets and sidewalks. Not to mention, the City can’t even consistently maintain inground sewers.
Just an observation about utility line placement. Based on my observations it seems that there was a trend starting before 1950 that put utility lines in the backyards (middle of the block) behind new houses in developments. That left the streetscape a lot cleaner. Things progressed to now where underground utilities are the ultimate. The city has already moved utilities underground in a number of blocks in Pacific Heights. Those folks must have the right kind of pull, or maybe, based on their salaries, that’s where the city employees live.
For several decades before PG&E redecorated their balance sheet, paying hundreds of millions in retention bonuses to executives after Enron gamed the California energy market, there was a surcharge on PG&E bills to be used exclusively for the purpose of undergrounding utilities in San Francisco. I never got a refund or rate adjustment after the execs took their bonuses off into their gated community retirement.
From what I understand it costs in excess of 10K per street address and all property owners on a block have to agree to the expense. Funston and 14th have had their utility poles in the middle of the block on many blocks for many decades. The poles have recently been replaced by numerous traffic signs, especially for bicycles, making some corners appear like prisons to pedestrians.
The problem with mid-block utility poles is easements given to the utilities and their success in killing mature trees when improperly pruning them.
@mel, Maintenance is not a priority at City Hall; after debt service (to pay for all the deferred maintenance), payroll, pensions and benefits, the largest expenses are DPH and Social Services. DPH is the largest City department, 30 years ago it was not.
I wish they were underground too. We certainly pay enough to these government sanctioned monopolies.
How about banning these monstrosities from side streets?
Because of the daily backups from the Presidio Parkway project, these busses constantly shoot down 12th Ave. or Funston. Hopefully when the project is finished, the traffic pattern will return to a slightly less congested “normal” and the busses won’t need to take this new “detour”. In the mean time, bug Eric Mar’s office ;-).
Its is for exact reasons like this why tour buses should NOT be driving through our local residential neighborhoods! Not only has this now happened but they drive recklessly fast on streets with 25mph limits! I even once witness one going around a corner so fast that they hit a parked car and then left the scene. Luckily a few people saw and one in a car even went after the bus! He returned but probably would not have had he not been caught. I don’t think that backups from the Presidio Parkway project have anything to do with it. They just take detours to get off of the busy streets or turn where they can so they don’t have to take a longer way around due to the no left turns on Park Presidio. There are also stops along the way where people are let off to go to certain restaurants, one of which is on Balboa and 19th Ave so, they aren’t just driving on 12th and Funston. As for trying to contact Eric Mar’s office, my mother once tried and was told that someone would call her back about the situation and they never did. I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for Mar’s office to do anything about it.
The ones that stop Han Il Kwan on Balboa/19th are not the double deckers. These specific tours have an arrangement with the restaurant. I do find them annoying since about 3 every evening use my ave as their exit route to Geary or Fulton.
I agree with Nicole about getting callbacks from Supervisor Mar’s office…they are rare :-(.