On the one hand, an open door on an in-motion Muni car would seem to represent a major safety hazard; on the other, maybe an open-door policy would improve on-time performance, as passengers just tumble off at their destination.
The following incident occurred on an L-train outbound, according to Alex Merenkov, who recorded and posted the video.
Check out the non-reaction of the two guys near the door. (Update: For the reason behind this, click here.) Just another day on San Francisco's mass transit system! The guy with the headphones is probably thinking, "if this other guy falls off, I'd really rather be listening to Lady Gaga than hear the scream..."
From KCBS, Muni's reaction to the incident:
Director of Transit John Haley said the operator was having trouble with the door, overrode a safety feature and did not use a special pin to keep the doors closed. Haley said the incident was serious and unacceptable.
“So in this particular case it doesn’t look like the procedures were followed,” he said. “Obviously this was a serious incident. We are very thankful that no one was hurt. Obviously it’s unacceptable.”
The SFMTA said they will take appropriate disciplinary action against the operator. They recommend that if you do see this happening on your train, press the red button to signal an emergency.
The California Public Utilities Commission has been investigating Muni over what it says are unresolved safety issues, though Muni has rejected the regulatory agency's characterization of the transit system as being unresponsive to safety problems.