Cable Car Safety Tips

Margaret Embry

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On Thursday, June 4th, a taxi ran into two cable cars in San Francisco, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. It is unknown what caused the crash, but three cable car operators and the taxi driver were both injured. There were no passengers on the cable cars.

Luckily, the four people invovled in the accident had non-life threatening injuries and there were no passengers aboard, because this could have been a much more serious accident. It is important to be aware of safety guidelines for passengers of cable cars and pedestrians who may encouter cable cars or cable car tracks.

According to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (MUNI), some of the cable car safety tips for passengers include:

• If riding on cable car running boards do not lean outward into the path of oncoming cable cars and other vehicles.

• Respect all cable car employees. Obey their instructions. Do not get in their way, and do not block operating equipment.

• If you have children, it is your responsibility to keep them safe. Hold their hands.

• Remove backpacks and stow them under the seat or carry them on your lap.

• Most importantly, hold on!

Cable car safety tips for pedestrians include:

• Unlike other modes of transportation, cable cars cannot swerve to avoid pedestrians.

• Always cross in the crosswalk at cable car intersections. Make sure to look both ways before stepping into the crosswalk.

• If there is more than one track, always wait for the first cable car to go by so you can see both ways before proceeding. Make sure that another cable car is not approaching in your path.

• Please be aware that a green X is the “go ahead” signal for cable cars—not for pedestrians.

For a complete list of cable car safety tips for passengers and pedestrians, please see MUNI's Cable Car Safety page.