San Francisco's most iconic transit system ground to a halt after a driver — allegedly under the influence — crashed into the city's most popular cable car stop, knocking out service on two of the three cable car lines.

Let that sink in. One person's decision to get behind the wheel drunk managed to cripple a transit system that tens of thousands of riders and tourists depend on daily. Substitute buses were spotted rolling out the next morning, which, if you've ever ridden a Muni substitute bus, you know is roughly as charming as riding in a moving DMV waiting room.

The driver was reportedly arrested on suspicion of DUI. His car was totaled. And the damage to the cable car infrastructure was serious enough to take the lines offline for what appears to be more than just a quick fix.

As one local put it: "The driver should have to reimburse the city for the lost fare revenue." We couldn't agree more. When one reckless individual's choices impose costs on an entire city — lost revenue, emergency repairs, disrupted commutes, tourism dollars evaporating — the bill shouldn't land on taxpayers. It should land squarely on the person responsible.

Another SF resident raised a fair point about how toothless DUI penalties remain in California: even after an arrest, offenders get a 30-day temporary license before any suspension kicks in. A first offense means a measly four-month suspension. "How about at minimum, even for just an arrest, a one-year suspension?" they asked. It's not a radical position. It's common sense.

San Francisco has spent years talking about Vision Zero, safer streets, and accountability. Here's a layup: make DUI offenders who damage public infrastructure pay for it, and push Sacramento to stop treating first-offense drunk driving like a parking ticket. The cable cars are a 150-year-old engineering marvel. The least we can do is protect them from people who can't be bothered to call an Uber.