B'way Trials and Tribulations

I feel for the merchants on Broadway since they seem to have challenges that surpass those on the Avenew or elsewhere in town.  The Avenew merchants have to deal with a lot of snatch and grab theft.  But on B'way there is the "Birdman" who feels the need to feed the pigeons who then feel the need to excrete.  And now, from the Daily Post Police Blotter we read this

Saturday

1:40 pm - Citizen reports that a homeless person pooped near the business and walked away, Broadway.

That cannot be good for business.  Are we approaching the point where it is time to add a JC Decaux public toilet a la EssEff?  That is possibly the smartest thing SF has done in the last decade.

Comments

[old guy]

Great idea. Us old guys would use it often.

[J]

In SF, pooping on the sidewalk is acceptable because it saves water.
Okay, not really but it's getting close.

[Bruce Dickinson]

Guys, we really have it much better here in Burlingame. As you probably know, Bruce Dickinson is involved in a half-dozen or so new media ventures, and my travails include quite a few treks to the South of Market Area (SOMA) in San Francisco in addition to Palo Alto. I would not be exaggerating if I didn't say that 100% of the time I walk a few blocks in SOMA, I run into or nearly step into human fecal material, without fail!

Seriously, it's like 3rd world conditions in what is supposed to be a world class city and the hotbed of innovation and disruptive technology.

The dichotomy couldn't be more striking!

[Joe]

Indeed. The WSJ noted yesterday that in New York City:

"On Wednesday the councillors decriminalized so-called quality-of-life offenses such as littering, drinking or urinating in public and loitering in parks after dark. The package of new laws downgrades such misdemeanor citations to civil summonses so scofflaws will no longer have to appear in court or pay hefty fines.

Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito claims the laws will reduce arrests and incarcerations of minorities. Quality-of-life offenses make up about half of criminal summonses. However, only one in five individuals who are summoned to criminal court are actually found guilty, and fewer than 10% of those arrested for misdemeanors are sentenced to jail."
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Yeah, that'll work.