“Ensuring safe passage to public transportation for residents, visitors, travelers and workers. Providing directions and general assistance as needed. Reporting criminal or disruptive behavior to the SFPD and MTA Alerting 311 and city departments of safety hazards or street cleanliness/maintenance issues that affect public safety or health. Providing information and referrals on existing city programs and services as needed.”
Looks as if we got our weekly Tuesday Noon Siren Test in early when some of San Francisco’s emergency sirens went off today at 3:45PM to … mark the end of Sunday Streets Chinatown?
“A siren from San Francisco’s Outdoor Public Warning System sounded at about 3:45 p.m. Sunday, but a City Twitter account stated that the siren was activated accidentally.”
On to new endeavours, why not? Like that Federal Reserve Bank we have in the Financh – it’s a chain too! OMG! OMG!
Barking at the moon just a few blocks from the Popeye’s chick chick and host of other chain outlets. And when’s that new Target coming to replace the Mervyn’s that replaced that Sears? Oh well:
Step One:Yet Another Pruis Driver parks in front of your garage, oblivious to the World Outside, as is typical for a strong minority of Toyota Prius drivers around the bay area.
Step Two: The cold dawn of day reveals the issue so you call DPT, which will quickly issue a hefty fine and then call for the for-profit part of the deal.
Step Three: It’s buh-bye, Prius, towed away by a somewhat corrupt private company with a euphemistic name. (Note the freeway stickers that take the “H” out of HOV)
(Note the dolly. Does the dolly cost extra? Oh, hell yes, the dolly should always cost extra. That’s how they get you.)
$700 later, the Prius driver will have a painful memory (no matter how rich he or she is) and everyone else will be enriched.
This whole process can be as fast as two shakes of a lamb’s tail. If only all private-public partnerships worked so efficiently!
Listen up, taggers. Here’s one of the vehicles they send to censor all your public art. This thing must be loaded up with every color of paint imaginable - it’s huge.
Now, wouldn’t it be a score for you to tag this giant rolling canvas - you know, poetic justice and all?
This thing is your white whale – keep an eye out:
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And look what they do with that truck – they paint over your scribblings just as soon as you put them up, leaving only a ”wet paint” sign. Thusly:
Throwing in Nancy Alfaro, “Director of 311″ and Chris Vein, City CIO and Executive Director, San Francisco Department of Technology
And also signed in and on the scene, for some reason, were the “Virgin America Inflight Teammates”, who wanted credit for being there. Here are a couple of the friends of Oprah - there was something like six of them there today, all told. Let’s hear it for San Francisco’s little hometown airline, still around despite getting pushed around by the big boys all the time.
What’s stopping somebody from calling 415-553-1200 (dispatch - blocked driveways, sidewalks, etc.) or 311? Nothing, that’s why this parking strategy isn’t sustainable, that’s why drivers generally don’t make a habit of doing this kind of thing. (Personally, it’s not my style to dial, but for some people, it is - see below)
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I would agree that it’s probably no picnic trying to park an 18-foot-long vehicle at night on the Streets of San Francisco, but your ride will eventaully get vandalized, ticketed, towed, whatever, depending on the neighborhood. For example, the evening dog walkers of Specific Whites Pacific Heights all have DPT’s phone numbers preprogrammed into their cellies. They’re simply waiting to see something like this blocking their path.
(800) 273-6222 Alternative Number
(415) 808-4357 Alternative Number
2-1-1 information and referral service for San Francisco. Information and referral service via regular number for the following counties in California: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Solano.
GOOG-411 (800-466-4411) Google’s 411 service is surprisingly ad-free, though it limits you to business listings. Like Free 411, it can automatically connect your call and/or send you the listing via SMS. See it in action in the above video.
Live Search 411 (800-225-5411)Microsoft’s 411 service offers not only business listings, but also traffic and weather reports, movie showtimes, travel resources, and more. (Live Search also powers Microsoft’s Tellme service.)
