How many SFPD cops saw this maneuver, do you think, when a partying driver treated McAllister Street at Franklin like a one-way street?
Several.
But this kind of behavior is tolerated on NYE in the 415 because the cops, well, the cops will generallyhave their hands full with other stuff.
So, drive however you want and soon enough you and your tummy full of alcohol will back get home to the Marina or the Marin safely:
Click to expand
Probably.
Uh, to make more money?
From Ellen Huet comes the news of SideCar doubling its “voluntary” fares for New Years Eve 2013.
So that means you’ll need to pay double to avoid getting blackballed by SideCar’s drivers.
Of course, if a trained and licensed San Francisco taxi driver charges you double a during busy time, that’s a misdemeanor.
But if a SideCar driver jacks up rates on NYE, that’s called bidness.
Oh well.
Hey, Gentle Reader! Why not check in on SideCar’s “amazing year,” below? You’ll be able to see if any mention is made of CPUC case #PSG-3360, you know, that whole “cease and desist” thing.
If only this woman on Market had a SideCar sign instead of a TAXI sign:
Click to expand
“Hello San Francisco SideCar Community!
2012 has been an amazing year:
Woohoo!
To ring in 2013, plenty of drivers in our community have told us that they plan to get behind the wheel on New Year’s Eve so that you can hit the town safely without having to worry about driving. <3 To thank them, we decided to do them a huge favor:
For New Year’s Eve only – and in The San Francisco Bay Area Only - from 5pm-5am, as a way of saying thanks to those driving on NYE, we are going to suggest double the community average donation for each ride within the app. This means that a ride with a typical community average of $10 will say $20 on Monday night.
Here’s why we’re doing this:
Of course, with SideCar what you donate is always up to you, and the community average is just there to help you decide. We just feel that on a night like New Year’s a little extra for drivers wouldn’t hurt. We hope you’ll feel the same way.”
Enjoy famous David Yu’s take on NYE 2011 with 1.5 minutes of time-lapse Flickr Video right here
Enjoy.
Blessed are the non-shyster lawyers, people like 40goingon28, who bring it all home for us:
Indeed. So what’s the idea here, you’re supposed to come to the 415, get hammered, then call AAA, not just for a free(!) ride home but a free ride home for your car as well? On gridlocked streets? How long would that take per average call – about an hour? How many trucks does AAA have?
And perhaps AAA should just tell those $80-a-year-dues-paying grandmothers who need a jump start / tire change to go pound sand while drunk, Internet-savvy freeloaders take priority?
Now, maybe it makes sense for ambulance chasers around the country to promote themselves this way, but it sure doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense in this town…
Telling people about these annual marketing plans for area corporations and partnerships seems like an example of handing out bad advice…
You already how to interpret fortune cookies, you know, those cookies that aren’t really cookies, you know, the ones invented by that Japanese guy, right? You simply add the phrase “except in bed” at the end.
Try it out. It works, see?
Now, with the SFPD, you need to add a different phrase – it’s “in an ideal world.” Let’s take it for a spin, below.
Sometimes the SFPD will actually take away your beer and pour it out, thusly:
But Drunk Beyonce would have no reason to fear the SFPD on NYE:
All right, here we go. Be sure to change “will” to “would” as well. So this:
“Anyone who is drunk, or who operates a motor vehicle while intoxicated, will be arrested.”
Goes to this:
“Anyone who is drunk, or who operates a motor vehicle while intoxicated, would be arrested, in an ideal world.“
See how that works?
I mean, the vast majority of times a drunk driver gets behind the wheel of a car for a trip in the 415, the driver doesn’t get arrested, right? I’d say 99% of the time, actually. So why would that change all of a sudden on NYE? [F. Lee Bailey reference from 1982 omitted as he's still(!) alive - did not know that.]
The in-an-ideal-world approach kind of breaks down towards the end of this bit. (And in fact, the SFPD would love to bust you firing an automatic weapon straight up into the air on NYE.) But otherwise, it works pretty good:
“San Francisco Police Department Policy on New Year’s Eve Alcohol Consumption
During New Year’s Eve and the hours following, the San Francisco Police Department will strictly enforce the provisions of Section 21 of the Municipal Police Code for the public consumption of alcohol. Containers of alcohol and fireworks will be confiscated. Anyone who is drunk, or who operates a motor vehicle while intoxicated, will be arrested.
There will be a significant police presence, and the San Francisco Police Department will be enforcing zero-tolerance policy regarding public drinking and any other criminal activity. Discharging firearms to celebrate is both unlawful and dangerous as bullets fired into the air could strike someone upon return to the ground.
There are no planned street closures.”
The largest zeppelin in the world and frequent San Francisco visitor is mixing things up a bit tomorrow. Instead of flying locally, which is the normal schedule, the Eureka is going on a field trip.
It’s heading from Mountain View’s Moffet Federal Airfield to Monterey for one-hour flights there and then back to Google’s Air Force Base in the evening.
And don’t forget about the special limousine and champagne-filled evening they have planned for New Year’s Eve. It’s going to start at Michael Mina restaurant for a little din-din and then end up above the bay with the fireworks when the clock strikes midnight. It’s only $25,000 per dozen people. Whom will you take with you?
Zeppelin Day Trip to Monterey!
“Airship Ventures is flying to Monterey for the day this Thursday, Dec. 11th! And, if you’re already in Monterey, now is your chance to fly on a Zeppelin tour around Monterey Bay. On Dec. 11, 2008, the Airship Ventures Zeppelin, Eureka, will fly passengers to and from Monterey for the day and offer tours around Monterey Bay.
Departing the Bay Area from: Airship Ventures, NASA Ames Research Park, Moffett Field. Click here for directions.
Agenda – Dec. 11, 2008
8:30 a.m. Airship departs Bay Area for Monterey
10:00 a.m. Airship arrives in Monterey
10:00 a.m. – 2:15 p.m. Monterey Bay one-hour flights offered
4:00 p.m. Airship departs Monterey for Bay Area
6:00 p.m. Airship returns to Bay Area
Call us today as space is limited.
Dial (650)-969-8100! (ext. 111)”
