Reason #14: Public dumping

by Adam & Lara on 02/07/10

No, this is not a rant about the environmental hazards of dumping trash into our oceans and landfills. I am talking about people defecating on the streets of San Francisco.

If you have never encountered this, consider yourself extremely lucky. Because in my 4+ years in this fine city, I have witnessed 3 (count 'em, 3) public dumping violations. And each one has scarred me in its own horrific way.

First there was the drop-your-overalls-but-keep-walking-while-you-go maneuver I witnessed in the Financial District while heading back to work from my lunch break. I'd been in SF for 2 months, had just gotten my first big girl job in the city and pretty much thought everything was sunshine and rainbows. Until I saw that.

I didn't eat for 2 days.

Then I moved to the Lower Haight about a year ago, where the next 2 episodes took place. One as I was walking from the train home after a long day of work. And the last (and undoubtedly most terrifying) incident as I was laying in bed one morning. For those of you who haven't seen our place, it's a partially below-ground unit, with windows all around giving you a waist-down view of passers-by. So I awoke one Saturday morning with a mild hangover. As I'm laying in bed contemplating getting up to start my day, a person walks up to my window. Clearly they think they've found a nice secluded place to go about their business. And before I realize what the hell is going on, this person drops trough and I saw more than I EVER wanted to see of another human being.

Now I realize that the Lower Haight is a slightly grittier neighborhood with somewhat questionable residents, therefore increasing the likelihood of incidents such as this. But I refuse to believe that these public dumpers restrict themselves to a 10-block radius. Which means these people are all over the city, doing this. Now I'm not sure how to stop this behavior, nor do I want to deal with it. So Adam and I are going to New Zealand, and you all can deal with this shit.