San Francisco’s public urination problem spurted forth on Monday when a decaying, 3-story lamppost corroded by pee toppled over onto a car.
“We believe there was some contribution of dog or human urine on the base of the pole,” Public Utilities Commission spokesman Tyrone Jue told the San Francisco Chronicle. Jue said this is a recurring issue and strongly encouraged “people and dogs alike to do their business in other places, like a proper restroom or one of our fire hydrants, which are stronger and made out of cast iron.”
San Francisco is home to approximately 25,000 lampposts. This particular one was among several that were reportedly aged, and an oversized banner contributed to weighing it down.
The Chronicle notes that last year, the street light budget increased tenfold from $500,000 to $5 million for maintenance lamppost replacement.
San Francisco recently completed painting nine of its most urination-prone walls with a “piss-repellant paint” which literally causes pee to bounce back onto the person’s shoes and pants.
So far, the paint has been successful at deterring public urination and has contributed to a decrease in the foul smell associated with the disorderly act.
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