[ Contents | Search | Post | Reply | Next | Previous | Up ]
From: Admiral Phineas Fogg-Bottom
Date: 22 Aug 2001
Time: 21:13:57
Remote Name: 64.170.112.110
Dear Curious,
An excellent question. Any San Francisco resident will tell you that the ability to relieve oneself publicly without fear of legal reprisal or moral reprobation is a most cherished right.
It is a strange custom, but one that has perfectly logical origins. In the Gold Rush Era, San Francisco found itself plagued by a paucity of toilets. City residents thus took to the streets when nature called, and it is a tradition that has continued to this day.
Public urination has even had political overtones in San Francisco. During the turbulent 1960s, anti-war protesters frequently urinated on the shoes of National Guardsmen as a form of nonviolent protest. More recently, certain progressive elements have taken to urinating on sport utility vehicles (SUVs) to express their outrage at the gentrification of certain neighborhoods, such as the Mission District. The Board of Supervistors cemented the legality of public urination as a form of free speech with the Public Relief Act of 1999.
That said, most City residents see public urination as a right possessed only by those who live in the City and County of San Francisco. While it's not my place to tell people when and where to pee, I would tread carefully on your next visit.
Your Admiral,
Admiral Phineas Fogg-Bottom