SFist: Downtown Lawyer Sues SF Over That One Guy Who Beats Those Plastic Buckets and Metal Pots at the Ferry Building

paperballoon

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:27:32 -0800

I guess it's a slippery slope from street musicians to giant toilet. Thanks for the suggestion, Chris Weekly. Bring on the toilet! Bring on the funk! Bluecanary, I agree with you about the need to be considerate, but I personally wouldn't automatically prioritize the lawyer's needs over the needs of the street drummer. BTW I've watched that particular drummer a few times and I don't consider it mindless pounding.

Brock Keeling

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:34:00 -0800

the opera lady should can the arias and start singing show tunes.

greggers

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:31:19 -0800

Jesus. when did everyone in SF become my parents? Oh, right.... 2001. Nevermind. We should stop live music south of market, too. So the half a mil studio condo dwellers can have their "friends lifestyle" they came here for without any disruption.

bluecanary

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:06:25 -0800

I never got that whole mindset of "well, it's a city" as if that is an excuse to completely blow all all laws of common decency and civility. I've heard that excuse to excuse people shitting on sidewalks, drunken bridge and tunnelers puking on my doorstep on their drunken ambles up to Coit Tower, and most irritatingly, to excuse car alarms. Geography is no excuse for being an inconsiderate asshole. That being said, I love the street performers. I always give money to the singers, the violinists, guitarists, etc. but mindlessly pounding on a pan is not "performance," it's just annoying and rude. I don't even mind the bush guy, once he figured out that jumping out at to scare my dog was a very, VERY unwise move.

Chris Weekly

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 08:36:24 -0800

Great paperballoon, let's just turn the City into a huge toilet, that way only you and your fun friends will be left to enjoy it.

paperballoon

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 19:53:28 -0800

If noise significantly reduces your quality of life, there's always the suburbs. Same goes if you're bothered by dirty sidewalks, homeless people, bicycles, graffiti, flyers, human interaction, eye contact, etc.

Greg

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 17:01:09 -0800

@pdx: ha! good one!

Rachel

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:33:37 -0800

I totally sympathize with this lawyer. My office has a beautiful view of Union Square and a front row seat to all the noise in or near the Square -- both buskers and 'officially sanctioned' performances (children' choirs, football pep rallies, etc.), and crazies, of course. Christmastime also brings a separate bell-ringer on every single corner (not just the four closest), none of whom can be bothered to give any thought to rhythm. I'm just glad my job is mindless enough that I can still get work done with all that racket.

elephanza

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:22:30 -0800

I'll take a guy pounding on dry wall buckets over those douche bags in GG Park that insist on a free-for-all drum circle every saturday. Sheesh! And if that's not bad enough, everyone who played saxaphone for a minute in middle school joins in to create a cacophonous swirl of shit notes.

pdx6

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:27:46 -0800

Greg: No you can't. If the whining and NIMBYism stops, we'll run out of power to run the Muni electric buses and trains. You thought we got power from the Hetch Hetchy? You were wrong: we're powered by whining and angst.

serg0007

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:27:12 -0800

Hmmm...then there is that whole noise vs. music argument. Quick! Somebody call a whaaaaambulance!

Greg

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:04:01 -0800

can I sue the city for all the whining that goes on in this town?

SFNYgirl

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:47:22 -0800

Are there noise ordinances that would include drumming? There's a guy who drums in Dolores Park, same beat over and over, any time it's sunny, for hours on end. I don't even live along the Park and I can hear it. So I called 311, and the (nice helpful) lady didn't know... I can see why the lawyer filed: it's like water torture (the dripping kind, not the boarding kind).

manys

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:19:03 -0800

SF Street musicians wouldn't be so bad if they knew more than three songs.

aj

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:12:12 -0800

They should require a permit per drum hit. At $50 each. These street drummers have GOT to go.

mattymatt

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:08:22 -0800

I really don't think you can consider something that sounds like an off-balance rock tumbler to be "music."

bluecanary

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:58:34 -0800

Er, pounding "ON" pans. Obviously if he was pounding nothing, that'd be okay.

bluecanary

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:55:27 -0800

I'm with this guy as well. Imagine listening to some jackass pounding no pans outside your window all day. What an irritating nuisance. It was bad enough living across from the panhandle where that dreadlocked idiot was always pounding on his bongo. I didn't want to sue that guy, though. I wanted to handle it OJ Simpson-style.

Incandenza

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:50:34 -0800

Yay! I hope this turns into a class-action suit. This guy has ruined my morning several times. Why doesn't San Francisco require street "musicians" to have permits? Nearly every other major city in the world does. Anybody?

RinconHillSF

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:42:11 -0800

Frivolous lawsuits .... I'll be dropping a $5 for Mr. King the next time I pass him. I love the talented street musicians .... we need more along the waterfront!

fizzandpop

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 13:19:33 -0800

I'm totally behind this guy. That fat fuck who plays the theme from the Godfather over and over again would be the first on my list for a good suing. We once had to pay him to fuck off when we were filming on the street (with a very expensive city permit BTW). Crappy street musicians (and they are all crappy except for that soprano chick) need to remember that other people have to unwillingly endure their special talent day in and day out.

suckafree

Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:50:58 -0800

that is awesome! i've often thought of suing the city or maybe the homeless coalition for ruining my quality of life by making me deal with so many derelicts in this town.