In San Francisco Again!

[mattlistener]

This time I'm here for a conference rather than a training. Gonna learn a ton of stuff on lots of topics. Need to get notepaper on my way in tomorrow. Very impressed with Apple's conference-throwing so far. Early check-in was a breeze, the materials are snazzy, there's a mini pocket program for *each day*. Plus they give each attendee a great laptop backpack. Wow! Happy me.

Not so impressed with SF itself today:

-At the airport on my way to ground transport I got an offer of $45 to go into the city from a limo driver. He lowered it to $40 as I walked past. On the sidewalk outside, I got another limo offer of $30, the guy saying a taxi would be $40. He said he had two other passengers and with the addition of me we'd leave immediately. Ok, carpooling is good, so I agreed. Went back in with him and noted that he chatted briefly with the $45/$40 guy. (Hmm.) On the slidewalk downstairs he put my name and flight info on a form, said his name was Morty and gave me his card, and said "you called me yesterday, will you remember that?" Had a moment to consider how that instruction sat with me. At the end of the slidewalk I looked him in the eye and said "I'm sorry Morty, I'm not willing to have called you yesterday." While he protested, "You won't have to say it! You won't have to say it!" I got on the slidewalk going the other way. The taxi was $36 and slime-free.

-Went through the revolving door at the corner of my hotel into -- a lounge-bar? Reeking of alcohol? Awful first impression. Navigated to the front desk, noting and disliking the weird, dark, conspicuous-consumption decor. Three people behind the desk with wireless earbud-microphone thingies. There's sunlight on the floor behind me, but the ambient light at the desk is dim enough that I have to cozy up to a candle to read my confirmation number. It emerges that I had cancelled the reservation at this hotel and switched to one a 10 minute walk away from the conference and $40/night cheaper. Thank god. I now know what "icky rich" looks like.

-San Francisco is not taking adequate care of its residents who fall on hard times. In my walk to the correct hotel I passed someone panhandling at more than half the street corners. One guy outside the diner I ate dinner at was holding a ragged sign that said "SAVING FOR HOOKER" -- from which I conclude that SF pedestrians have panhandle fatigue. On my way back I gave the rest of my dinner to someone who looked like he needed it.

Tomorrow: keynote speeches, test wireless connectivity, troll for swag, meet my sales rep.

Comments

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

The taxi was $36 and slime-free.

Yah. Smart move, that.

I'd actually never encountered that much slime on ground transport at SFO, myself, so it's nice to have the heads-up. Although...come to think of it, I can't remember ever going for taxi/limousine service there, either.

On my way back I gave the rest of my dinner to someone who looked like he needed it.

There are a lot of panhandlers. I once was down on Market St. and gave one an onion ring. He seemed happy munching on it, and didn't ask for anything else--which was good, because I didn't actually have any change, because I'd just bought the bag of onion rings.

[treacle-well.livejournal.com]

"I'm sorry Morty, I'm not willing to have called you yesterday."

*smile*

Good for you.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[cthulhia]

San Francisco is not taking adequate care of its residents who fall on hard times. In my walk to the correct hotel I passed someone panhandling at more than half the street corners.

I am not sure this is different than any (US) city that rarely gets winter. (They are never cold enough to have to turn to the shelters.) Atlanta had more homeless than SF, which still had a lot. In the Disneyfied Vegas, I suspect the casinos lure them away from tourist areas.

[pinkfish.livejournal.com]

The panhandling in San Francisco has become legendary; a couple years back, they had to pass a law against panhandling to people in cars stopped in traffic (on the grounds that it was disrupting traffic, but actually because it made at least one refuge from the panhandle-fatigue that was otherwise ubiquitous in the citY).

[zmook.livejournal.com]

"you called me yesterday, will you remember that?"

I have a lot more sympathy for the $30 guy. Because SFO is held by a taxi mafia such that only certain privileged companies are allowed to pick up from the airport unless they've been explicitly arranged in advance. That's the sort of arbitrary rule I don't usually mind flouting.

You may notice that SF in general does not have nearly as many taxis as it needs.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

Aha -- that does balance the considerations more. I'm still not willing to agree lie to a city official over it.