Lamp post destroyed by urine falls in street, just misses driver

[KamaAina]

Not The Onion!

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/City-lamp-post-falls-and-urine-was-a-factor-6424634.php

Concerns about San Francisco’s decaying light poles were ignited Monday night after one corroded by urine toppled onto a car, narrowly missing the driver.

The three-story-tall lamp post at Pine and Taylor streets snapped around 6:30 Monday and landed on a nearby car, almost crushing the driver. No one was injured.

A perfect storm of conditions rusted out the base of the pole, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission officials say, and caused it to fall. At the time, the lamp post, which was already old, was damaged by urine and weighed down by an oversized banner.

“We believe there was some contribution of dog or human urine on the base of the pole,” PUC spokesman Tyrone Jue said. “It has actually been an issue for us in the past. We encourage 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.”

[pinboy3niner]

1. Maybe they should make them out of porcelain

[In_The_Wind]

2. But porcelain is so ugly when it cracks with age.

[Xipe Totec]

4. Considering the alternative, we can live with a few crackpots.

[Special Prosciuto]

3. There IS a PUC-recommended fire hydrant right next to the downed pole.

?w=680&h=384

[Xipe Totec]

5. My cousin just got back from Madrid...

She was impressed (revolted, really) at the way people peed during festivals in the street, between cars. Men and women would just stand between parked cars, squat, and go. She said she literally saw rivers of pee during these festivals (and wine bottles everywhere). By the next morning, everything was thoroughly clean. Not a bottle in sight, not a puddle in sight.

I sent her the article and now she's saying. Well, at least they haven't brought down any lamp posts over there.

[Major Nikon]

6. That's a real pisser