The Haight, as you know, is a busy and competitive commercial corridor, and businesses on the street have to generate some buzz to be heard over the street's general clamor if they want to capture those precious tourism dollars. They attempt this with parklets, pop-ups, and skate parks, and, most commonly, by putting stuff out on the sidewalks.
The street boasts everything from mannequins in tie-dyed leggings at Jammin' On Haight, to the girl who hands out flyers for palm readings near Belvedere, to by far the most notorious sidewalk obstruction: sandwich board signs. These are the A- frame signs with messages written on each side, and usually, they're right out front of the business in question to alert passersby to a sale or an upcoming event.
Mostly, they're harmless, save for a few spots where the constant congestion makes every inch count (think Martin Macks during a soccer game).
Lately, though, we've been noticing a phenomenon that sent us digging through city code: sandwich boards that are getting farther and farther away from the businesses that put them out.
The minds behind Things Lucky at Page and Ashbury have taken to putting a sign out in front of Ben and Jerry's, which, as you know, is an extremely high-traffic spot. Between people taking pictures, the ice cream traffic, and cabs dropping people off at the infamous corner of Haight and Ashbury, there's barely room to walk through as it is.
Another one we've been seeing consistently all summer is the sign for Bike San Francisco, which has been placed across the street, on the south side of Haight and Cole, and right in front of the scaffolding. The scaffolding and the placement of the trash bin on that corner already make passage difficult, and with the advent of the sandwich board, you can often see people giving up and veering into the street to pass through.
Curious, we turned to the books so check on what's allowed on city sidewalks. As it turns out, sandwich boards are illegal in San Francisco, as they obstruct pedestrian traffic, and "pose a hazard."
As anyone who's walked down Haight Street know, this regulation is politely ignored for the most part, to the extent that we weren't even sure they were illegal until we looked into it. Maybe now that signs are creeping blocks away from the businesses they're advertising, it's time to take it more seriously.Sidewalk Obstruction - VC 22500 Section 675(b) MPCSection 63. Obstructions On Streets and Sidewalks.(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, occupying or having charge or control of any premises, to place or cause to be placed, or suffer to remain upon the sidewalk, or upon the half of the street in front of such premises, any Article or substance which shall obstruct the passage of such street or sidewalk.
What do you think? Should businesses be allowed to put signage on the sidewalks, or is it a nuisance for pedestrians?
