Maybe We Don’t Need The $250K Toilets…
I blogged about this over a year ago, and almost forgot about it- Los Angeles City (put department name here) is very good about sweeping things under the carpet and hoping we forget about them.
I walk by these high-priced fancy toilets often- well, actually, I only pass by one working one (at 5th and Hill) and the one that is not connected yet (at 4th and Hill). Then I see this article today about how Seattle is getting rid of their $5 million investment in these pricey commodes.
Seattle’s Filthy, Prositute-Ridden Automated Public Toilets Avaliable On E-Bay
Read the comments- they are priceless!
“Restrooms for paying customers only. All others use the sidewalk.”
Eric Richardson, of blogdowntown.com, started Operation Toilet Watch, but nothing has really changed even with the increased visibility that he brought to this expensive “piece of shit”.
Just having plain old “porta-potties” that are serviced daily would be a step in the right direction- no need for crazy technology for a crapper. I must say, I would be very happy to find a place where I can pee when I am on a 3-mile dog walk and I have over 1 gallon of water in my belly.
Just think how many porta-potties could be set up and serviced by the expense of these fancy toilets. And lets not forget, that the ones in Seattle were rendered useless by the morons that trashed them. Some times, a “low-tech” solution is the best solution.
I am pretty sure I just saw a news piece about NYC purchasing a number of these toilets for their downtown.
July 18th, 2008 at 2:57 pmYou know, I thought these toilets were a good idea at first. But read how easy it is for people to screw them up- and you know that is going to happen. They will be “out of order” more than not I’m afraid. And yes, havens for druggies and hookers… just put a damn porta-a-potty there.
Have you seen how much time/money it takes to get one of these toilets hooked up to electrictiy and water??? Whoever is responsible for these things in LA should be worried about gettig fired about now…
July 18th, 2008 at 3:37 pmIs it me or does LA just go head-first into costly ideas and spending without looking?
July 18th, 2008 at 4:11 pmThere is no need for these toilets. The streets are defacto toilets.
The City Attorney doesn’t allow us (the police) to enforce urinating/defecating in public.
So I guess he is encouraging people to pee in the streets, ala Tijuana style.
Sad but true….
July 18th, 2008 at 4:28 pmCDC (ha ha ha- I like OCD better-!) In the “beach cities” urinating in public is HUGE ticket- and people get thrown in jail for that a lot. It’s called INDECENT EXPOSURE there…
I just wish there were more public bathrooms but then it becomes a problem of “policing” them- George Michael’s use of the park bathroom comes to mind… YUCK!
July 18th, 2008 at 5:11 pmThere is no need for these toilets. The streets are defacto toilets.
Quoted for truth- it’s funny when people get all up-in-arms about a dog peeing on a sidewalk, but there is human excremate all over the place in the same block.
July 18th, 2008 at 5:28 pmIn LA, it’s only indecent exposure if you shake it more than twice.
July 18th, 2008 at 6:26 pmWhat if it’s is a woman? I came home one night to a girl squatting on my porch… and it was indecent, trust me on that…
July 18th, 2008 at 7:03 pmIt’s only indecent if she doesn’t let you join in the fun…..
July 18th, 2008 at 7:39 pmCDC- you are too funny- I know you would have arrested her- I sure wish I could have… I have to figure out how that “citizen arrest” stuff works. I think she would have beat me up though
July 18th, 2008 at 8:46 pmYou had the opportunity to get a naked woman to fight you and didn’t take advantage! Shame on you, hahaha. Some people pay big bucks for that.
The citizen’s arrest issue here in Cali is funny. First off, they call it a “private person’s arrest” since you don’t have to be a citizen to make the arrest. So in essence, an illegal alien can have you arrested, eventhough they are committing a crime themselves. I know, LA is like the Bizaaro World.
The meat and potatoes is this, a police officer (PO) cannot arrest a person for a misdemeanor crime unless they witness it themseleves, except for (DUI/accident, violation of court order, domestic battery).
So if the PO didn’t witness it and the victim and/or witness wishes to arrest the suspect, they themselves become the de-facto arresting party.
Example, you see a gangmember tagging up your house. You call the PD and they catch him walking down the block after he just tagged your pad. They can’t arrest him because they didn’t see it and it’s only a misdemeanor, but the victim of the crime can.
The PO will have you sign a “private person’s arrest” form and they will arrest the suspect and book him into jail. A detective or someone from the City Attorney’s office will contact you and you will probably be summoned to court to testify.
BUT, you better have a legit arrest because you are opening yourself to serious liability if you are wrong.
Also, if the PO deems that there isn’t enough eveidence to arrest the suspect, they have the option of not effecting the private person’s arrest.
I hope this helps.
July 20th, 2008 at 9:03 amOfficer- that citizens arrest does not sound like anyone wins but the lawyers… I think I’ll leave the arresting stuff to you and your “team”.
And I also have a general rule for women- if I can’t bench press them… (and I have bad rotator cuffs) well, I think you know what I’m saying…
July 20th, 2008 at 9:32 am