SF Weekly - January 25 2018

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VOL. 37 | NO. 4
JANUARY 25-31, 2018
EDITORIAL
EDITOR
Peter Lawrence Kane • [email protected]
ART MANAGER
Eric Pratt • [email protected]
NEWS EDITOR
Nuala Sawyer • [email protected]
STAFF WRITER
Ida Mojadad • [email protected]
CONTRIBUTORS A.K. Carroll, Elle Carroll, Willie
Clark, Sherilyn Connelly, Jonathan Curiel, Jeffrey
Edalatpour, Steven Edelstone, Stephen Jackson,
Brad Japhe, Joe Kukura, Brandon Sheffield & Dami
Lee, Sallie Untermann, Dan Savage, Zack Ruskin,
Beth Winegarner, Ali Wunderman
ART
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER
JUMP! FOR MY BIKE
Jessica Christian
PRODUCTION All about the dock-less new
PRODUCTION MANAGER Christa Chin cycles about town.
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
By Joe Kukura
Andy Yung, Krisha Chhaganlal, Kaylani Marie Neyses
PAGE 10
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NEWS FATAL TOUCH
Delving into Distracted Driving
The SFMTA launches S.F.’s first-ever distracted-driving study.
By Nuala Sawyer addresses into Google Maps, or fl ip-
ping through contacts are all banned
Traffic is bad. Inching along while the car is in motion.
Oak Street, you make a right onto Octa- Laws aside, it’s truly a gargantuan
via Boulevard — and immediately get task to get people to stop checking
stuck in a line of cars waiting for the light their Facebook messages, retweets,
to change. The radio stations are all play- podcasts, or email while driving — and
ing crap, and the density of cars is not an a psychological one. “We’ve built these
optimistic sign for the state of the Bay things to say, ‘Hey, pay attention to
Bridge. You’re bored and impatient this’, and we have to change that re-
— and then your phone’s message alert sponse to ‘Don’t pay attention to that
dings. Do you pick it up? Unlock it? See in certain circumstances,’ ” Knox White
who’s texting you? And, maybe, re- says.
spond? A proven method of deterring
If so, you’ll be one of millions of drivers from behaving badly is, unfor-
drivers in the United States who have tunately, ticketing them. People who
been distracted by technology while have been pulled over on a stretch of
behind the wheel. But the simple act road for speeding are more likely to
of picking up a cellphone can be cat- slow down the next time they travel
astrophic: Drivers are six times more down that same street, and a hab-
likely to crash from distraction than it-breaking tactic for preventing driv-
from driving drunk. In California, ers from using a phone while driving
distraction is a factor in 80 percent of may be the hefty $162 ticket attached
crashes. And the National Traffi c Safe- to a citation. Repeat off enders can
ty Administration fi nds that drivers shell out as much as $300, an uncom-
who text while driving are 23 times fortably large fee for giving in to the
more likely to be in a traffi c crash than curiosity of who liked your post on
those who let their phones be. At Facebook while waiting at a red light.
this point in history, fatal collisions In collaboration with the SFMTA’s
involving a distracted driver are fl y- study, SFPD will up traffi c patrols
ing past fatalities caused by alcohol, on three major streets — which also
drugs, speeding, or not using a seat- fall on Vision Zero’s list of high-in-
belt. In an odd twist for the future jury corridors, or the 12 percent of
of humanity, touching one’s phone streets where 70 percent of severe
when behind the wheel has become a and fatal crashes happen. In the com-
massive public-health crisis. ing months, the cops plan to target
Although the problem appears hotspots like Harrison Street between
to be growing worse, it isn’t a new Sixth and Eighth streets, Octavia
issue for government agencies. Th e Driving while Boulevard between Market and Page
data above is pulled from national distracted is six times streets, and Geneva Avenue between
and state studies, where millions of more dangerous than Mission Street and San Jose Avenue.
dollars have been dedicated to better driving drunk. Last but not least, S.F. residents will
understanding the psychology behind start to see more anti-distracted driv-
distraction behind the wheel, and ing campaigns around town. Several
Courtesy Image
supporting educational campaigns new ads have already been placed on
that plead with drivers to “park the Department. But the fact that cops Wilson, a transportation planner at over the past two months, and the Muni buses, alerting drivers to the fact
phone,” because “it can wait.” have to catch drivers in the act makes the SFMTA, is in charge of deploying data is starting to show patterns: that driving distracted is more dan-
But thus far, no studies have been quantifying how big the issue is a teams to manually count people who Eighth and Bryant streets in SoMa gerous than driving drunk. Facebook
done on how prevalent the issue is in challenge. use their phones as they drive. Over each have a dark red cluster of re- quizzes and other online education
San Francisco — until now. A group “We all see this every day, but we the span of two weeks, SFMTA staff ports, for example — as does First eff orts are in the works as well.
of planners from the San Francisco rely heavily on police citation data to stood on busy street corners for a to- Street. But how successful these eff orts will
Municipal Transportation Agency understand what’s happening on our tal of 70 hours, spying on drivers who Part of the prevalence may be due be remains to be seen, and the SFMTA
applied for a grant from the National streets,” Knox White says. “It’s very used their phones. to a general lack of understanding staff is realistic about the impact.
Safety Council last year, and got it. A diffi cult for the police who were not Once you start looking, you’ll fi nd over what exactly the law is. Most “It’s a short 3-month program
$111,393 budget will now be dedicat- on site when a collision happened people doing it everywhere. “You’d be Californians know that holding a — it’s not going to change the world,”
ed to a 1-year study of exactly where, to cite drivers for distracted driving surprised how blatant people can be cellphone up to your ear and driving Knox White says about the initial
when, and why our city’s drivers use after the fact. Th ere was a big hole in using cellphones when driving,” Wil- with one hand is illegal. But other laws period of enforcement. “But by May,
their phones — and how to stop our data, and we saw an opportunity. son says. “It’s very easy to spot.” are more subtle: As of January 2017, we’ll have an evaluation on if this is
them. “We don’t know what the extent In addition to the physical pres- it’s been illegal for drivers to hold a working. We’re going from billboards
John Knox White, a planning of this problem is, but we are going to ence of employees counting, the phone in their hand at any point while to ‘Can we actually change people’s
programs manager at the SFMTA, get it,” he adds. SFMTA released a crowdsourcing operating a vehicle. Phones can be behavior?’ ”
says that the money will fi ll in some With the funding, the opportu- survey in November 2017 so that used, but only when mounted on the
vital areas in local distracted-driving nity to dive into collecting this data the community at large could report dashboard, and under voice control. A Nuala Sawyer is SF Weekly’s news editor.
research, which until now has mostly is now possible — but that doesn’t hotspots for distracted drivers. More single touch on the phone is allowed,
come from the San Francisco Police mean it’s going to happen fast. Juliet than 1,000 responses have rolled in but switching between apps, typing in [email protected] | @TheBestNuala
6 | JANUARY 25 - 31, 2018 | EDITOR’S NOTE NEWS VIEWS COVER STORY THE CALENDAR ARTS & CULTURE EAT & DRINK MUSIC SFWEEKLY.COM
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SFWEEKLY.COM EDITOR’S NOTE NEWS VIEWS COVER STORY THE CALENDAR ARTS & CULTURE EAT & DRINK MUSIC | JANUARY 25 - 31, 2018 | 7
NEWS AN OVERDUE ASK
Bold State Bill Calls for $60 A Hint of Justice
The city of San Francisco has
reached a settlement with the family
of Amilcar Perez-Lopez after police
Million Annual Investment in shot and killed him in 2015.
On the night of Feb. 26, 2015, a fight
broke out near Folsom and 25th streets. Amil-
car Perez-Lopez, a 20-year-old Guatemalan im-
migrant, was arguing with another man about
Homeless Youth
a stolen bike. A bystander called 911, and two
plainclothes policemen — Officers Eric Reboli
and Craig Tiffe — arrived at the scene. What
happened next is not entirely clear; witness
statements contrast those of the cops, but the
California’s population of unhoused youth rose 26 percent from 2016 to 2017 — but two-thirds of the evidence is fairly damning. Within seconds, Re-
state’s counties don’t have youth-specific homeless programs. boli and Tiffe drew their weapons, and Perez-Lo-
pez was shot six times. Four bullets entered his
back, one hit his head, and another pierced his
By Nuala Sawyer arm. The police stated he’d drawn a knife. Wit-
A homeless nesses claimed he wasn’t aware that the cops,
At age 17, Gem Gabbett was kicked out encampment is cleared dressed in civilian clothes, were authorities, and
of their home. at Ninth and Division didn’t understand their English commands. Ei-
“I found myself in my last semester of high streets, July 20, 2017. ther way, he was dead — and unlike the shooting
school couchsurfi ng, terrifi ed and alone,” they of Mario Woods by police later that year, no one
say, “Until one day I got a call from Wind Youth had captured the incident on video.
Services.” Th e Sacramento youth homeless shel- Despite a massive outcry from the Mission
ter provided mental health support, transported District, District Attorney George Gascón
Gabbett to and from school, and helped them announced in April 2017 that his offi ce would
get on their feet. Today Gabbett, who uses gen- not press charges against Reboli and Tiff e.
der-non-specifi c pronouns, is enrolled in college, Based on a report released by the DA’s offi ce,
studying journalism and communications. “If it Perez-Lopez allegedly had a knife in his hands
weren’t were those resources, I probably would when he was shot, supporting the police’s
be telling a very diff erent story,” Gabbett says. claims that their response was in self-defense.
It’s not news that a large number of people Th e case could easily have gone to trial
who live on California’s streets are young. In after Gascón’s announcement, and it would
San Francisco’s 2017’s Homelessness Point-in- have drawn intense media scrutiny, partic-
Time count, 1,274 unaccompanied youth — that ularly after the controversial trial of Jose
is, young people experiencing homelessness Ines Garcia Zarate, acquitted in the death of
without their parents — were found in shelters Kathryn Steinle. But Bay City News reports
and on streets across the city. Of those, 1,030 that Perez-Lopez’s parents, Juan Perez and
were between 18 to 24, a tricky age that often Margarita Perez-Lopez, are poor and live in a
falls through the cracks, as young people leave small village in Guatemala. A trial would have
the foster care system with little support for been particularly diffi cult, emotional, and
independent adulthood. Half of those surveyed expensive, and the city’s history of clearing
said they were living in San Francisco at the time police in acts of violence doesn’t bode well —
that they became homeless, and these numbers four San Francisco police offi cers who shot
refl ect an uncomfortable trend: Our city has the Alex Nieto 59 times on Bernal Hill in 2015,
highest rate of youth experiencing homelessness for example, were acquitted by a jury that de-
in the nation. Statewide, youth homelessness termined they did not use excessive force.
increased 26 percent from 2016 to 2017. But a tiny piece of justice has been served
So it’s not unprecedented that Wiener, who for the Perez-Lopez family: A federal lawsuit
represents San Francisco in the state Senate, fi led against the city reached a conclusion
co-authored a bill with Assemblymember Blanca Photo by Jessica Christian this month, for a yet-to-be announced
Rubio to address the crisis. Called State Bill 918, amount.
the Homeless Youth Act of 2018 would provide Abused mentally and physically as a child, he Th is discrepancy in funding is part of the “I can confi rm that we have reached a
$60 million annually to youth-specifi c programs had the odds stacked against him from the very reason why Wiener and Franca are authoring tentative settlement that contemplates dis-
that would expand housing and access to men- beginning. He was a ward of the state for much the bill at a state level. Two-thirds of California missal of the entire lawsuit and no admission
tal-health services. In addition, it would establish of his childhood, and moved constantly; by the counties don’t have youth-specifi c homelessness of wrongdoing,” City Attorney spokesperson
an offi ce of youth homelessness in the Housing time he dropped out of high school at age 16, programs. John Cote says. “Th e terms of the agreement
and Community Development Department in he’d attended 10 diff erent schools. It’s a good bill, and an important one. But are contingent upon fi nal approval of the
Sacramento. “When I was 18, I found myself on a path that while the amount requested is absolutely neces- police department and the Board of Super-
“Once they’re on the streets youth are vul- would lead me to developing a substance abuse sary, it’s also an enormous number — making it visors.”
nerable,” Wiener said at a press conference an- problem, and to become homeless on the streets a harder battle to win. “It is going to be a fi ght, Meanwhile, Father Richard Smith, an
nouncing the bill. “Homeless youth have unique of Oakland,” Franet said. “During my time of the there’s no doubt about it,” says Rubio. organizer of the group Justice for Amilcar
needs and can’t just be lumped in with the streets I’ve been assaulted, harassed by police, Wiener agrees, but he’s optimistic. “Anytime Perez-Lopez, calls the settlement decision
homeless population. You have to recognize that robbed more times than I can count. I’m su- you’re asking for more money, it’s hard, but I “bittersweet.” Th e group plans to paint a mu-
a 16- or 19-year-old has very unique challenges, per-lucky now. I live in San Francisco where there know we’ll get it done,” he says. ral in Perez-Lopez’s honor.
compared with a 40-year-old who’s been on the is a signifi cant investment both from the com- “We’re not going to let Amilcar’s case go
streets for several years.” munity as well as our civic leadership to address Nuala Sawyer is SF Weekly’s news editor. away,” Smith says. NS
San Francisco resident Zak Franet, 23, spoke youth homelessness, but you go across the bridge
in Sacramento on Tuesday about his experiences. to Oakland, and those services drop.” [email protected] | @TheBestNuala
8 | JANUARY 25 - 31, 2018 | EDITOR’S NOTE NEWS VIEWS COVER STORY THE CALENDAR ARTS & CULTURE EAT & DRINK MUSIC SFWEEKLY.COM
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SFWEEKLY.COM EDITOR’S NOTE NEWS VIEWS COVER STORY THE CALENDAR ARTS & CULTURE EAT & DRINK MUSIC | JANUARY 25 - 31, 2018 | 9
NEWS SUCKA FREE CITY
JUMP Start Disturbing the Peace
Prohibition orders have kept away
hundreds of violent, abusive or unruly BART
passengers — and prevented repeat offenses.
Another bikeshare just cruised onto San Francisco streets, so SF Weekly did a test drive on these
new, souped-up electric JUMP Bikes. By Ida Mojadad
In November, a racist rant on BART went
viral, prompting authorities to seek a prohibition order
against the assailant.
But some locals were quick to note online that
the man — who yelled slurs like “Chinese fuck” and
“Chinese n-----” and slapped another passenger near
the shoulder and face — would be banned only tempo-
rarily. SF Weekly investigated, and found that, indeed,
BART cannot permanently ban someone from the
system.
Initial prohibition orders last just 30 days, 90 days
for the individual’s second off ense within a year, and
180 days if it’s their third in a year. Th e courts, how-
ever, can issue a longer stay-away order based on the
severity of the incident but off enders have a right to
appeal.
BART has had the authority to keep someone away
since May 2013, thanks to California legislation. Ac-
cording to data provided to SF Weekly, the agency has
issued 1,253 orders between the launch of the legisla-
tion and Nov. 31, 2017.
Willfully disturbing others with unruly behavior,
carrying an explosive or hazardous material, willfully
blocking someone’s free movement, tagging facilities
with graffi ti or inscribing material, behaving in a way
that may harm another person or property, and in-
JUMP Bikes are slowly terfering with the train operator are all grounds for a
spreading across San Francisco. prohibition order. Urinating or defecating outside the
bathroom is also subject to the order — unless it’s re-
lated to a disability, age, or medical condition.
Photo by Joe Kukura
Someone who has been arrested or convicted for a
By Joe Kukura ed to San Francisco because of what Rzepecki connect with every neighborhood, because I crime related to violence or threats of violence, lewd
diplomatically describes as our “topography know what it feels like to be left behind.” behavior, or intent to illegally sell drugs on (one of the
You might have noticed a new batch challenges.” JUMP Bikes is trying to reach out to un- trains, at a bus stop, or a BART parking lot) may also
of bicycles hitched to San Francisco bike racks. Like most rideshare systems, JUMP Bikes derserved neighborhoods; it has a low-income fi nd themselves with a prohibition order.
These new candy-red rides are available to the are accessed with a smartphone app (though program that costs only $5 a year, and its local And there have been plenty told to stay away. BART
public, part of yet another bikeshare program they also accept Clipper cards, so you don’t headquarters in Bayview-Hunters Point em- has issued 264 orders alone for battery or threats to
that started operating here last weekend. But un- necessarily need a smartphone or a credit ploys 16 local mechanics. other riders, 258 for domestic battery, 128 for battery
like their competitors, these bikes have a big dif- card). Th e app shows where the nearest avail- “I’m a second -eneration native San Fran- or threats to station agents, 54 for assault with a dead-
ference under the hood. able bikes are located and lets you reserve one. ciscan from the Bayview District. Growing up ly weapon, and 49 for brandishing a weapon.
Th ey’re called JUMP Bikes, and they’re Rides cost $2 for the fi rst 30 minutes and 7 in this community, I felt like we were always Lewd acts and indecent exposure caused 90 prohi-
high-powered electric bikes. Th ey’re dockless cents a minute after. When you’re done riding, last to know about these types of equitable bition orders, the sale of narcotics brought 55 orders,
and stationless — meaning you can leave them you just attach the bike to a public bike rack initiatives,” Mitchell tells SF Weekly. “Th is is and there were 19 orders for sexual battery.
locked to regular bike racks, as opposed to the with the provided U-lock. just one of the ways we can bridge the trans- Station agents and BART offi cers have photos of
dedicated stations required for those blue Ford SF Weekly tried renting a JUMP Bike, and portation gap between Bayview and other those with prohibition orders and can immediately
GoBikes. And 250 of them are now available to found the system awfully convenient for er- districts.” take them into custody for violating the order once
rent across town. rands and short trips. First-time users may Basing their shop in the Bayview might they make contact. But it doesn’t usually come to that.
“An electric bike is a new mode of transpor- struggle fi guring out how to unlock the bike, help JUMP Bikes avoid the backlash, vandal- Less than six percent of prohibition orders in 2017
tation. It has a motor,” JUMP Bikes CEO Ryan because the instructions on the bike’s built-in ism, and tire-slashings that affl icted the local were violated, says BART spokesperson Alicia Trost.
Rzepecki tells SF Weekly. “It’s not a bicycle, it’s LED displays switch screens in less than two launch of Ford GoBikes. And since JUMP “Th is data is extremely promising, because it re-
not a scooter, it’s something in between.” seconds. But it’s pretty easy to get the hang of it Bikes can be locked at individual racks instead vealed the persons who were issued prohibition orders
If you’ve never been on an electric bicycle by your second or third use. of group docking stations, they avoid the “wall overwhelmingly adhered to the order,” Trost says.
before, they’re bionic and fun as hell to ride. Th e main drawback is availability. You can of corporate marketing” eff ect that makes the Th e state bill granting BART this authority also
Th e upside of bikeshares is having access to fi nd plenty of JUMP Bikes in heavily traffi cked Ford GoBikes kind of visually obnoxious. required the creation of a Transit Security Advisory
sweet bikes that you don’t have to store or areas like the Castro and Financial District, but Ford GoBikes are launching their electric Committee. Board members use their professional
maintain yourself (or buy outright; electric residents of Visitacion Valley, Excelsior, and the bikes here in April, so JUMP Bikes won’t be backgrounds on mental health, homelessness, public
bikes can cost thousands). But the most exhil- Avenues won’t fi nd any bikes for miles. On top the only electric bikeshare in town for long. safety, youth advocacy, and cultural awareness to make
arating feature is the thrill of cruising at 15 to of that, JUMP asks that you only lock the bikes But those electric capabilities and ability to recommendations on training and keep in line with
20 miles per hour while barely pedaling. on racks within a prescribed operating area — operate without a docking station makes them California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act.
“You’re able to easily get up the hills of San that covers less than half of the city. the most useful company to JUMP on the bike- So riders with racist rants are unlikely to go viral a
Francisco,” Rzepecki says. “You can go longer “We still have a lot of ground to cover,” says share bandwagon. second time, and that couple who fi lmed an amatuer
distances, you can get to work wearing busi- JUMP Community Outreach Coordinator Me- sex tape on BART in 2013 are prohibited from doing
ness clothes and not arrive in a sweat.” aghan Mitchell. “We have connected with most Joe Kukura is an SF Weekly contributor. so again. If you report someone misbehaving on BART,
Brooklyn’s JUMP Bikes now operates in of the southeast sector of San Francisco, as well chances are they won’t reoff end.
about 40 cities, but they’re especially well-suit- as the Mission and Tenderloin. But I intend to [email protected] | @ExercisingDrunk
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