Walking down 24th Street in Noe Valley is almost
always
interesting, and on weekends it can sometimes be quite a show.
The sidewalks
are filled with groups heading for a meal, toddlers riding in
strollers, dogs
tethered to parking meters or walking with their owners, young
children
scampering around and asking a lot of questions, people
carrying their sacks
full of groceries, and much more. Living in the neighborhood,
I usually see a
few people I know when I walk down our main street and I often
stop and talk.
There is, however, one concern I have about our
bustling street.
And that relates to safety.
I began to observe more detail on 24th Street
after a tethered
Labrador retriever snapped at me at the entrance to Whole
Foods. He was tied
close to the entrance, looking kind of lonely, and I foolishly
tried to pat him
on top of his head. The click of teeth came quickly after my
hand movement, and
I was reminded of the fact that he probably perceived me as
trying to show
dominance and he might have been fearful. But whatever he
thought, I was
reminded not to approach a strange dog with a pat on the head.
I knew that
already, but this reinforced my behaving in a smarter fashion,
just like a
recent street-cleaning ticket strengthened remembering the
restrictions.
This personal episode made me more aware of the
other dog/human
interactions on 24th Street and I quickly found that I was
most concerned with
what went on between children and dogs. I was seeing small
children walking up
to tethered dogs who had no owner around, walking up quickly
and trustingly to
get to pet these desirable creatures. Sometimes the dog owner
was present and
would help to decide what was reasonable behavior for the
child with that
particular dog. “She’s an old dog and sometimes she’s cranky.”
For a very
friendly dog, “Watch out, you are going to get a big wet
kiss!” Or, the dog was
a small wriggling puppy who simply turned his belly up for
attention and there
was no monitoring required at all.
Working in an emergency room as a physician over
many years, I
have seen a lot of dog bites and I am a strong supporter of
prevention. Being
bitten by a dog is a bad experience for an adult, but much
worse for a child,
as it can instill a lifelong fear of animals.
There are some simple rules that help to prevent
dog bites and
these can easily be taught to children (and adults). The
American Veterinary
Medical Association (AVMA) offers these suggestions:
Stay calm around dogs. Don’t yell or run away.
Ask before you pet. Don’t pet a dog whose owner
is not around.
Approach a dog slowly and carefully.
Let the dog sniff your hand before you pet it.
Even if a dog is wagging its tail, it might not
be friendly.
Do not let dogs get close to your face.
Never chase or tease a dog.
Never try to take a toy away from a dog.
Never try to pet a dog through a fence.
Let a dog alone while it is sleeping or eating.
In addition, the AVMA is hosting this year’s
National Dog Bite
Prevention Week, May 20–26. As part of its safety campaign,
the AVMA has a
bilingual dog bite prevention coloring book on its website.
(Go to http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/default.asp.) One
copy can be
printed out for free and is an easy way to help a child learn
safety skills.
And this will help adults also!
Pam Hemphill, M.D.
Hill Street
Harry Steps in Need of Repair
(Addressed to the Honorable Edwin Lee, Mayor)
Editor:
I wish to draw your attention to the decrepit
condition of the
Harry Street steps, which are virtually an extension of Noe
Street, rising from
Laidley up to Beacon Street.
These, mostly wooden steps are dangerous. Many of
the steps are
rotten. Recently, one collapsed beneath me, and I fell,
injuring a shoulder. In
places, the handrail has disintegrated, while at the lower end
of the steps
there has never been a handrail. This is a clear violation of
city code, and a
violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I know that in the past there has been a dispute
between the City
and the homeowners along the street as to who is responsible
for repairs to the
steps. In this regard, Harry Street is signposted as any other
street and
appears as such on city maps. Many people use the steps daily,
not only the
adjacent homeowners, but service and postal workers, and for
pleasure and exercise.
Furthermore, the steps are an attraction
described in domestic and
foreign guidebooks. It is not unusual for them to be visited
by as many as 20
or 30 tourists on architectural, or horticultural, tours at
one time. Should
there be a catastrophic collapse of the steps under the weight
of so many
people, the City would face multiple million-dollar lawsuits.
It is only prudent that the City become aware of
its present
negligence, and repair the Harry Street steps in a timely
manner.
The Noe Valley Voice is an
independent newspaper
published monthly except in January and August. It is
distributed free in Noe
Valley and vicinity, on or before the first Friday of the
month. Subscriptions are available at $30 per year ($25
for seniors) by
writing to the above address.
The Voice welcomes your letters,
photos, and stories,
particularly on topics relating to Noe
Valley. All items should include your name, address, and phone
number, and may
be edited for brevity or clarity. (Unsigned letters will not
be considered for
publication.) Unsolicited contributions will be returned only
if accompanied by a self-addressed,
stamped envelope.
The Noe Valley Voice is a member
of the San
Francisco Neighborhood Newspaper Association.
Display Advertising Deadline for the May
Issue: April 18, 2012
Editorial/Class Ad Deadline: April 15, 2012
CO-PUBLISHERS/EDITORS
Sally Smith, Jack Tipple
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND
EDITORS
Olivia Boler, Other Voices Editor
Corrie M. Anders, Associate Editor
Heather World, Associate Editor
Heidi Anderson, Karol Barske, Helen Colgan,
Chrissy Elgersma, Jan
Goben, Liz Highleyman, Rebecca Huval, Laura McHale Holland,
Florence Holub, Tim
Innes, Jeff Kaliss, Doug Konecky, Pat Rose, Roger Rubin,
Shayna Rubin, Karen
Topakian, Nicole Wong
