Consumerist
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zipcar
Zipcar Launches iPhone App With Magical Car Unlocking Powers
The San Fran/NY-servicing Zipcar car sharing service has finally launched their iPhone app. Besides the expected seamless reservation system, it has a pretty sweet extra feature: It turns your iPhone into a keyfob capable of locking and unlocking your car, and honking its horn. Not owning a car just got awesomer.
ZipCar turns your iPhone into a virtual keyfob! [IntoMobile]
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nifty
Pizzeria Employees Wear T-Shirts With Quotes From Nasty Yelp Reviews
Here's a little bit of brilliance — a pizzeria in San Francisco has taken quotes from nasty 1 star reviews on Yelp! and make them into t-shirts for their employees to wear. We love this. More » -
lawsuits
Chiropractor Sues Patient Over Negative Yelp Review
Chris Norberg left a negative review on Yelp after he got into a billing dispute with chiropractor Steven Biegel. Instead of quietly fuming like most people who get bad reviews on Yelp do, Biegel sued Norberg for defamation. Can you really sue someone for a negative online review? More » -
bad consumer
How "Serial Evictees" Game A System Meant To Protect Renters From Abuse
There's nothing we dislike more than people who scam a system put in place to protect vulnerable consumers from abuse, but the sad fact is that they do exist. SF Weekly has an article that tracks the exploits of a serial evictee, a "renter" who leases apartments with no intention of paying rent, and then games the system in order to stay rent free for as long as possible. More » -
San Francisco MOMA
Despite What Their Website Says, Taking Pictures In San Francisco's Museum Of Modern Art Is Cause For Ejection
Thomas Hawk was "forcibly thrown out" of San Francisco's Museum of Modern Art for taking photos in an area where photography is expressly allowed. Hawk had recently purchased a family membership to MOMA in no small part because of a policy change that permitted photography. When he arrived and started snapping away, he was approached by the director of visitor relations, Simon Blint... More » -
falsies
Tony Roma Corporate Responds To Shrinking Beer Complaint
Tony Roma corporate sent Alex the following response to his complaint over being sold a 16 oz beer and getting a 14 oz beer instead: More »
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falsies
Tony Roma's, Where 16oz = 14oz
UPDATE: Tony Roma Corporate Responds To Shrinking Beer Complaint
Alex and his friend went to Tony Roma's, a casual dining place known for its ribs, and got a little twinge in their torso when they realized that the "16 ounce" beer they were served came in a 14 ounce glass. The glass was just as tall as a normal glass, but it had a thicker bottom, making it hold less. These glasses are known as "falsies." The friends might not have noticed the difference except that Alex's buddy got his beer served in a normal glass and Alex got the thick-bottomed one. They conducted experiments involving pouring water between the different glasses and concluded that yes, Alex got 2 ounces less. When they complained, the manager said, "who said we served pints?" and said it was policy to only serve beer in 14 ounce glasses, and soda in 16 ounce glasses. Which might have been ok, except when the waiter first took their order, he specifically asked whether they would like 16 ounces or 23 ounces. 16 is not 14. Alex's letter, inside... More »
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identity theft
University Of California Hospital Publicizes 6,000 Patient Records While Mining For Prospective Donors
The University of California's non-profit medical center accidentally exposed 6,000 patient records as part of their continuing effort to hunt for prospective donors. The "large and very significant data breach" was caused by UCSF's data miner, Target America, which received details on almost 40,000 patients. More » -
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landlords
The Worst Landlords In The World
If you thought your landlord was bad, check out this story. This San Francisco couple is facing several felony counts after conducting a campaign of terror against its tenants in an effort to get them to to leave the building. The crazy things they did include:- Cutting a giant hole in one renter's floor
- Breaking into a tenant's apartment and pouring ammonia on their clothes, bedding, and electronics
- Cutting the support beams to a renter's apartment
- Illegally entering a renter's apartment and dismantling their furniture
- Turning off the water,power, and electricity to tenant's apartments
S.F. landlords charged with tenant terror [SF Gate] (Thanks to Paul!)
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followups
Comcast Apologizes For Tech's Van Blocking Driveway
Frank Eliason from Comcast Executive Customer Service provided the following statement regarding the San Fransican whose Comcast cable service mysteriously shut off 10 minutes after asking a tech to move his van from in front of his driveway: More » -
arbitration
Arbitration Mill Sued By San Francisco
A San Francisco attorney has sued the National Arbitration Forum for being biased towards credit companies and ignoring consumer rights.
In 2004, the suit alleges, California resident Elizabeth Marcotte was hit with a $25,0000 award, plus $10,000 in attorneys' fees, in a credit-card collection case. But Ms. Marcotte allegedly wasn't notified about the arbitration, because she was served at an old address, even though she had notified the credit-card company of her new address. The NAF awarded the attorneys' fees without requiring proof that the debt collector actually incurred the fees, according to the suit. Ms. Marcotte wasn't reached for comment.
NAF is the same company that once decided that a 61-year-old identity theft victim owed $46,000 to a bank she never actually did business with.In another credit-card collection case, the NAF allegedly entered an award against California resident John Sheakley, without responding to his request to appear at a hearing and explain why he didn't owe the purported debt to a bank that was a predecessor of FIA Card Services.
San Francisco Sues Provider of Arbitrators [WSJ via U.S. PIRG Consumer Blog] -
menugate
San Francisco Orders Restaurants To Display Calorie Information, Industry Laughs
San Francisco passed a resolution last week requiring chain restaurants to display calorie information on their menus, but the industry couldn't care less. They will continue fattening us up like gingerbread cash-cows, regardless of whatever regulations pitiful municipalities hurl their way. More » -
What the hell? The Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Corn Refiners Association (representing the producers of high-fructose corn syrup) actually agree on something. Both the CSPI and the CRA have sent a joint letter to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, objecting to a proposed tax that would only apply to soft drinks sweetened with HFCS. The CSPI and the CRA both agree, "the idea that high-fructose corn syrup is more harmful than sugar is an "urban myth." [CSPI]
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unruly
Unruly Passenger Forces JetBlue Flight To Make Unscheduled Landing
An unidentified passenger is being questioned by the Denver police department after his unruly behavior forced a JetBlue flight from New York to San Francisco to land at DIA. More » -
travel
The Best Alternate Airports In America
Flying to one of America's numerous satellite airports can be faster and easier than charging into a congestion clogged airport that suffers delays on the sunniest days. Travel guru Peter Greenberg and his staff compiled a list of unlikely airports that can save you from the long lines and endless waits that plague traveler's nightmares. More » -
Craigslist, Netflix and several other websites are down following six successive power outages in San Fran's SOMA 'hood. [Boing Boing]
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real estate
Heat Map Of Rental Prices Based On Craiglist Listings
In a project born out of "boredom" and an experience with a landlord that was facing foreclosure due to gambling on an ARM, grad student Ethan Garner created CraigStatsSF, a site that visualizes craiglist San Francisco rental listings. He writes:As I started looking for places, I noticed everything that used to be for rent was now for sale due to the same foreclosure effect that happened to my landlord.
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supply and demand
Shell Station Owner Raises Gas Prices In Protest Against Shell
Shell station owner Bob Oyster is selling regular gas for over $4, but he's not price gouging. He's protesting Shell. What? From the San Francisco Chronicle: More »
san francisco
New York, 2:33 PM
Tue Nov 10
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