Flickr.com Photo under CC Licence / By NileGuide.com

By TIM JUE
Beat Staff Writer

Opponents of bans on alcohol, floats and nudity at this year’s Bay to Breaker’s run in San Francisco declared victory after meeting with city and race officials who agreed to a compromise that effectively rescinded the controversial prohibitions.

The revised race policies include the return of floats to the race route — so long as they aren’t used to transport alcohol, the easing of an outright ban on nudity, and a limited ban on alcoholic beverages.

Race officials said that San Francisco Police officers will confiscate kegs and glass bottles of beer during the race, and those who exhibited public drunkenness would be dealt with accordingly. But the level of enforcement on the alcohol issue appeared to go from a zero-tolerance approach to one that ordered law enforcement to single out only the most egregious offenders.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and the race General Manager Angela Fang hailed the compromise as a “win-win” for both parties.

“We are pleased to have worked with the race organizers, neighborhood leaders, City Staff, and supporters of the race to ensure that the fun aspects of the race are preserved while protecting our neighborhoods and ensuring the safety of race participants and citizens of San Francisco,” Newsom said in a written statement supplied by race organizers.

The intense public outrage at the regulations implemented in early February in response to a wild 2008 footrace that saw garbage strewn all over the race route and blatant public intoxication turned into an online social movement soon after the changed were announced.

A handful of Facebook groups sprung up, and online petitions went online calling for prospective race participants to vent their frustration by submitting their signatures and posting messages about why the new rules would destroy the character of the zany event.

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

The group Citizens for the Preservations of Bay2Breakers saw 25,000 members joining their cause to rescind the bans. Earlier this week, when negotiations between group leaders and race organizers appeared to be at a stalemate, the opposing group called for a boycott of race registration — where race participants pay a $40+ fee to run or walk the event.

“We won a great victory today,” Edward Sharpless, the point-man of the group, said in a statement. “We were successful at getting the zero-tolerance bans on floats, nudity and alcohol lifted, and San Franciscan’s can once again enjoy this great celebration of our city.”

While he hailed today’s developments as a win for his group, he urged race participants to avoid a repeat of last year’s race debacle where intoxicated racers ended up using shrubs and doorsteps as toilets. He said that there will be more porta-potties along the race route this year to avoid such instances.

“We will also be strongly encouraging race registration and an edict of responsibility amongst participants with regard to their behavior and it’s impact on others and the community on race day,” he said.

This year’s race takes place on May 17. Runners will start the 12K race at the Embarcadero in the South of Market area, cut through the Panhandle area through Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach.

Upwards of 65,000 people ran in last year’s race — it’s unknown whether city officials believe that the implementation and now — the rescinding — of the bans will impact race registration figures this year.

What are the revised policies?

• Shared enforcement of city ordinances regarding alcohol. Anyone publically drinking alcohol or displaying public drunkenness on or along the race course will be subject to the laws of California. Race organizers will coordinate with the San Francisco Police Department to proactively remove kegs and glass bottles of alcohol from the race course.
• Wheeled objects and floats will be permitted on the course, with new provisions for safety. Wheeled objects and floats owners must register and start at the race starting line behind all runners and walkers. There will be no charge for floats, but the participants who carry or use them must register at www.ingbaytobreakers.com. Wheeled objects and floats cannot be motorized and may not be used to transport or store alcohol. Float owners are directed to act responsibly toward the environment and dispose of their floats in dumpsters along the route near the end of the race.
• In addition, race organizers, along with city officials, strongly urge participants to register for this year’s race. Registration fees pay for the necessary infrastructure – including portable toilets and dumpsters – to ensure a safe, clean race course for participants and spectators alike. Early registration and group discounts are available at www.ingbaytobreakers.com as well as instructions on entering floats in the race.

– Source: ING Bay to Breakers, SF Mayor’s Office