St. Patrick's Day Drunks Beware: Cops Urge You To Take Muni -- Or Else

The SFPD would prefer your St. Pat's Day plans include public transit...

​Even as the governor spat on a plan that would have brought $36 million to Muni, the beleaguered transit service did get a boost -- a traffic cop has urged city inebriates to patronize the service. That's got to be worth something.

"San Francisco is such a transit-friendly city that no one has even the beginnings of an excuse to drive drunk on St. Patrick's Day or any other," said Traffic Sergeant Neil Swendesen of the San Francisco Police Department in an announcement regarding beefed-up DUI enforcement on St. Patrick's Day. "Just make plans well before you go out, because alcohol clouds everyone's good judgment."

Swendsen certainly made plans well before he went out today -- he'll be leading a troop of motorcycle cops on a "saturation patrol" for St. Patrick's Day drunks from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. 

If staggering drunkenly onto Muni or BART isn't your thing, personal injury lawyer William Berg continues his blend of altruism and self-promotion by funding cab rides home for the tipsy on alcohol-related holidays (New Year's, St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Halloween).

If you're in the East Bay, dial Veterans Cab at (800) 281-4488; if you're in the city, call Luxor at (415) 282-4141. Tell the driver that "it's on Berg Lawyers."

As in the past, due to supply and demand -- and Berg not wanting to be taken for the figurative ride -- the lawyer will not fund your ride from San Francisco to the East Bay. Denizens of Oakland, Berkeley, and other East Bay cities boozing it up in the city will have to fund their own trips home.

In prior years, however, one could take a cab from the East Bay to San Francisco on Berg's dime. We've called the firm to see if that's still the case -- and will adjust our St. Patrick's Day plans accordingly as soon as we have an answer for you.

Update: 8:55 a.m. -- San Franciscans boozing it up in the East Bay, today's your lucky day. Berg's firm confirms that you can sill take a cab from the East Bay to the city on the company's dime. Cheers!