San Francisco has enacted a program called “CurbTXT” that allows anyone on the street with a cell phone to text a vehicle owner alerting them to parking or vehicle issues.
Vehicle owners who are interested in joining the program simply log on to CurbTXT and register their cell phone number and license plate. Once in the system, vehicle owners are encouraged to pick up and place on the back of their vehicle the free CurbTXT sticker. The sticker informs good samaritans of the vehicle owner’s involvement in the CurbTXT program.
The idea behind CurbTXT is that should someone on the street see a car with its lights on or with an expired parking meter, the passerby can send an anonymous text to the vehicle owner, alerting them to the issue.
Texts are routed through the CurbTXT system and are sent anonymously. Passersby need not enroll in the system to send an anonymous note but vehicle owners will need to register to receive these helpful texts.
CurbTXT seems like a great idea for a modern-day utopia. Do-gooders happily wandering the streets, helping out their fellow man seems great. We worry, however, few texts will actually be helpful or constructive. Many, we fear, will be angry and mean-spirited. We’ve seen the vile interactions that have stemmed from Internet-based anonymity and fear it could spill into CurbTXT.
We also wonder if CurbTXT will be used for trying to meet attractive vehicle owners. See an attractive woman with a CurbTXT sticker on the back of her car; why not let her know that you fancy her with a nice anonymous text?
Perhaps we’re too jaded, or lonely, or both. Maybe CurbTXT will be used for good instead of creepiness. If you’d like to learn more or if you live in the San Francisco area and would like to enroll, be sure and visit CurbTXT website.
