Castro Controversy: Tired of Tour Buses & Tourist Gawkers

[Charles Pearson]

"Many of them seem uncomfortable or shocked by their surroundings," Guite said. "You've got these throngs of people walking up and down Market and 18th, holding hands to make it clear that they are heterosexual."

Even the local merchants have had enough.

"They come in here, 15 or 20 at a time," said Sam Dughman, owner of Rossi's Deli for 31 years. "They look around, take a picture, and then they walk out. In the last three months I've sold one bottle of water. It is not worth having so much traffic. We're not a photo album."

The Castro residents don't want to ban tourists, but they would like to set some limits on tour buses, which have been parking in a Muni bus zone on Market just across the street from the Castro Theater. For some reason the curb is designated a "coach stop," not a bus stop. That means it is not painted red, so parking is allowed.

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