

GiveMeTap (YC W15): Free Water And Footfall Data For Stores, and It Helps Africa - thewaterguy
http://techcrunch.com/2015/03/20/yc-graduate-givemetap-offers-free-water-footfall-data-for-stores-and-helps-africa/

======
gergles
> San Francisco has now banned plastic water bottles at public events and
> spaces,

Wait, is this a joke? SF doesn't permit me to carry a plastic water in public?

Of course it's a joke (well, bad reporting from TechCrunch - I am shocked,
just shocked, to discover that) -- the actual restriction is that you can't
SELL new single-use single-serving plastic water bottles (below 21oz) _on city
property_. I wouldn't be surprised if this just 'gentrifies' bottled water
sellers in food trucks into only selling the 1L bottles for $5+ instead of
having more readily available smaller bottles.

~~~
shostack
Nope, it results in events like cirque du soliel selling cheap aluminum
reusable water bottles for $6 (with what is likely an insane margin) and
offering a fill-it-yourself water fountain.

Unless you brought your own it costs twice as much as a normal plastic water
bottle likely would, and you have to wait in TWO abysmally long and slow lines
to get your beverage vs one.

------
zhte415
A small piece of trivia: Pubs (an abbreviated form of 'Public House') in the
UK are required by law to serve the public, including non-customers, fresh
running water, as well as, allowing use of bathrooms, for free.

~~~
mc32
Most coffeshops in the US will gladly fill a water bottle with water. I've
done this too many time to remember. I've never been turned down. It's not
shopping and asking It's simply walking in and politely asking to have the
bottle filled.

This outfit makes it easier to get water from other kinds of merchants I guess
-the kind ho also have drinking water available.

------
matt4077
This reads like satire on how basic human interactions are repackaged for an
'increased consumer and retail value proposition'.

I can't wait for the app that "connects lost consumers with local geographic
knowledge in a sharing-economy-marketplace of ideas" aka asking for
directions.

------
kevinkimball
"Despite the growth in reusable water bottles, keeping them refilled is tough.
Ironically, consumers either end up buying a plastic bottle of water, are
forced to use a toilet to refill, or feel obliged to buy something from a
store before asking for a refill of water."

What?

~~~
lfowles
Sounds like incredibly bad phrasing. Being charitable, we can assume they
meant filling in a bathroom sink, not a toilet itself.

~~~
swatow
in the English speaking world outside the US, the "toilet" refers to the
entire bathroom, not the piece of porcelain. This also explains why "use the
toilet" is considered crude in the US but not outside. In the US it refers to
the physical act of defacating, but elsewhere it is equivalent to "go to the
bathroom"

------
tzs
For those who, like me, have no idea WTF that means, here is the full headline
from the story: YC Graduate GiveMeTap Offers Free Water And Footfall Data For
Stores, And It Helps Africa.

That exceeds HN headline limits, so the submitter had to try his hand at
headline writing.

~~~
tzs
Note: the title has been changed to be more descriptive. I'd delete my above
remark to reduce clutter, but it is too late.

It would be a cool feature to be able to mark a comment when you write it to
auto self delete if the title or link is changed or if the submission is
killed.

------
Animats
Now, a replacement for water fountains that requires a smartphone, an Internet
connection, and payments.

~~~
blfr
The app helps you find the fountains. It's not required to use them.

------
usaif
hmmm, interesting..

