San Francisco has been mourning the death of Kitkat, a beloved feline who died after being hit by a walmo robotaxi last week.
KitKat set up Rande’s market counters on 16th street, next to the ROXIE Theater in the Machine District. KitKat was first introduced on the store’s Instagram page six years ago, quickly winning the hearts of customers. He was not a loyal or suspicious cat – he could be seen playing with human hoodie drawings; snoozing in front of the shelves with bottles of alcohol; Inside a cardboard box marked with his name; greeting the neighbors’ dogs; Even dressing up as Santa Claus.
He shot to fame during the first year of the covid-19 pandemic. Not only did he post on the account @bodegacacatstoffofinstagragram (now with more than 500,000 followers), but he also managed to be mentioned in a news story about the beloved shop cats. “The atmosphere in the store definitely changed after KitKat arrived,” Daniel Zeidan, son of the store’s owner, told SFGate. Not only did he get customers from customers, but he also “recently” brought him a blanket to keep him warm in the winter. “
Recently, he was caught sleeping on his heating pad.
He was even seen at the Bar next door, Dalva, where his arrival sounded as if “the President had already arrived, doing his rounds, cursing his hands and crying to everyone,” said one fascinating view.
But he was killed by them at 11:40 PM on Oct. 27 just outside the market, Mission Local reported. Two witnesses, speaking anonymously, told stories that they had just left Dalva and saw a KitKat sitting in front of my driveway seven seconds later. Then the cat went under the car, towards the side of the road, as the car was moving away. The rear wheel tire ran over KitKat, the website said.
“It was a bad idea,” one of the Witnesses told local operations.
KitKat, 9, was a hit with many customers at Randa’s Market in San Francisco.
(Nick Escobar)
Another driver saw the Waymo stop and told the local mission that he thought the robotaxi was driving faster than expected for a person walking on a busy street. “Neighbors killed baby,” a comment on the City’s 311 website said shortly after the collision.
A bartender from a nearby bar, delirium, kitkat rushed to the hospital vet, where he was pronounced dead, according to the Local Mission.
The cat was 9 years old, the San Francisco Standard reported.
“We are sad,” said Randa’s market on Instagram. “He brings warmth, smiles, and comfort to everyone who walks through our doors…. The store wouldn’t be the same without his little walking passes.”
Kitkat was a beloved presence on 16th street in San Francisco.
(Randa’s Market)
One mute, in response to the post, called KitKat “The Best City Bodega Cat anyone could ask for. Her requests for pets were meant to be there, even if we missed out on some love and affection and neighbors.”
In a statement, Waymo said: “We looked into this, and while our vehicle was stopped to pick up passengers, a nearby cat walked under our vehicle as it pulled over.
“We send our deepest sympathies to the cat’s owner and the community that knew and loved him, and will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor,” the statement said. “The trust and safety of the communities we serve is of the utmost importance to us.”
KitKat was friendly with many customers at Rande’s Market in San Francisco’s Mission District. KitKat was killed by walmo on Oct. 27.
(Randa’s Market)
Waymo has run into the pet before. News outlets in 2023 reported on waymo impressing and killing a small off-leash dog in Bayview’s Bayview-hunting neighborhood; In that case, the test driver was in the car, but the car was in a self-driving mode.
In one call, Waymo narrowly avoided running a dog run in Santa Monica in May. An 8-year-old Labrador mix, Trevor, escaped from his owner’s yard and ran onto the road in front of the waymo, which was suddenly crushed, KCAL-TV said. The station broadcasts video of the near collision. The dog was unrestrained, and his owner praised the quick action of the car.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles received reports of 884 collisions involving autonomous vehicles in 2014.
Waymo Robotaxi in Downtown Los Angeles in September.
(Gary Coronado / Periodicals)
Waymo, owned by Google’s parent, Alphabet, has been expanding its footprint in California. Robotaxis – jaguar jaguar paces – do not use a human driver and can be appreciated in the application in San Francisco and a swath of Northern San Mateo County, including Daly City, San Bruno and Burlilingilingling. They are also found in parts of Silicon Valley and surrounding areas, including mountain view, los altos, Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
In Los Angeles County, Waymos can be found in parts of Central LA, South LA, and the Westside, including Downtown LA, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and Inglewood.
Self-driving cars are also available in Phoenix.
