If you've driven through the Richmond or Western Addition in the last few months, you've probably seen him — an older white guy in his 50s or 60s, sunglasses on, preaching about... something. Nobody seems entirely sure what his message is, but his actions speak volumes.

One SF resident shared a story that pretty much says it all: "This guy got in front of a car that was about to hit me, made them stop, told me to walk through and winked at me. He is good in my books. Not sure what his bit is but maybe he is a super hero for pedestrians."

Another local noted that when car wrecks happen — at least once in FiDi and once along Van Ness — the cowboy hat guy has been spotted directing traffic "until someone official shows up, if they do at all." Let that last part sink in.

San Francisco spends eye-watering sums on pedestrian safety initiatives, Vision Zero plans, and traffic calming infrastructure that takes years to install and sometimes makes things worse. Meanwhile, one shirtless man in a stars-and-stripes cape is out there bodily inserting himself between distracted drivers and vulnerable pedestrians — including, reportedly, an elderly dog and its owner — for free.

As one local put it, "It's not San Francisco if there's no random character yelling in the street." Fair. But it's also very San Francisco that a random street character is filling a gap in basic public safety that our bloated municipal government can't seem to close despite a $14 billion annual budget.

We're not saying defund the SFMTA and replace them with cowboys. But we're not not saying that either. The man clearly has a schedule, a beat, and a commitment to the bit that would put most city employees to shame.

Godspeed, Cowboy Cape Guy. This city doesn't deserve you, but it sure needs you.