Is San Francisco still bad?

Is San Francisco still bad?

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Discussion

mattman

Original Poster:

3,178 posts

229 months

Monday 3rd July 2023
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Planning g a bit of a road trip for later this year, starting around vancover and ending up in LA.

Would like to see the sights in San Francisco but have heard its not a great place to visit at the moment due to drugs and homeless - is it really that bad?
Should it be avoided altogether or just certain places?

Thanks in advance

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

254 months

Monday 3rd July 2023
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I watched something this weekend that said it was a disaster. City is a no go

marksx

5,118 posts

197 months

Monday 3rd July 2023
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Nothing much to add but I remember this thread from not too long ago:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Shaw Tarse

31,674 posts

210 months

Dblue

3,266 posts

207 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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Well , weather apart, not especially problematic when we went in March.
Though we didn't do Union Square through a lack of time.

belleair302

6,920 posts

214 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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Yes if downtown or in tourist areas. Was talking to a fiend who lives there over the weekend and some areas are grim. A shame but as many have said they voted in the politicians.

Motorman74

432 posts

28 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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When we were looking into going, it was pretty clear that it's not somewhere you want to have a car.

a) it's very expensive to park
b) it's very likely to be broken into - https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/sf-car-breaki...


Whataguy

1,029 posts

87 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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Check out the 'yellow productions San Francisco ' videos on YouTube, he has one on security plus recent travel updates.

MrAndyW

517 posts

155 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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I wrote this on the other thread, Went first 2 weeks of May this year.

Had a great 3 nights in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago. Just like any other city in the world it’s got its good and bad bits. We stayed at Fisherman’s Wharf and drove round in a convertible mustang with the roof down all the time. Walked around during the day and evening. Never felt threatened or intimidated.
Kept out of tenderloin area as that is supposed to be bad. Saw a couple of homeless people. But probably less than I’ve seen in the likes of Leeds,Sheffield and other big towns or cities.
Just everywhere stinks of weed.

mattman

Original Poster:

3,178 posts

229 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
quotequote all
Thanks all - it's unlikely we will back that way for a while, so seems ashame to miss some of the sights. Just need to keep aware like parts of London etc.

MrAndyW

517 posts

155 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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mattman said:
Thanks all - it's unlikely we will back that way for a while, so seems ashame to miss some of the sights. Just need to keep aware like parts of London etc.


Exactly. Like I said just the same as any other city in the world. Enjoy

gotoPzero

18,168 posts

196 months

Tuesday 4th July 2023
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My xp. (Dec 2021)

Hotel under 24/7 police protection.

Glass everywhere on the car parks - they don't bother to sweep it up.

Grown men sh*tting in the middle of the street at 10am.

Be aware that the roads in and out of the city are toll and its online payment only and you will need all info about your vehicle as they use ANPR.

Our car was broken into but not in SF - we were about 60 miles outside SF.

Total PITA all the windows smashed. Lost a day of our holiday.

Overall SF was ok, but other than GGB (an hour) and Alcatraz (half day) there is not a lot to see.

Pier 39 (an hour), drive down Lombard St (3 minutes) and go into the down town to get a cable car (2 hr wait for 10 minute ride) honestly I did not think there was much else.

Oh, oh, and everything is insanely expensive. For me the GGB was the main attraction, and it was worth it to say I have been but I wont be going back.

Enjoy!!



Irish_Stu

347 posts

201 months

Wednesday 5th July 2023
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Was there last august and had a great time, no issues

Greenmantle

1,459 posts

115 months

Wednesday 5th July 2023
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Was stopped (middle of the day) at lights going down 101 with Tenderloin on my right.
Grey bearded man walked up to the passenger window which was open and showed us something written on a piece of cardboard.

"www.loosechange.com"

made us all smile and we duly gave him some loose change!

That was July 3rd 1999.
It is sad to see what San Fran has now become.

lemmingjames

7,541 posts

211 months

Wednesday 5th July 2023
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Remember that everything under 1000 usd is free each time you go shopping

Watching something about the RV invasion of Cali, you might want to stay out of the water near the storm drain discharge area

Panamax

5,066 posts

41 months

Wednesday 5th July 2023
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mattman said:
Planning g a bit of a road trip for later this year, starting around vancover and ending up in LA.
Have you fully considered the implications of renting a car in one country and returning it in another? Check it out carefully because you might not like the answer.

An alternative is to do Vancouver without a car at all.

Then fly down to Seattle (avoiding potential border complications at a ground crossing) and rent a car for your US road trip.

mattman

Original Poster:

3,178 posts

229 months

Wednesday 5th July 2023
quotequote all
Panamax said:
Have you fully considered the implications of renting a car in one country and returning it in another? Check it out carefully because you might not like the answer.

An alternative is to do Vancouver without a car at all.

Then fly down to Seattle (avoiding potential border complications at a ground crossing) and rent a car for your US road trip.
Ah yes, been around that loop - we're actually flying into seattle, and driving up,to Vancouver to see family before coming back down. Was the easiest option and no issues taking the car over the border

Fluffsri

3,219 posts

203 months

Thursday 6th July 2023
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if Vancouver hasn't changed in the last 5 years, its no different to be honest, Vancouver is full of homeless and I did see lots of evidence of drug use.

Crumpet

4,059 posts

187 months

Thursday 6th July 2023
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Vancouver is one of my favourites but you can literally cross a road and it be full of junkies. If you take a diagonal route back to your hotel off the main routes you can quite easily wander into a dodgy area. That being said, they were so off their tits that I’ve never felt threatened there and they don’t seem to venture beyond their own area - it’s like they know the police would arrest them if they did and leave them to it if they don’t. Anyway, they’re Canadian, so even if they mugged you they’d at least be polite! Best burger I’ve had in the world is at ‘Per Se’ - amazing and I go every time I’m there.

San Francisco is fine, I was there for five days last November and covered 100km on foot. Yes there’s broken car glass everywhere, yes there are homeless drug addicts stting in the street but again it’s fine as long as you’re sensible at night and carry no valuables.

If you think the UK is rapidly declining then you’ll find California takes it to another level!

TTmonkey

20,911 posts

254 months

Thursday 6th July 2023
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Crumpet said:
San Francisco is fine, I was there for five days last November and covered 100km on foot. Yes there’s broken car glass everywhere, yes there are homeless drug addicts stting in the street but again it’s fine as long as you’re sensible at night and carry no valuables.

If you think the UK is rapidly declining then you’ll find California takes it to another level!
Not my idea of ‘fine’.


OP just google the San Francisco drugs crisis.