How is driving in San Francisco/ Driving tips?

[clongirl]

Another tip for city driving is to look out for the pedestrians on your right when making a right turn. When I first moved to the city, I was not accustomed to people walking everywhere and I was not used to looking to the right when I made those turns. Also, those street cleaning signs are no joke- those meter maids will get you every time! Oh, and another tip I just thought of- when you are on a three lane one way street- like Bush or Pine, stay in the middle lane. There are always cars double parked on either side and I've always found it easier than getting stuck behind a non moving car/truck.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

The easy way to remember which direction to turn your wheels is to remember the Superman phrase they taught you in drivers ed. ... "Up, up and away!" This will always have your car rolling into the curb rather than the middle of the street if there's a problem with your parking break.

I drive a stick shift rear wheel drive pickup truck. My advice would apply to anyone who drives a similar vehicle. Avoid hills and trolley tracks after a light rain. You'll get limited traction going uphill once the oil is brought to the surface or the steel gets wet. The trolley tracks get especially slippery even with just a heavy fog.

When you're coming up to a stop on a hill, if possible go slow so you get to the stop sign without having to wait behind people. It'll save your clutch. You'll also add years to your clutch if you let the front wheels stop on the flat of the intersection rather than keeping the whole car on the hill.

Before you hit the steep hills, roll back a little at the stops on the less steep sections to let the driver behind you know you're in a stick so they'll give you room on the steep section. Some won't pay attention to this but most will get the clue and give you plenty of room on the really steep sections.

Since no one mentioned this I feel I absolutely have to. As you're driving around the Bay Area on the freeways please remember that, contrary to what you see, the #1 lane is for passing and driving FAST. If people are passing you on the right you are in the wrong lane!

I, too, drive a stick shift... and here's my hint for driving in the city. On hills where I have to stop, if I can, I let my car roll back a nice bit, so the car behind doesn't come right up on me. If someone gets too close, I freak and I'll stall it, but if I'm allowed a little breathing space, I'm always fine.

It doesn't bother me that the guy behind me thinks I'm an idiot who doesn't know how to drive a stick shift.

I try not to drive in the city, though... I was born and raised in a rather rural area and that's where I learned to drive. City streets have too much commotion for me... but give me a long windy lonely road and WATCH OUT!! Hell bent for leather....

[18Montclair]

Well, we have our traffic issues, but driving in big cities abroad is much more harrowing and stressful IMO.

My commute in Sao Paulo was horrendous and daunting. 40 solid miles of this.....gag me.

[Milliano]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Oh, but I do like your comment about patience, which is something I've REALLY been working on... I felt myself turning into a road-rager to a dangerous degree, and made it a New Year's resolution to relax & let things go while driving. I'm still aggressive enough to get around the city, but take a deep breath when someone starts getting to me - no more racing or cutting people off just to be a jerk!

Ahahaha... One thing that might help, if you ever can, is to use the moments of very low traffic and human risk for driving on edge. When there isn't really anyone around to hit, pedestrian or vehicle . That's how I try to go about it, and then I take it easy in significant traffic. Low traffic moments are fun to let out some energy. Sometimes I'm quite fast in significant traffic, but for me what works is being fast but courteous. Probably different for everyone but I've been finding myself more often in eye-rolling chuckle than anger when other drivers are being moronic and cutting me off, and I really like it this way! There are too many dangerous morons on the road, that it just seems like if you play their game, you lose even if you win.

Tallysmom I'm the same way. Country roads can be a blast!

[Hobart]

I just got back from visiting 10 days in Marin County. I drove into the city twice and went through to and from the airport as well. SF is easy driving. Unless you have never driven in any really large city, SF will seem like driving in the burbs. And the cops were never seen by me.

Some background on me, I live in Taipei, Taiwan a crowded congested city with agressive jerks and crazy rule breakers like the USA has never seen. I have been driving in Taipei for 10 years and am paranoid about the cops in the USA whenever I return because the cops actually give a damn in the USA whereas in Taiwan it is the chaotic wild wild west and I love it and hate it at the same time. Anyway, I speeded often on smaller streets, did some crazy stuff on the highway that I have never even attempted in Taiwan, and I hardly ever even saw any police the whole trip anywhere.

Two things I found, the lanes on the Golden Gate bridge, especially the inside lane coming into the city, is too narrow. A lot of the streets were really narrow. People are agressive, but I think most Americans are lead foot agressive drivers, just like me. Downtown, you got some streets there though that are so steep it scared my wife and when you get to the crest of the hill and you start to go down, it is exactly like the top of a scary roller coaster right after you finish clack clack clacking to the top of that first big drop. Or at the top of some killer ski slope. Kind of scary, but fun at the same time.

Any SF driving was pretty amatuer otherwise. New York City downtown and highways are worse, as are other large East coast cities. Don't be afraid of SF.