The real Bay Area lifestyle (Truckee: gated, taxi, live in)

[LostVector]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

I think we agree on most points. The bit about more expensive areas of SF being better served by transit and that being a trade-off is exactly the point I was making. I live on Russian Hill, which is both well located and well served by public transit. The car is for my wife to commute to work and for weekend runs to Wine Country, Santa Cruz, etc. I am well aware of the parking expense, but was fortunate enough to get a nice break on a space due to my small car's ability to fit in a space in the basement of my building.

Anectodally, I think cars are a bigger deal in terms being fashion statements on the Peninsula and up in Marin, than they are in the rest of the Bay Area. I do see exotics in SF from time to time, but this is not the "car culture" that I saw in Houston. Just my take, though.

Lucky on the car parking. All new condos are being built with 0.5 cars per unit (transit first meaning cars last), so having a car is going to be increasingly painful if you don't have a spot already.

There just isn't much room for fancy cars here ... parking is a contact sport and you ride up and down hills and very close to other cars. Most people probably don't have a private two car garage to keep both the beater car and the expensive one. And where can you really open it up in SF anyway?

Down in San Jose, they run Cars and Caffeine and one can get a full helping of fancy cars there ... there's just more space to congregate and go for a nice drive.

It is somewhat magical to have such a variety of different events, scenery and cultures so densely packed together. I love Las Vegas for similar reasons, even if it is a bit artificial there.

People actively trade some of that indoor space and castle building you see in suburbia for the urban bustle and outdoor life here. It's very unique and different ... I don't want to say better, but it's certainly more expensive on an apples to apples basis. The nice thing is one can still control for costs by trimming to the essentials if having that urban variety lifestyle is a priority.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

I think we agree on most points. The bit about more expensive areas of SF being better served by transit and that being a trade-off is exactly the point I was making. I live on Russian Hill, which is both well located and well served by public transit. The car is for my wife to commute to work and for weekend runs to Wine Country, Santa Cruz, etc. I am well aware of the parking expense, but was fortunate enough to get a nice break on a space due to my small car's ability to fit in a space in the basement of my building.

Anectodally, I think cars are a bigger deal in terms being fashion statements on the Peninsula and up in Marin, than they are in the rest of the Bay Area. I do see exotics in SF from time to time, but this is not the "car culture" that I saw in Houston. Just my take, though.

Lol... Public transit in Russian hill will make bus service in third world countries look a lot more advanced
It's not like there is a subway or even a light rail.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

Lol... Public transit in Russian hill will make bus service in third world countries look a lot more advanced
It's not like there is a subway or even a light rail.

Within three blocks of my front door, there are stops for six Muni lines and three Golden Gate Transit lines, plus the Powell Hyde cable car line.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

Within three blocks of my front door, there are stops for six Muni lines and three Golden Gate Transit lines, plus the Powell Hyde cable car line.

Yes all running at 5 mph- might as well get on a horse buggy
I would rather drive the very well designed Houston freeways than riding a slow, ugly and filthy muni bus that is barely moving.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

Yes all running at 5 mph- might as well get on a horse buggy
I would rather drive the very well designed Houston freeways than riding a slow, ugly and filthy muni bus that is barely moving.

Me too!

Or be on my White Stallion (my motorcycle)

[dalparadise]

You both can have that. I walk 1 block to a Muni stop for a 12-13 minute ride that drops me off 1 block from my office. Even then, I much prefer the commute by cable car. It picks up 2 blocks from my apartment and drops off 2 blocks from my office.

[looking4home]

I think you're all nuts. California, both north and south, is horrific. The only thing it has going for it is the weather. And I'm sitting here in over 100 degree temps for the past several days with more to come, so you can have that, too.

There's more to life than drinking wine, but you wouldn't know it from this thread. This fanatical obsession with wine tasting - maybe such individuals fancy themselves as fine wine connoisseurs who will be called upon someday to render their expert opinion? My advice is to re-evaluate your preoccupation with alcoholic beverages and seek help, if necessary.

[TVC15]

Originally Posted by dalparadise

You both can have that..

Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Not ridden on but ridden by yourself in and throughout the city?

If you have not then you cannot include my experience with preferring to ride my White Stallion with your preference of walking and taking public transportation.

I have on many occasions used Bay Area public transportation, but I 100% prefer taking my White Stallion for a walk or run in the park.

[dalparadise]

Originally Posted by TVC15

Have you ever ridden a motorcycle? Not ridden on but ridden by yourself?

Yes, I have. I would love to get one again, but not as a commuter, only as weekender. My commute is too convenient to complicate it with a motorcycle. If I lived farther away, it would be preferable to Muni. This particular conversation was about lack of efficient public transportation in Russian Hill.

[dalparadise]

I rode one for a couple of years in Houston.