How to drive up steep hills in SF?

[jman650]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

I lived over there for 13 years. It does get backed up but I never had to "shift into gear and then shift out again, wait to come to a complete stop again, and then repeat". I give it gas, clutch out, roll, clutch in, break but no shifting in and out of gear and no waiting to come to a complete stop.

As an alternative, if John Daly is backed up you can just take South Mayfair by turning off at Forest Grove. That will allow you to get past the traffic leading up to Poncetta. You still have to deal with the traffic on the overpass though.

Haha good suggestion. I actually do that now whenever I have the foresight. Or I'll take Lake Merced to Brotherhood and get on the freeway at Alemany & San Jose. But sometimes I underestimate the traffic and get caught in that John Daly nightmare. I think its probably worse now than it used to be. I don't remember it ever happening until about a year or so ago.

[ImRandy]

Yeah, I'm not sure why that stretch has gotten more traffic over the last few years. It's not like there was anywhere for them to build more houses and they certainly didn't add anything new and exciting to the Westlake Shopping Center. Perhaps there are more people renting out rooms in their homes so they can afford the ridiculous mortgages they took out.

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by ImRandy

Yeah, I'm not sure why that stretch has gotten more traffic over the last few years. It's not like there was anywhere for them to build more houses and they certainly didn't add anything new and exciting to the Westlake Shopping Center. Perhaps there are more people renting out rooms in their homes so they can afford the ridiculous mortgages they took out.

I think you are right on. My grandparents live on 87th and it is crazy traffic over there.

The steepest hill I ever lived on was 16th st at castro. It's a dead end and it's a killer.