Is San Francisco a heavily crime-ridden city? (living in, restaurant)

[guy1]

Maybe I'm just expecting too much. I accept SF for what it is, or rather, I love what it has to offer, and leave it at that.

Going with friends to the awesomest events and restaurants is cool enough for me!

In a best of both worlds scenario, I'd be living in a somewhat smaller town with a warmer vibe and live in proximity to a larger town with world class epic resources.

But that's just me.

Hey, this thread is helping me clarify where I want to live! Nice!

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by guy1

The question for me is, does the sour vibe outweigh the magnificence of all the city has to offer? So far, no. But if the city's vibe were lighter rather than defensive, it would literally be a utopia.

I think it does! All the good restaurant and nice natural scenery is not a substitute for warmth and friendliness of people. Texas cities can be very ugly but walk into a restaurant and bar and you will immediately notice how happy people are and how much fun they are having. There is more to life than living in a gigantic tourist trap everyday!

Golden gate bridge might look majestic but it is also the top suicide spot in the world. So nice scenery does not necessarily bring out joy in people.

It is easy to ignore the negative vibe if you are just visiting. But if you live here, sooner or later it will affect you in a very negative way. Also if you are used to living in an area with modern infrastructure and quality housing, you will be very unhappy with SF.

[guy1]

Doesn't Houston have serious problems with gangs such as Vietnamese gangs?

And aren't Texans heavily armed and ready to shoot at the slightest offense?

I don't know man, I don't think any city in TX or SF qualifies as utopian.

But yeah, if people are generally upbeat that's a big plus.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by guy1

And aren't Texans heavily armed and ready to shoot at the slightest offense?

I lived in Texas for about a year and I would say no. Lots of people have guns but they won't "shoot you at the slightest offense".

Part of the reasons why they are so nice and polite lol is because many people are armed. Armed societies are police societies.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by guy1

What I don't get is why people are so tolerant, even encouraging of the patterns of behavior which they know or suspect will bring their community harm.

Are people in SF primarily bleeding heart liberals who can't stand to restrict the influx of homeless and intend to feed and minimally house them instead?

Are people in SF so tolerant of drug use because the high income residents were all once college students who indulged in drugs themselves and can't call for a crack down on distribution or use for fear of hypocrisy?

Do residents fear that a crackdown on crime encourages the growth and proliferation of "the pigs" or "the fuzz?"

Whenever I visit, I notice the people are not very friendly. They are not hostile, mind you, but they are certainly not friendly. They do not smile, their interactions tend to be curt, and they are eager to move along and for you to do the same, unless you are a long and trusted friend.

The city's resources are truly amazing, but this pervasive climate of suspicion and distance makes even the most well mannered and polite person in the city come off or across as a little sketchy.

Discuss.

This is true of pretty much every large city in the country. I'd say it's true of everywhere, period, but there are some smaller more rural areas that are a bit more welcoming. Of course, in those areas, you're dealing with the whole small clique thing where everybody knows everybody else's business and if one doesn't follow the "norms" of the clique exactly they are deemed an outcast...which makes them an outcast to the entire town. It's all just part of the flaws that are a part of the social aspect of life in America.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by andyadhi01

I do not think it is any of that. Its just that people are rather apathetic about issues that actually matter and care more about things that would make them look cool/progressive in the eyes of others. So many people focus on esoteric issues and general vague political issues that has nothing to do with the quality of life in the city. Deep down, the place is very selfish and people are isolated.



Yes, there is a lack of 'being nice' here. The only people who will be nice to you are those who want your money/business or are networking with you for professional reasons. I am literally scared to ask someone for directions here or ask them to take a picture or something because they will be visibly upset that you bothered them! So in this regard it is very different from rest of the US and was rather shocking after moving from super-friendly Texas. People here see each other as competitors for limited resources and there is always a silent but palpable tension. If you want to act like a selfish, pompous, arrogant, jer*k, then this is the city to be so.

That said, if you just go across the bridge to Oakland/Berkeley most people are very warm, friendly and helpful.

Texas certainly isn't accurately described in such simplistic terms as "friendly". In much of Texas, you must adhere to cultural norms or you will be deemed an outcast. Eating steak, hunting, being heterosexual etc are musts or you will be a complete and utter outcast. Of course, if you follow said customs, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

[BayDude]

Originally Posted by skyway31

In much of Texas, you must adhere to cultural norms or you will be deemed an outcast. Eating steak, hunting, being heterosexual etc are musts or you will be a complete and utter outcast. Of course, if you follow said customs, you'll be welcomed with open arms.

LOL. The most popular club in San Antonio when I lived there was a gay club.

Honestly, nobody cares what you do in Texas. They for the most part leave you alone.

Now go to San Francisco and its really a big deal if your not "environmentally concious", progressive in your politics etc. You'll know
what it truly means to be an "outcast". Ask anyone that lives or lived there.

Thats the difference between a philosophy of libertarianism/conservatism and liberalism/statism.

[rah]

Originally Posted by BayDude

Now go to San Francisco and its really a big deal if your not "environmentally concious", progressive in your politics etc. You'll know
what it truly means to be an "outcast". Ask anyone that lives or lived there.

Nah, not really. If you come here trying to tell me what it's like when you don't even know, then i might feel the need to "outcast" you though.

[ssmaster]

i think it's funny how people from the midwest and south write how friendly people are in those places.i always know they are christian ,white and heterosexual(or at least closeted).it's like they are so egocentric they can't imagine being gay in east texas or better yet black and gay in east texas.

any high density urban area will induce "rude" behavior .people in places like hong kong act like they have no idea what an orderly single file line is.pushing and shoving.

[andyadhi01]

Originally Posted by BayDude

Now go to San Francisco and its really a big deal if your not "environmentally concious", progressive in your politics etc. You'll know
what it truly means to be an "outcast". Ask anyone that lives or lived there.

Well I wouldn't say environmentally conscious, it's more like bunch of environmental phonies that like to regurgitate the environmental fads they have heard from other phonies. I had seen one of these phonies throw a hissy fit because he saw some smoke come out of a diesel delivery truck! Mind you the truck was very far and you couldn't smell anything. Of course, the phony is not smart enough to suggest an alternative mode of transportation! Add on top of that, a control freak big government that wants to regulate every minor aspects of your daily life, how you throw trash, where you can walk, what you can do at a park and so on and on.

Another group of phonies here claim to hate chain stores! In reality they just hate stores that serve the need of regular people. So a Whole Foods is more than okay but a Walmart neighborhood market is not. There is a constant struggle here to show that you are cooler, hipper and more 'sophisticated' than the rest and they accomplish that simply by spending more in expensive stores, restaurants etc. People define themselves by what they consume but not but what they actually are! You will hear them making fun of people who go to the 'wrong' kind of stores with absolute disregard of their socio-economic background. Narcissism, materialism and obsession with things are epidemic here!

Of course the phonies participate in the so called 'progressive' politics not because they really care about anything but it is simply part of the hipper-than-thou culture that is so prevalent here. If you probe them enough, it becomes clear that they neither have the intellect or the energy to think carefully about any issues but simply adopt what they think is a cool lifestyle. They claim to care much about pressing global issues but are completely reluctant to even acknowledge the problems in their own backyard like terrible wealth gap and economic decline etc.