Sell or keep vehicle?? (San Francisco, Oakland: apartments, transporting, lease)

[mj88]

Hey again......what is more common in SF?: driving a vehicle, or using public transportation? I've heard it's a lot like New York City where the majority of people do not own a vehicle...

[Ultrarunner]

Due to the high cost of parking... quite a few people no longer own cars or some families own just one.

A colleague of mine pays $400 a month garage rent in the city... the rent is more than her car note

[libbykt]

I think a lot of it depends on where you live and work, and what your lifestyle is like. When I first moved to the city I was 25 and single, and lived in Nob Hill near numerous bus lines and within walking distance to work. I sold my car and never regretted it. When I moved out to the Richmond district, where parking is more available and I had to walk further to get my errands done, and wanted to go to Tahoe more frequently on the weekends, I bought a car because it made sense. Now that I have a toddler I couldn't imagine not having a car, regardless of which neighborhood I lived in.

[ImRandy]

I'd wager that more people own cars than don't in San Francisco. I'd be very surprised if it were the other way round.

[mj88]

Are there large high-rise apartments in SF? If so, where do all the people park??

[ImRandy]

Some apartments come with parking others have leased parking in either public or private garages and others come with no parking. You can also lease parking on your own, park on the street, or forgo having a car.

[ctrres]

I'd wager the opposite of Randy. Having a car in SF is like having one in NYC.

[ImRandy]

Found this tidbit from the 2003 American Community Survey (http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Products/Profiles/Single/2003/ACS/Narrative/001/NPA4000US003.htm - broken link)...

"In 2003, San Francisco...26 percent of the households did not have access to a car, truck, or van for private use. Twenty-two percent had two vehicles and another 8 percent had three or more."

In this case "access to a car" means "the number of passenger cars, vans, and pickup or panel trucks of one-ton capacity or less kept at home and available for the use of household members. Vehicles rented or leased for one month or more, company vehicles, and police and government vehicles are included if kept at home and used for non-business purposes. Dismantled or immobile vehicles are excluded. Vehicles kept at home but used only for business purposes also are excluded."

[KRISTINsf]

YOU NEED A CAR! I am from Manhattan and the subway transporting system here is ****. Please do not listen to what you have been told: KEEP YOUR CAR. There are no high rises here, just a few in the downtown area. Most of San Francisco has a very hill-y, if you will, terrain. It's not like NY with flat roads for miles. KEEP YOUR CARRRR!!

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by mj88

Hey again......what is more common in SF?: driving a vehicle, or using public transportation? I've heard it's a lot like New York City where the majority of people do not own a vehicle...

I have always heard there are more registered cars in SF than there are parking spaces available...

But I couldn't live without a car. (Even if I lived there -- I live in Oakland)