SF tourists: "I will never step foot in San Francisco again"(sfchronicle.com)
sfchronicle.com
SF tourists: "I will never step foot in San Francisco again"
http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Cable-cars-climb-halfway-to-the-stars-but-SF-12372796.php
41 comments
Really feels like we need a tough mayor to come down on this crap. As someone from a working class sicilian family living in the city since the late 1800s things these days are unbelievable. I don't understand how the city could have grown so expensive yet appear to have no desire to properly police the streets. Blatant drug use/sales and dirt bike groups breaking every law imaginable are just a small example of what I encountered on my last trip through the city. How the police cannot stop the dirt bike groups amazes me as I've seen them knock very young children off of sidewalks into the street where they could get run over yet the police seem to have no desire to use force on them.
These are all my personal opinions.
There is lack of law and consequences for bad behavior. It comes from leaders that are afraid of extreme liberal backlash and outrage. Unfortunately, I'd even say there is a disdain for police officers in SF. That has to be an incredibly hard and frustrating job.
I've been in SF for over 5 years, but enough is enough and I moving out next month for Nashville, Tennessee. Downtown SF is no place to raise a family.
There is lack of law and consequences for bad behavior. It comes from leaders that are afraid of extreme liberal backlash and outrage. Unfortunately, I'd even say there is a disdain for police officers in SF. That has to be an incredibly hard and frustrating job.
I've been in SF for over 5 years, but enough is enough and I moving out next month for Nashville, Tennessee. Downtown SF is no place to raise a family.
Can you expanded on why Nashville? I have heard this exact same scenario 3 times in the last month on HN. Super curious, thanks.
I'm not ready to move there, only visited it once to give a paper at a product line conference.
I have to say it was _way_ better than I expected. The music scene is just insane, every bar has a stage with decent people playing. All the time. Crazy fun.
And I'm a hockey fan - the Nashville fans are off the charts. I've thought about going back there just to watch a game :)
I'm pretty entrenched where I am but I'd consider living there.
I have to say it was _way_ better than I expected. The music scene is just insane, every bar has a stage with decent people playing. All the time. Crazy fun.
And I'm a hockey fan - the Nashville fans are off the charts. I've thought about going back there just to watch a game :)
I'm pretty entrenched where I am but I'd consider living there.
You sure it wasn't me? :-) From another one of my comments.
> Nashville is growing and expanding like crazy. I believe it is in the top 10 fastest growing US cities and it is VERY business friendly (no state income tax) and has favorable small business conditions. While Nashville is certainly a music city, the business environment continues to improve.
> Ready to settle and slow life down. I absolutely love music (played drums and piano) and really enjoy the amazing live music scene in Nashville. I also found that people are super friendly, charming, and ultra polite in Nashville. That southern charm is real.
> Nashville is growing and expanding like crazy. I believe it is in the top 10 fastest growing US cities and it is VERY business friendly (no state income tax) and has favorable small business conditions. While Nashville is certainly a music city, the business environment continues to improve.
> Ready to settle and slow life down. I absolutely love music (played drums and piano) and really enjoy the amazing live music scene in Nashville. I also found that people are super friendly, charming, and ultra polite in Nashville. That southern charm is real.
it was you, best of luck
I agree we need more Koch/Giuliani and less Dinkins.
I think the police would like to be able to tackle public nuisance issues but the BoS are more about satisfying their little pet projects and focused constituencies at the expense of the citizenry at large.
It took years upon years and utter persistence from neighborhood groups and business groups to finally get the police to act on the vagrancy on Height street. It was what religious people might call a miracle that anything happened at all.
Part of the problem might be that many families leave the city once their kids reach school age and so their potential pressure on the BoS leaves with them and DINKs don't have as much interest, less motivated and more idealistic. Parents are less likely to put up with bullshit but the city is to far gone for many to stay and put up a fight, so special interests take over.
I think the police would like to be able to tackle public nuisance issues but the BoS are more about satisfying their little pet projects and focused constituencies at the expense of the citizenry at large.
It took years upon years and utter persistence from neighborhood groups and business groups to finally get the police to act on the vagrancy on Height street. It was what religious people might call a miracle that anything happened at all.
Part of the problem might be that many families leave the city once their kids reach school age and so their potential pressure on the BoS leaves with them and DINKs don't have as much interest, less motivated and more idealistic. Parents are less likely to put up with bullshit but the city is to far gone for many to stay and put up a fight, so special interests take over.
>She’s still staying in a shelter at night and still panhandling during the day with her daughter, who’s now 5 months old and has her first tooth. Police officers walking past stopped at the alarming sight, but couldn’t do much other than buy her diapers and formula.
>Doudney said her shelter stay ends Dec. 12, at which point she plans to visit her mom in Nebraska and then maybe take a road trip. She said she’s thinking of going to school to study early childhood psychology.
You have a mom you can stay with in Nebraska but instead choose to panhandle with a newborn in SF? There's no reasoning with these people! This is not only idiotic but definitely child endangerment.
>Doudney said her shelter stay ends Dec. 12, at which point she plans to visit her mom in Nebraska and then maybe take a road trip. She said she’s thinking of going to school to study early childhood psychology.
You have a mom you can stay with in Nebraska but instead choose to panhandle with a newborn in SF? There's no reasoning with these people! This is not only idiotic but definitely child endangerment.
If the woman is staying in a shelter and panhandling, then she probably can't afford to just go back home, regardless of her want of taking a road trip and going back to school. It's also just as likely that she won't be able to visit her mother in Nebraska because she won't have the money for it and will just be on the street with her baby daughter (likely the only reason she was able to get into the shelter in the first place). If she can't physically go to Nebraska to being her daughter, how would you propose she get her daughter to Nebraska?
Beyond that, take a step back and realize that a good portion of the homeless people in SF have mental health and drug abuse issues and so, yes, it's not really possible to reason with them, but not because they are unreasonable, but because they often times aren't able to reason in the same way. It's better to direct your anger at a city that takes in high taxes through sales tax and property tax but can't seemingly help with this issue (through whatever means that would be, like affordable housing or better outreach).
Beyond that, take a step back and realize that a good portion of the homeless people in SF have mental health and drug abuse issues and so, yes, it's not really possible to reason with them, but not because they are unreasonable, but because they often times aren't able to reason in the same way. It's better to direct your anger at a city that takes in high taxes through sales tax and property tax but can't seemingly help with this issue (through whatever means that would be, like affordable housing or better outreach).
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You might consider that the “plan to visit her Mom” ignores the fact that Mom has had enough of her shit and booted her out six months ago, and she isn’t welcomed back until she completes rehab/takes her meds/quits being a general disruption to life.
You also seem to be under the impression that you’re dealing with a reasonable person. People end up in the street for a lot of reasons, but good decision-making usually isn’t one of them. Or, hell, her Mom could be dead for all we know.
In summary, when you ask “WTF is wrong with you?” remember that there might be a solid answer to what you thought was a bit rhetorical.
You also seem to be under the impression that you’re dealing with a reasonable person. People end up in the street for a lot of reasons, but good decision-making usually isn’t one of them. Or, hell, her Mom could be dead for all we know.
In summary, when you ask “WTF is wrong with you?” remember that there might be a solid answer to what you thought was a bit rhetorical.
"These people?" Meaning who? Homeless people? Mothers?
It's awfully easy to judge somebody's life from the comments section on HN. Much harder to actually try and understand it or empathize. I don't think you're giving this woman a fair shake.
It's awfully easy to judge somebody's life from the comments section on HN. Much harder to actually try and understand it or empathize. I don't think you're giving this woman a fair shake.
Previously: https://justink.svbtle.com/open-letter-to-mayor-ed-lee-and-g...
Justin Svbtle caught a lot of flak for the insensitive tone of his open letter back when he wrote it, but he was rightfully pissed off at the time, and it seems the problem has only gotten worse.
How is it possible that there aren't enough resources to take care of everyone in a city that generates so much wealth?
Justin Svbtle caught a lot of flak for the insensitive tone of his open letter back when he wrote it, but he was rightfully pissed off at the time, and it seems the problem has only gotten worse.
How is it possible that there aren't enough resources to take care of everyone in a city that generates so much wealth?
Yes I did take flak... And death threats and people Tweeting my phone number and address. I do regret some of my wording and insensative tone. I wrote it quickly and emotionally out of frustration never expecting more than a handful of people to see it.
At any rate, I'm leaving SF next month for much greeener pastures. Nashville, TN. I just can't deal with SF absurdity, hypocrisy, and the lack of accountability and action anymore.
At any rate, I'm leaving SF next month for much greeener pastures. Nashville, TN. I just can't deal with SF absurdity, hypocrisy, and the lack of accountability and action anymore.
Silicon Valley wants to save the world but can't help Silicon Valley itself.
Silicon Valley residents live a typical conservative sub urban existence and visits SF when they want weirdness (which is, despite this article, mostly being squeezed out of the place).
I have lived in Palo Alto and SF, back and forth for 35 years and feel the difference.
I have lived in Palo Alto and SF, back and forth for 35 years and feel the difference.
You could lump in San Jose in this story as well. It amazes me that well meaning residents and leaders of the bay area have completely ignored the social problems that engulf the region.
San Jose downtown is in complete shambles. It is honestly very scary because many people walk buy threatening you and offer weed directly.
It depends which part of downtown SJ. East of the light rail tracks is a shambles, especially after business hours. West is mostly safe.
Add me to the list. I visited SF with the possibility of moving there. Its unlikely now, wife hated it.
"Mayor Lee — after touring the goofy Museum of Ice Cream but before eating ice cream and playing pingpong with its co-founder, Manish Vora — said he is working hard on these issues."
Clearly, this is a top priority.
Clearly, this is a top priority.
Is that just when they reporter picked the time to ask that question?
I imagine if the police actually did something about public drug use, theft, and mentally ill assailants, there would be a backlash against the perception of a fascist police state.
Justifiably so. Police are the wrong tool to address mental health and homelessness issues.
The situation is far more complex than that. Back in the 30s through the 50s the police would aggressively crack down on undesirables. Sweeping Blacks and Homosexuals off the streets became politically problematic. Now judges routinely throw out cases involving so called quality of life crimes. Furthermore, politics and budget constraints have resulted in San Francisco having very little jail space available. So, police, strong mayor or no, have limited options and try to avoid wasting effort only to have offenders concentrated around police stations and hospitals where they are released.
I am a long way away but my impression via the media is that this is sort of what New York was like and that it was substantially cleaned up. Are there parallels and lessons to learn there or are they very different?
Anecdote: As a tourist visiting both for a month one after the other, felt way, way safer in NYC than SF. Maybe it’s not the case, but people seemed more looked after in NYC than SF, even for people on the margins.
> “We went to the museum immediately and reported it. Their response was, ‘This happens all the time.’ They didn’t even come down to look, nothing,” Donoghue said.
Why would they expect museum staff to look at the scene of a crime?
Why would they expect museum staff to look at the scene of a crime?
It happened on their property.
It actually didn’t - the parking lot was Parks property.
These kinds of bureaucratic neighbors that are functionally incapable of working together to solve crimes can be pretty funny when they build large signs just to let you know the fault is with the other Department.
These kinds of bureaucratic neighbors that are functionally incapable of working together to solve crimes can be pretty funny when they build large signs just to let you know the fault is with the other Department.
Regarding the quote in the title: Don't leave $8,000 dollars worth of stuff in your car? I enjoy Oakland and SF because you do have to keep your wits about you. If I left my backpack in my car and someone smashed my window to grab it I would blame myself.
"I like walking around Baltimore because I like the potential of being violently mugged, because you do have to keep your wits about you. If I walked around with a backpack and got mugged I would blame myself."
Extra annoying because insurance isn’t going to pay if you’re that careless.
There are plenty of places in the US where I can comfortably leave $8,000 of camera equipment in my van. SF isn't one of them.
But how many of those places are big cities?
I would never stuff $8000 of equipment unattended in Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC, New York City, or San Francisco.
Hell, I rarely drive in cities for that reason alone. Some cars get broken into for no reason (probably guys looking for valuables). My preference is to park outside the city (any city) in a safer area, and then take the subway in.
I would never stuff $8000 of equipment unattended in Chicago, Detroit, Washington DC, New York City, or San Francisco.
Hell, I rarely drive in cities for that reason alone. Some cars get broken into for no reason (probably guys looking for valuables). My preference is to park outside the city (any city) in a safer area, and then take the subway in.
New York is the only one I'd feel comfortable in of the ones you've listed. Others are Seattle, Austin.
>Seattle
I'd rethink that. We're blessed with relatively low violet crime numbers, but property crime is pretty high. We take it as a given that our car will be broken into every once in awhile living here.
I'd rethink that. We're blessed with relatively low violet crime numbers, but property crime is pretty high. We take it as a given that our car will be broken into every once in awhile living here.
Austin is full. Go away.
;)
;)
You enjoy SF/Oakland because you have to worry about your things being stolen?