| A city of one-way streets, near-vertical hills and | | | | commuter, you can buy commuter books to get a |
| kamikaze bike messengers, San Francisco puts visiting | | | | volume discount. Ask at the toll plaza. |
| drivers to the test. For the most part, public | | | | All Bay Area toll bridges also use FasTrak for |
| transportation is your best bet. But if you're intent on | | | | electronic toll collection. To apply for an account |
| exploring the outlying neighborhoods -- or staying out | | | | (minimum $25) and a transponder, go to |
| into the wee hours -- here's the skinny on conquering | | | | Parking TipsbusDriving in San Francisco may be |
| San Francisco by car. | | | | challenging, but it's nothing compared to parking. Some |
| Car Rental San Francisco | | | | neighborhoods are worse than others, but none are |
| Driving TipsbusIn this town, hill-starts are more than just | | | | good. Carry plenty of quarters and good karma. |
| a challenge; they're downright dangerous, with stop | | | | Public transit and parking garages can save you some |
| signs at the tops of all the steepest hills. If you're | | | | grief. The San Francisco Metropolitan Transit Authority |
| renting a car and are unsure whether you can stop on | | | | maintains a list of public garages and lots in San |
| a steep (as much as a 31.5% grade!) hill without rolling | | | | Francisco, with rates for city-owned garages. |
| back down, you'll want to get an automatic. If you're | | | | Prevent Runaways |
| stuck with a stick shift, try putting on the emergency | | | | Always curb your wheels when parking on a hill -- or |
| brake and easing off it as you move forward. Practice | | | | face an equally steep ticket. When facing downhill, turn |
| makes perfect, but avoiding the steepest hills is | | | | your wheels to the right. When facing uphill on a street |
| probably safest. | | | | with a curb, turn your wheels to the left. When facing |
| The Steepest Streets in the City | | | | uphill on a street with no curb, turn your wheels to the |
| 1. Filbert between Leavenworth and Hyde (31.5% | | | | right. |
| grade) | | | | The Code of Curb Colorsbus The search for a |
| 2. 22nd between Church and Vicksburg (31.5% grade) | | | | parking place is made even more complicated by the |
| 3. Jones between Union and Filbert (29% grade) | | | | presence of variously colored curbs. These indicate |
| 4. Duboce between Buena Vista and Alpine (27.9% | | | | when and to whom parking is admissible, so don't |
| grade) | | | | automatically give up if you see a space in a painted |
| 5. Jones between Green and Union (26% grade) | | | | zone. It goes without saying (but we'll still say it) that it's |
| 6. Webster between Vallejo and Broadway 26% | | | | always a bad idea to park too close to a fire hydrant, |
| grade) | | | | a driveway or a wheelchair ramp (within three feet), |
| 7. Duboce between Alpine and Divisadero (25% | | | | whether painted or not. |
| grade) | | | | GREEN: Limited time parking - 10 minutes from 9 a.m.-6 |
| 8. Jones between Pine and California (24.8 grade) | | | | p.m. Monday through Saturday. |
| 9. Fillmore between Vallejo and Broadway (24% | | | | YELLOW: Commercial loading and unloading; vehicles |
| grade) | | | | with commercial plates may park up to 30 minutes |
| (Source: "San Francisco Almanac") | | | | from 9am-6pm Monday-Saturday. Some yellow zones |
| City Layout | | | | are restricted to trucks with commercial plates only. |
| The oddball organization of San Francisco streets | | | | Violators will be towed. Usually accompanied by a sign; |
| takes some getting used to, and there is no substitute | | | | check for hours of enforcement. |
| for a good map. However, there are some basic | | | | BLUE: Parking for vehicles with special disabled person |
| points to remember: | | | | plates or placards only. Always enforced; violators will |
| Streets vs. Avenues -- the numbered STREETS are | | | | be fined $275. (Shame on you for even contemplating |
| South of Market, on the east side of the city, and the | | | | it!) |
| numbered AVENUES are in the Richmond and Sunset | | | | RED: No parking at any time. Vehicles in bus stops will |
| districts on the west side of the city, running north to | | | | be towed and subject to additional fine. |
| south. | | | | WHITE: Passenger loading zone (usually in front of |
| Market Street cuts a large diagonal swath through | | | | churches, restaurants, hotels, etc.). Vehicles may not be |
| downtown, and once you get on it, you may find it | | | | left unattended for any length of time during |
| hard to get off. It's also tough to cross if you don't | | | | enforcement hours; attended vehicles may stand for |
| know where to do it. From the south, 3rd, 6th, and 9th | | | | up to 5 minutes. Hours of enforcement may be |
| streets, Van Ness Avenue and Gough cross; and from | | | | painted on the curb or posted on a sign. If not, check |
| the north, Hyde, Polk, Battery, Montgomery, Ellis, Van | | | | to see if the business in front of the white zone |
| Ness Avenue and Laguna cross. | | | | appears to be in operation. |
| Rush Hour | | | | Meters & Meter Holidaysbus |
| As in most crowded cities, rush hour in the Bay Area | | | | When parking downtown, be sure to check metered |
| is a pain. The best advice: Avoid freeway and bridge | | | | limits. Metered parking spaces limit parking to 30 |
| driving at peak traffic times unless you absolutely have | | | | minutes or 1 hour. These regulations are designed to |
| to. If it's unavoidable, you may want to gather some | | | | encourage "turnover" so that spaces are available to |
| friends or neighbors and carpool. Also, check our live | | | | the greatest number of downtown visitors. |
| traffic reports. | | | | Overstaying the limit by "feeding" the meter can result |
| Road Closures | | | | in a fine, regardless of whether there is time showing |
| An additional hassle to driving in the city is the | | | | on the meter or if the meter is out of order. |
| occasional closure of streets for special events, | | | | Downtown parking meters are not in effect on the |
| parades, festivals and block parties. Check the | | | | following holidays: |
| SFMTA's website for updated information. | | | | New Year's Day |
| Carpoolingbus During peak traffic times, HOV lanes | | | | Memorial Day |
| (marked with diamonds) are for carpools and buses | | | | Independence Day |
| only. Motorcycles and two-seaters with two people | | | | Labor Day |
| are also qualified. A carpool is defined as 2 people in | | | | Veteran's Day |
| some areas, and 3 people in others. Read the posted | | | | Thanksgiving Day |
| signs for the hours and occupancy requirements. On | | | | Christmas Day |
| the bridges, valid carpools don't have to pay the tolls. | | | | Fisherman's Wharf parking meters are not in effect on |
| Some bridge carpool lanes are for buses only during | | | | these holidays: |
| non-carpool hours, so be careful and read the signs -- | | | | New Year's Day |
| the fine for carpool violations is a steep $341. | | | | Thanksgiving Day |
| Casual carpooling is another way to beat the traffic. | | | | Christmas Day |
| There are nonprofit organizations, which exist solely to | | | | Ticketsbus If you are ticketed, you have a number of |
| assist commuters in setting up carpools or vanpools, | | | | options: |
| and in some cases providing incentives in the form of | | | | (1) Rip up the ticket and flee the country. |
| cash or gas coupons. One such organization is the 511 | | | | (2) Pay the fee by mail, phone or online. Pay promptly |
| Regional Rideshare Program. You can contact them | | | | (within 21 days) to avoid late penalties. |
| by dialing 511 or visiting 511.org. The SFMTA also has | | | | (3) Protest the citation (must be done within 21 days of |
| useful carpool information. | | | | receipt of initial citation). |
| Car-Sharingbus Car-sharing allows long-term visitors | | | | (4) Work off a portion of the fine through a program |
| and auto-free residents occasional vehicle use without | | | | called Project 20 (unfortunately, this option is not |
| the hassle of gas, insurance, and maintanence. Not one | | | | available for impound fees). For more information, call |
| but three car-sharing companies operate in San | | | | (415) 626-4995 or visit the San Francisco Pretrial |
| Francisco and the East Bay: the non-profit City | | | | Diversion Project. |
| CarShare and for-profit Zipcar and Flexcar. Monthly | | | | Towed & Missing Vehiclesbus If you believe your |
| dues and hourly rates vary from company to | | | | vehicle has been towed, your best bet is to check with |
| company, but all three offer an opportunity to save | | | | AutoReturn, which is the city's contracted towing |
| money -- and the environment. (Chronicle article) | | | | service. |
| Bridgesbus All of the Bay Area bridges are toll bridges: | | | | If your car isn't in AutoReturn's possession, it may |
| $5 to go southbound on the Golden Gate Bridge ( and | | | | have been stolen. Call the San Francisco Police |
| $4 to go westbound on the Bay Bridge ( San Mateo, | | | | Department at (415) 553-0123. |
| Dumbarton and San Rafael bridges. If you're a regular | | | | |