4 ms·

I was just there for the first time in two years. Based on all the comments here on HN, I expected to walk through a hell-scape. After spending a week, mostly

by cowmix 4y ago

I was just there for the first time in two years. Based on all the comments here on HN, I expected to walk through a hell-scape. After spending a week, mostly on foot in the city... a lot of this talk seems overblown.

systemvoltage 4y ago
I visit SF occassionally from East Bay. Absolute disaster. Where did you go? I think situation is more dire than it seems in East Bay. Both are succumbing to third-world urban decay and infrastructure rot.
- novok 4y ago
  It really is area specific, and I think that is on purpose. When there was the superbowl in SF, all of a sudden certain BART stations stopped smelling like piss and homeless population in those areas were not there any more. Tell me where the homeless camps are around the marina or other wealthy neighborhoods of SF with high foot traffic. Suspiciously missing or hard to find... Since it's done on purpose, if SF wanted to actually revitalize their downtown they would lay down the law on their mainline tunnel transit stations, caltrain stations, ferry stations, tourist hotel hot spots and market st like they lay down the law in the marina with it's crazy high foot traffic. Yes it is 'moving the problem around', but at least it makes people feel safe and not nauseated where they enter and exit from SF. I bet one good chunk of why people are not coming back to offices to SF is because the transit safety and cleanliness experience is not good there.
  - systemvoltage 4y ago
    I've had my car broken into 3 times in different parts of SF. Nothing visible anywhere inside the car. They took things like coins and a utility knife from the center console, and once I made the mistake of having a dash cam which was promptly stolen. Never again. Criminals are not localized in SF. They roam around in cars smashing and grabbing.
ceeplusplus 4y ago
Not sure what you define to be a hellscape, but Market St definitely fits the bill especially after 8pm. I've never before had to worry about zombies but in SF you do. If you think SF is the norm then you should visit a city with competent governance and see what normal should be.
- Animats 4y ago
  > I've never before had to worry about zombies but in SF you do. Well, more drugs, more zombies.
  - ceeplusplus 4y ago
    Psychedelics are quite a bit different from heroin/meth/fentanyl. The problem is that SF tolerates the latter.

by cowmix 4y ago

systemvoltage 4y ago

I visit SF occassionally from East Bay. Absolute disaster. Where did you go? I think situation is more dire than it seems in East Bay. Both are succumbing to third-world urban decay and infrastructure rot.

novok 4y ago
It really is area specific, and I think that is on purpose. When there was the superbowl in SF, all of a sudden certain BART stations stopped smelling like piss and homeless population in those areas were not there any more. Tell me where the homeless camps are around the marina or other wealthy neighborhoods of SF with high foot traffic. Suspiciously missing or hard to find... Since it's done on purpose, if SF wanted to actually revitalize their downtown they would lay down the law on their mainline tunnel transit stations, caltrain stations, ferry stations, tourist hotel hot spots and market st like they lay down the law in the marina with it's crazy high foot traffic. Yes it is 'moving the problem around', but at least it makes people feel safe and not nauseated where they enter and exit from SF. I bet one good chunk of why people are not coming back to offices to SF is because the transit safety and cleanliness experience is not good there.
- systemvoltage 4y ago
  I've had my car broken into 3 times in different parts of SF. Nothing visible anywhere inside the car. They took things like coins and a utility knife from the center console, and once I made the mistake of having a dash cam which was promptly stolen. Never again. Criminals are not localized in SF. They roam around in cars smashing and grabbing.

ceeplusplus 4y ago

Not sure what you define to be a hellscape, but Market St definitely fits the bill especially after 8pm. I've never before had to worry about zombies but in SF you do. If you think SF is the norm then you should visit a city with competent governance and see what normal should be.

Animats 4y ago
> I've never before had to worry about zombies but in SF you do. Well, more drugs, more zombies.
- ceeplusplus 4y ago
  Psychedelics are quite a bit different from heroin/meth/fentanyl. The problem is that SF tolerates the latter.