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Not that this topic ever needs more anecdotes, but here is mine. The bad parts are extremely bad— like, apocalypse level bad. You obviously never go to them, b

Not that this topic ever needs more anecdotes, but here is mine. The bad parts are extremely bad— like, apocalypse level bad. You obviously never go to them, but being a small city some destinations put you near them, or have you drive through them. It’s sad, and certainly feels way past the point of no return. I only lived in SF for about 12 years, but even that was enough time to see at least part of the change. At the time I moved there, you still avoided the TL, but the area around civic center at least didn’t feel like a war zone. Was never mugged, robbed, threatened, etc. You have to actively avoid people and places, and get lucky too I guess. Never lived in the rougher parts of town, but visited them. Never make eye contact with crazy people, strategically cross the street, enter shops, etc. Again though, you just don’t go to the bad parts, like any city, and it’s benign. At least it was before I left (not because of “the crime”, other unrelated reasons). So idk, yes it is as bad as people say, but also it isn’t at all. The news is about cherry-picking what gets clicks, and that’s rage bait.

JohnFen 3y ago
> I only lived in SF for about 12 years And, honestly, the SF of 12 years ago was already greatly degraded compared to the SF a decade or so before then.
SheinhardtWigCo 3y ago
Exactly, just don’t go to Powell, Civic Center, 16th or 24th St BART stations, and just don’t visit the main shopping mall, and just don’t park your car on the street, and just don’t store your bicycle in your garage, and you’ll be fine.
TMWNN 3y ago
>The bad parts are extremely bad— like, apocalypse level bad. From a May 2023 article on the decline of the city <http://web.archive.org/web/20230510153958/https://www.curbed.com/2023/05/san-francisco-doom-loop.html http://web.archive.org/web/20230510153958/https://www.curbed...>: >A note to my fellow San Franciscians: I’m sorry. I know. There’s always some story in the East Coast press about how our city is dying. San Franciscians hate—HATE—these pieces. You’re a stooge and a traitor for writing one. When I set out reporting, I wanted to write a debunking-the-doom piece myself. Yet to live in San Francisco right now, to watch its streets, is to realize that no one will catch you if you fall. In the first three months of 2023, 200 San Franciscans OD’d, up 41 percent from last year. “It’s like a wasteland,” the guard said when I asked how San Francisco looked to him. “It’s like the only way to describe it. It’s like a video game — like made-up shit. Have you ever played Fallout?” >I shook my head. >“There’s this thing in the game called feral ghouls, and they’re like rotted. They’re like zombies.” There’s only so much pain a person can take before you disintegrate, grow paranoid, or turn numb. “I go home and play with my wife, and we’re like, ‘Ah, hahahaha, this is SF.’” I found it notable that no one in the Reddit discussion <https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/13dvrjs/san_francisco_doom_loop_what_its_like_to_live_in/ https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/13dvrjs/san_franci...> mentioned the Fallout comparison despite the fact that, well, this is Reddit. I think it hit too hard. >but being a small city some destinations put you near them Yes, this is something that people don't understand. The SF Bay area is as large as any other major metro area, but San Francisco is tiny, at 7 miles by 7 miles. More to the point, the place where most business happens and where most tourists go is right next to the Tenderloin. The only place I can think of in Manhattan that is kind of like this is the Upper East Side at 96th Street, and tourists just don't go there often (and Spanish Harlem isn't that bad, anyway). >I only lived in SF for about 12 years, but even that was enough time to see at least part of the change. At the time I moved there, you still avoided the TL, but the area around civic center at least didn’t feel like a war zone. >Was never mugged, robbed, threatened, etc. Same for me on all counts. But were I a woman my experience would surely have been different.
archagon 3y ago
Apocalyptic seems like a stretch — saw this video of Harlem in 1989 earlier today, and even the worst parts of the TL don’t compare: https://youtu.be/M6WwZLvxV9Q?si=Th0MC1mL4vdLvkE1 https://youtu.be/M6WwZLvxV9Q?si=Th0MC1mL4vdLvkE1 Though, of course, the level of human misery is still deplorable.

JohnFen 3y ago

> I only lived in SF for about 12 years And, honestly, the SF of 12 years ago was already greatly degraded compared to the SF a decade or so before then.

SheinhardtWigCo 3y ago

Exactly, just don’t go to Powell, Civic Center, 16th or 24th St BART stations, and just don’t visit the main shopping mall, and just don’t park your car on the street, and just don’t store your bicycle in your garage, and you’ll be fine.

TMWNN 3y ago

>The bad parts are extremely bad— like, apocalypse level bad. From a May 2023 article on the decline of the city <http://web.archive.org/web/20230510153958/https://www.curbed.com/2023/05/san-francisco-doom-loop.html http://web.archive.org/web/20230510153958/https://www.curbed...>: >A note to my fellow San Franciscians: I’m sorry. I know. There’s always some story in the East Coast press about how our city is dying. San Franciscians hate—HATE—these pieces. You’re a stooge and a traitor for writing one. When I set out reporting, I wanted to write a debunking-the-doom piece myself. Yet to live in San Francisco right now, to watch its streets, is to realize that no one will catch you if you fall. In the first three months of 2023, 200 San Franciscans OD’d, up 41 percent from last year. “It’s like a wasteland,” the guard said when I asked how San Francisco looked to him. “It’s like the only way to describe it. It’s like a video game — like made-up shit. Have you ever played Fallout?” >I shook my head. >“There’s this thing in the game called feral ghouls, and they’re like rotted. They’re like zombies.” There’s only so much pain a person can take before you disintegrate, grow paranoid, or turn numb. “I go home and play with my wife, and we’re like, ‘Ah, hahahaha, this is SF.’” I found it notable that no one in the Reddit discussion <https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/13dvrjs/san_francisco_doom_loop_what_its_like_to_live_in/ https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/13dvrjs/san_franci...> mentioned the Fallout comparison despite the fact that, well, this is Reddit. I think it hit too hard. >but being a small city some destinations put you near them Yes, this is something that people don't understand. The SF Bay area is as large as any other major metro area, but San Francisco is tiny, at 7 miles by 7 miles. More to the point, the place where most business happens and where most tourists go is right next to the Tenderloin. The only place I can think of in Manhattan that is kind of like this is the Upper East Side at 96th Street, and tourists just don't go there often (and Spanish Harlem isn't that bad, anyway). >I only lived in SF for about 12 years, but even that was enough time to see at least part of the change. At the time I moved there, you still avoided the TL, but the area around civic center at least didn’t feel like a war zone. >Was never mugged, robbed, threatened, etc. Same for me on all counts. But were I a woman my experience would surely have been different.

archagon 3y ago

Apocalyptic seems like a stretch — saw this video of Harlem in 1989 earlier today, and even the worst parts of the TL don’t compare: https://youtu.be/M6WwZLvxV9Q?si=Th0MC1mL4vdLvkE1 https://youtu.be/M6WwZLvxV9Q?si=Th0MC1mL4vdLvkE1 Though, of course, the level of human misery is still deplorable.