The homeless people in San Francisco are extremely aggressive. Traffic is bad. There is always an earthquake around the corner. Things are expensive. You have all these annoying super-rich valley overlords around you. That said, I still enjoy going there frequently.
For me, SF is just like NYC, Seattle, Chicago, New Orleans, Austin...great to visit but wouldn't want to live there.
You have lived there since January and you are complaining that the weather is perpetually cold? Depends upon your definition of cold. In January, there were 21 days with a high in the 60s, 1 in the 70s and the rest in the 50s. February, 22 in the 60s, 4 in the 70s and 2 in the 50s. March, 20 in the 60s, 8 in the 70s, 2 in the 80s and 1 in the 50s. April, 16 in the 60s, 4 in the 70s, 9 in the 50s and 1 in the 80s. I am not denying that SF can be dreary and chilly, especially at night, but the temperatures, thus far while you have been there (mostly in the winter), epitomize the definition of 'mild'.
During all that ranting you somehow forget to mention all the perverts, homosexuals and atheists living around you.
Maybe he *is* some kind of deviated prevert and can't practice his preversions when the weather's too cold?
I liked the weather in SF. It felt like outdoor air conditioning to me where the coldest days where around the 60s and could drop as low as 40 at night during the "winter". In general, I don't remember too many dark and cloudy days. There could be 2 weeks of rain but that was welcome because California has been under drought for years. The geography also makes SF colder. Oakland can sometimes be 10 degrees warmer and sunny despite rain forecasts for its southern neighbor. That might be comparatively cold for Texas weather, but people living further north have to deal with seasons... I've never had to deal with a "real winter" until this year in Munich. Lifelong Texans and Californians (or sun belters) don't know how good they have it. Not having sunlight for 2 or 3 weeks can get pretty damn depressing. I've written about SF's problems before: the feces, gentrification, cost of living and the homeless. It's still a great place to live if you make enough money to enjoy it. I would need a 6 figure salary to think about staying there long term. High 80s would probably be great for singles, but if you're factoring in a family, a house and the whole 9 yards, that'll be a steep challenge. Whereas the same job in Houston could pay you 20% less and you'd still be able to get a nice 2500+ sq. ft. house and a decent school system. I've lived in the Tenderloin, so I know what the OP is talking about. Though I didn't get much crap for being an Asian walking down the street at night so I didn't feel any overt racism there. I made myself aware of the surroundings and projected a calm and safe attitude while avoiding some really bad streets. I would do more hiking trips if possible. Biking if you're hardened enough for the insane culture there, but even biking on hiking trails could reduce some of the stress you're having with your location. The fact is that SF is the tip of an iceberg. The people not making that much and don't own property there are below the water. It's deeply unspoken and the divide is growing wider and wider every 6-9 months. The demand for talent in silly valley is drawing in consultants everywhere and is justifying the jacked up rent. Plus there isn't a convention season you'd find in most cities, it's almost non-stop except for a month or two, so hotels are also booked out.
I've lived in the Bay Area and everything the OP says about SF is true but it still is a great city. I don't think anywhere is a paradise and it just depends what you're willing to tolerate for the good stuff. Anyway if you think it's too cold in SF you can always take BART out to Concord. It can be 50 in the Sunset District and 100 in Concord in the same day!
SF is nice. It is similar to walking down the random streets in Houston. Homeless everywhere and smelly! This is just like any big city.
transit? True, it totally sucks in this city. A very unpleasant and slow experience. My wife and I can almost always outwalk the Muni buses and trains. It's really hard to believe. piss smell? Pretty true. And our dog is largely responsible. cost? Yes, it's stupid. I wouldn't move here now. I moved here a long time ago and we are hanging on, barely. homelesness? YES, and how. We have a major problem despite spending a TON of money on the problem. Many cities in the west buy one-way bus tickets for their mentally ill, sending them to San Francisco. It's just an awful problem. Part of the problem is the city is full of hippy types who tolerate it. That is changing as we get more and more business focused though. weather? You are crazy. We have had the sunniest spring I've ever seen here. Only May has been foggy and cold (which I personally love). We had record low rainfall and very little fog in January-April. Me thinks you are reacting to just the last week of weather. Stick it out until the next big quake. Should be a good one, and then you'll really have something to complain about.
LOL. Update for one of the worst transit systems on the planet. My wife, who has suffered MUNI bravely for 25 years, paying for every trip, was just given a $100 ticket because she didn't tap her transit card on the card reader correctly. I kid you not. She was also treated publicly like a felon and a cheat. This city has such enormous problems. To any visitor: use cabs, Uber and Lyft. Do not spend one penny on our transit system. You will regret it: slow, unpleasant, rude, and depressing. And that's just getting on board one of the buses or trains.
It feels much worse due to the breeze. 60s feel like 50s. I mean if everyone is wearing a hoodie in May it can't be great can it ?
I've lived in San Francisco my entire life. What area of the city are you living in? I grew up in the Western Addition and currently live in the Tenderloin. I moved to the TL in 2008 and I LOVE it... homeless people and drug addicts are everywhere in my neighborhood, but it's safe - and there is a great sense of community. I have never lived in a more welcoming and friendly environment.
I'm not even clear on why the Golden Gate Bridge was built. It doesn't seem to connect anything to anything, but likely ruined a beautiful view for the prisoners. Having read a little about the city, it seems a lot of people would agree with you. The big win being all the tech, the food, the clean air, and intelligent but laid back conversation. The big drawbacks being it gets cold by 4pm, the homelessness, the cost of living. I would take the first year to get the lay of the land and then move into the community that best defines what you want out of your weekends and evenings.
Huh? I've heard residents/former residents of NYC and SF say they regretted living there or hate living there right now. I've never heard a former or current resident of Seattle, Chicago or Austin say they hated or hate living in either of those 3 cities. For me SF, NYC, and LA are all on the great to visit but I probably couldn't be paid enough(or would need my pay to break the bank) in order for me to want to live in either of those cities.
