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City was the height if sophistication, class, food, banking and insurance. Cant blame republicans fir turning it into a open air toilet. We use to laugh at detroit chicago philly, New York, dc etc… i heard kids in China who dint finish their dinner are told…think about all the homeless people in San Francisco! Stupid threat….out drug addicts and homeless are the fattest in the world!
Something that has ALWAYS been Dangerous about San Francisco are the Cable Cars. In the 1970's & 1980's, there was the same article buried inside the SF Chronicle each and every year. It reported how much SF had to pay out that year for insurance settlements for injuries sustained by tourists riding the Cable Cars. Most of the accidents involved tourists trying to jump on or off a Cable Car while it's in motion. And at least once a year a Cable Car jumps the rails and goes careening down hill out of control until it hits a car or a wall, thereby causing tourist injuries. Each year this report stated that the amount paid out for insurance settlements for Cable Car injuries far exceeds the revenue taken in as fares. It said that the ONLY Reason why money losing, injury creating SF Cable Cars continue to operate is because they are an iconic image that draw MANY Tourists to The City. So instead of removing these DANGEROUS Cable Cars, or at least warning the Public about it, SF Govt and Big Business would rather suppress this vital information just to keep raking n The BIG Bucks !!! Capitalists ALWAYS value Financial Profit over Human Life !!! It's that Moral View that has made America a Great and Powerful Nation !!! SO don't Knock It, OK ???
Gorgeous city. Like I said in another comment we spent our honeymoon there in the 80s. It’s a shame I would never ever go back there the way it is today. I would love to but I wouldn’t go walking around without a gun. But I’d probably get in trouble if someone tried to rob me and I killed them. So fuck it. It’s a shame your politicians ruined a beautiful place.
I was in San Francisco last week and I walked by a parking lot just to shoot a video showing the lots that are often broken into and someone literally broke into a car right when we got there. It was like 11am, so crazy
Smash and grabs are a problem everywhere, not just San Francisco. It’s a tourist destination, and tourists leave their luggage in cars. Never leave your luggage in your car. Even if you’re early to your hotel, they’ll still hold your luggage.
I'm from England and visited San Francisco a couple of years ago. In the space of 1 week I was mugged, assaulted, had my car hire broken into, was threatened multiple times and overall just felt scared the whole time I was there. Along side that the homeless situation and the general state of some of the areas of the city is just awful. I will never go back and wish I had never bothered spending all that money. It's so expensive and I've never felt more unwelcome and exhausted fr going on holiday.
So sorry for your awful experience. Last time I was in SF was in the 90's. It was a beautiful city then. Seems like most cities in the US are having huge issues with homelessness. How does your city/country in England deal with this issue?
I grew up there in the 80s and all my relatives would always come visit us so they could enjoy the beauty of SF and the surrounding areas. Sorry you had to see what it’s now become. It really was awesome back then.
I'm very sorry for your experience. I'm a native bay arean and yes San Francisco and other cities in the area are very lax. I'm very careful because even the native can be victims. I hope time and a better unhousing solution can convince you to try our bay area but I know it will be a long time for a resolution.
Bro you out here starting shit or something out here... I've live here in the heart of the worst area the tenderloin for 20 years and never had a problem that I did integynize myself. Sure shit happens but you either got the worst luck in the world or just that naive.
I remember visiting SF back in 1960. It was a wonderful and exciting place where I would love to be. I am now 95 and marvel how such a beautiful city could go down the drain so fast. Heartbreaking.
I’ve lived in San Francisco for 15 years and I’ve never once thought I’d want to leave until the last 5 years. I’m a homeowner and I’m thinking of seriously renting out my home and just leaving this place. Drug addicts and homeless people + people completely void of morality have taken over this city.
@@henrykirk4457 That’s more than just San Francisco. The whole state of California’s going down the crapper, due to voter ignorance of electing these woke morons who can’t run anything.
As a native San Franciscan, it breaks my heart to see what has happened to my hometown. Unfortunately, unless the citizens of S.F. change their mindset and voting ways, it will only get worse.
I.E-don't vote democrat. They hate cops, law and order and love to release criminals from jail because they are soooo tolerant (of everyone that shares their same misguided, naïve beliefs).
@Big Dick Black Yeah people never wanna mention cities is red states or just say "THE DEMOCRAT RUN THEM" as like an cop out. Maybe just cities are dangerous because they are giant population centers. More people = more crime. Of course the crimes commited in rural areas are low, they aint no people there. Not saying California is perfect, but its far from the hell hole its painted as.
I live in the Bay Area and the City has gotten too expensive and dangerous in the past couple years. Homelessness is a serious problem. You really have to be street smart to get around. Your tips are excellent. I hope more people pay attention to them.
Thanks for the heads up. I’m going to SF with my family in April next year so vids like this are definitely useful. I have a police background so I have a good understanding of preventative measures but obviously in city I’ve never been before research is key.
"WTF?" That's what I found myself saying repeatedly while watching this video. I think I'll pass for now. At least until they get their shit together, literally. lol
There is like one example in history of a city getting its shit together and cleaning up, which was New York City in the 90s, under Mayor Giuliani and he is vilified for it and the methods they used to make the city safe are now called racist and "gentrification". And as soon as they got rid of those "racist" methods like "Stop and Frisk" or the "Broken Windows" policy, the city went back to shit again. So don't hold your breath.
Chris - youtube has not recommended your channel content for months now. Sorry I lost track. I am excited to see where you have been of late! Thanks for doing these!
Even as a child I was in love with San Francisco, so it pains me to no end to say this, but lately SF has done a stellar job in ruining its reputation. Thanks in no small measures to a bunch of incompetent politicians and their irresponsible legislations. Like you said at the end of the video: Is a visitor in danger of getting shot/killed in SF? Most likely not. But are there enough petty crimes and otherwise unpleasant niceties happening in SF to completely ruin someone’s vacation? Yes, indeed. They have destroyed what used to be a lovely city, and it’s a darn shame. Thanks for the wonderful video.
@Big Dick Black You mean “reported” crimes, don’t you? For every crime reported there are hundreds of crimes like brazen shoplifting, breaking into cars, and what have you that people don’t even bother to report because they know nothing would come of it. Also the city is drowning in human piss and excrement and no-one is doing a thing about it. Sadly, the list is long.
Don't worry. We're about to vote out the current DA who doesn't like prosecuting criminals. I mean, that's basically his job duties. If he wanted to rehabilitate criminals, he should have applied for a different job.
@@stevelouie5928 You wish granted, as of 6/7/22. Unfortunately the number of years the p.o.s. had carte blanch to self administer 'justice' contributed mightily to completing the transition of turning SF into 'a toilet.' . . . The southern California clone, D.A. George Gascon in Los Angeles, hopefully will be booted out as well in 2022. But tragically and realistically, the damage their lack of principals, ethics and ABIDING BY THE LAW as public servants have caused so much material (including businesses' inventories) and structural losses, desecration-beyond-repair of public areas plus moral decay of the citizenry to these two urban centers that years and YEARS of fixing their self-directed damage await.
The problem urban areas in California are having kind of started in the 1990’s when California passed a 3 strikes law where being convicted of a 3rd felony meant life in prison. A second strike was like 10 years. The net effect was crime went down significantly. However, very vocal opponents to the law said the law was too harsh. Also, it clogged up California prisons where overcrowding became such an issue, California was ordered by a judge to either reduce the prison population - or I guess build more prisons. The third thing that happened during this period is that California moved away from rehab in prisons to a more punitive environment resulting in a much higher recidivism rate. So California first started watering down the 3 strikes law. Instead of building new prisons, they started letting people out. In the midst of all this came Prop 47, which was billed as criminal justice reform, and which the voters of California voted for, that reduced certain crimes to misdemeanors, such as the $900 limit for shoplifting. You can Google the specifics. The next thing that happened was George Floyd and the backlash against police departments not just from the public, but from their own city governments. So what did the police officers in SF, Oakland, and San Jose do? They either retired, moved laterally or just quit. Staffing numbers are way down in these cities, and the city governments are not in a hurry to replace them. Lastly, there has been groundswell to elect progressive DA in many Bay Area counties like SF, Alameda County and Contra Costa County, not to mention LA. The policy of these DAs is diversion - not jail. There’s a push to abolish bail, and sentencing enhancements have been done away with. These measures were put in place to address the social, economic and racial disparities in California’s criminal justice system. From my point of view living in Oakland, this grand experiment is not working, and I feel like California is on the brink of total chaos if we don’t change course soon.
Hey Chris I've visited San Fran many times in the past & always had a great time . But haven't been for about 15 years & by the looks of your video I won't be heading there any time soon . It's such a shame as San Fran was such a fun place & the locals used to be so friendly & helpful . Cheers from downunder
I am not going to visit a place where I have to go to the extreme just to be safe walking and parking. It is definitely a sad situation. I have been to SF before and love it. I hope things can get better there.
my wife and I left SF 3 years ago after living there for over 30 years and we are so glad we left the city we once loved when we did its become a filthy crime ridden shit hole where the criminals are free to do what ever they want whilst the druggies pee and poo anywhere they want :(
Well said...Ive been gone for 10 years and have just returned an yes it is a shit hole lol...every bus I get I'm expecting somebody mentally unstable. I'm always like "wait for it"...never fails
I live 15 miles south of SF and haven't been in the city for over 2 years. I used to go several times a month to dine and shop. But it's not for fear of my physical safety, but for property crime. I don't want my car window bashed in. 70 windows a day are broken. The other thing is the cost to park in SF. They are putting up meters all over the place and it's not cheap to park even at the meters. Overall it just isn't worth going into the city. The city is an example of how to keep people away from spending in the city. :)
I have been to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf at least 30 times in the 90's and have visited Mitchell Brother's O'Farrell Theatre in the Tenderloin dozens of times as well as Market Street Cinema and never had a problem. But have not been to these areas much in the last decade. Been worse in that time span?
A lot of people say “mental health,” but a lot of these folks who may have mental health issues are medicating themselves with street drugs and are battling addiction. Trying to treat MH without addressing the addiction first is gonna be a battle
@@kevinmael3862 of course they can go hand in hand, but do you think that it’s likely that most of the individuals profiled In this video who are chronically homeless and are likely battling addiction on street drugs are going to be successfully referred and linked to outpatient mental health care and equally follow through with subsequent appointments/services? You may have some successful cases, but I’m willing to bet that there would be more unsuccessful cases.
Great video, Chris. Very helpful and eye-opening. As one who has visited San Francisco in the past, including a weeklong walk all over the city in the early 1990s, I am saddened at the decay of that used to be such a wonderful city. The government there has their heads buried in the sand. It is a shame and not doing anyone any good.
Blaming government officials is way off the mark. The real criminals in San Francisco are the voters. The voters are the ones who installed those officials in their positions.
How many city leaders actually live in the city? I'd bet they don't and so don't have any real attachment to the goings on in the city. Higher officials probably have private security protecting them, so what, me worry.
You mean the SF mayor, city councils, Gavin NewsCum, SF county Supervisors have ALL buried their head in their BUTT ... yet none of them are held accountable. I believe It's Pelosi's, Gavin NewsCum's auntie, district. She's a multimillionaire. The crime drug and social problems have been caused by the liberal DemonRats policies.
Theft is essentially legalized. Now in the name of employee safety, stores cannot do anything to stop a theft in progress. Hence why thieves are more brazen. Are hotels being converted or doubled up into homeless shelters? Is public transportation safe?
I work in San Francisco. Don't visit San Francisco. Half the city smells like urine or marijuana. Food and other items are expensive. There is no parking and your car will have a good chance of being broken into. Oh, and you will most likely see a homeless person taking a shit on the street. Lastly, you have a good chance of stepping on poop or a drug needle . If you visit City Hall, you will get a good view of the homeless encampment just 100 yards away from the steps.
This absolutely breaks my heart. I’m a native Seattleite who lived in SF for a few years in the early 2000s. A lot of these problems are similar to the problems we are experiencing in Seattle. I used to be a social democrat and now middle-right. What the city leaders are doing up and then the major cities in the west coast are not working. Thank you for a honest video.
Thankfully, it seems the whole country is starting to get red-pilled. When they start calling guys like Joe Rogan right-wing, you know the left has lost the plot. People are leaving the big blue states and cities in droves.
A policy to reduce above $900 value of theft, as a felony down to a petty crime, is not what's causing the problems. It simply low life pieces of shit that ruin the city.
@@linusmlgtips2123 Nope. He just grew up and realized that "caring" and enabling addicts hasn't improved the situation. Adults making policy is the only thing that does.
@@ThePecunious Not true. SF is very safe. I live here all my life. Yes, we have tons of homeless but they are only in the downtown and Tenderloin and don't bother people. Unlike some cities, you won't be killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Thank for videos like these, me and friend are still going regardless, because there are just a few things we want to do out there. We will just have to do our research and be as smart as possible while visiting.
Hi Chris..., I just arrived home ( Montana ) from San Francisco ( for a trade show ), and I will ( NOT ) be going back to San Francisco. I am going to be blunt and honest about San Francisco. I did ( NOT ) feel safe in San Francisco, especially in the Tenderloin District or neighborhood where the homeless have taken over the entire area and talk about poop, drugs, dirty streets, and sidewalks and shops and stores are closed... It is ( NOT ) safe, and I felt that way..., all over San Francisco, including Fisherman Wharf and Union Square, for the trade show. Drug paraphernalia, especially drug needles and mentally ill people, are everywhere in San Francisco... I walked around San Francisco for blocks during the day and never saw one San Francisco Police Patrol Car...; that bothered a friend from the trade show and me... The streets were dirty, and the sidewalks were worse... One Taxi driver said..., "I will not drive in or through the Tenderloin District." * * I did ( love ) San Francisco..., not anymore. I will ( NOT ) be going back to historic beloved San Francisco... * I am sorry, Chris..., but San Francisco has lost its charm and elegance... The Mayor of San Francisco and the City Council, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi have some explaining to do to the residents of San Francisco and large and small business owners and tourists... San Francisco has turned into a disgrace and cesspool of society, and the residents and tourists are ( NOT ) safe... Sad..., but true. Your friend always.., Mike in Montana :)
Why do you type like that? I highly doubt the whole city was covered in trash, needles and excrement. Sounds like you’re being extra. The lack of police patrols is concerning, though
Your entire SF experience was, for the most part, downtown. If you had ventured west towards the avenues you would have had an entirely different experience.
Hey Chris My brother and me just return from San Francisco 2weeks ago The car was breaking in when park in parking overnight we lost $2000 in all our goods We call the police and they told us to make report on line We will never go back again.thank Chris
Was in SF about a week ago, visiting from London. Watched your previous videos and others in preparation, and as a result was aware of the potential dangers. We were pleasantly surprised by how clean and safe it was in some neighbourhoods considering some of the horror stories we had seen - and appreciate its worse now than pre Covid. The TL is one to avoid still. We did see homelessness in Fisherman’s Wharf, and we were on guard, but it didn’t spoil our visit. Things did close early though. Thanks for your previous videos, especially the Boudins recommendation!
Just had a very extended stay (2 months) in SF and was impressed by how clean and safe the city felt. Obviously, avoid the Tenderloin and some parts of the Mission District. But as somebody who's traveled all over the world, SF remains near the top of my list of favorite cities.
I’m pleased to hear and unbiased opinion. I was there for a month a few weeks ago and I found the place less scary and much cleaner than it was a few years ago. I think there are too many RUclipsrs that are clutching at straws trying to get likes and subscribers that they cherry pick the topics that they know are the most controversial.
I once took a trip to SF in 2019. I went to school in the bay area once, so I went for nostalgia. Golden Gate bridge, CA academy of sciences, Golden gate park, Coit tower, Fisherman's wharf and alcatraz, and angel island. Some of the best days of my life. I did notice problems back then, but it seems when you know what happened, the dam broke and now SF just seems overrun with it's vices. I hope that will not be the last time I visit, and someday, things may get better and I can follow that trip up.
i wish i knew this before coming to sf, my family got our renta broken into and valuables stolen. ruined the entire experience and feel really unsafe now
I have not been here yet but I hear horror stories every day from people who have been robbed at conventions and cars smashed for almost nothing. I really want to visit here but I shall wait till they power wash the streets or it rains very heavy to clean the streets lol.
I live in downtown Tacoma, Wa. We are having the same problems here. Seattle is worse. Homeless encampments everywhere and rampant crime. If things don’t change soon we are going to move unfortunately. I am a moderate democrat but won’t be voting for them in the midterm elections with our city in the condition it is in.
What are Republicans going to do? Kick all the homeless people out and either do nothing to prevent them from coming back, or just heap them on another city to deal with (like Tacoma)? Don't expect them to spend the money to get them off the streets, or deal with the mental health problems that cause much of the crime, or help them with their drug addictions.
I visited SF in 2006 and 2011, exploring the city on my own and felt safe most of the time. Even then there was a large homeless population but they mostly left everyone alone. It’s sad to hear what you’ve seen here because it’s such a beautiful city geographically and architecturally. I think I’m going to wait a bit longer before coming back, I hope they turn it around.
I lived in financial district/China town area and would go out for a walk in wee hours (1-3 AM). I've lived in a great many cities in east coast and Europe. Believe it or not, SF is the most safest city I've ever lived!
It was right around 2012 during the Occupy Wall Street fiasco that the city started to lose its charm. It's still a beautiful city and your not getting robbed at gun point, its just homelessness and petty theft have made the city look really bad.
I love San Francisco. Been there many times and felt in love with it every times I visited. Unfortunately and very sadly the city slowly becoming a dump with homelessness, trash, and drug addicts everywhere.😌
I went last year. On a Thursday around 1130 in the afternoon a car just pulled up and started smashing parked car windows and grabbing everything inside then moved onto the next car hitting multiple cars along the street. There was a lot of people who were homeless, every big city has but some can be a little aggressive wanting money. Its such a beautiful city, i wish for it to get cleaned up and the people to get helped.
I am sure some areas are "OK" but my question still remains: why would one spend 500$ plus for a hotel room, and 200 for a plate of dandelions, only to have to watch the sidewalk to avoid lots of puddles and piles?
Hey great video, thank you. Could you please advise, how is early March weather? I m visiting San Francisco from March 2nd to March 7, but some people think, March is cold and lots of rains 🌧.
I live in the SF Bay Area and have spent over 30+ years in the region. SF has gotten so unsafe that no sane person from our region would deliberately go visit. If I have to go for some reason, like business meetings, or visit embasseies there for Visa and such, I would then not wear those shoes again in my home. Human urine and fecal matters are everywhere... Homeless and used needle are literally on most streets. Don't expect this to change with the liberal politicians in control that cares more about being woke than citizen safety and well being. San Francisco is a lost cause it's best to just let it die out on its own.
I visited San Francisco in April. The homeless has taken over the city. I stayed in union square and this was a solo trip. I used uber, big bus, the subway and the cable car for transportation.
San Francisco is a HOLE!! If you drive here and Park, Just KNOW that your car WILL get Broken Into If you don't park in a Garage and even Then, you never know!!! It is SOO SAD because SF is SO Beautiful but just giving you FACTS cuz I live near by!!! btw, There ARE a Lot of Hotels in the Marina up and down Lombard Street, so you were wrong there!
I lived in that town for over 20 years and got out in 2001 because I could see where it was going. Got out of California in 05 because I just could not afford it anymore on $78k a year and I never looked back. So glad I'm out of there! Been very happy in Florida now for the last 14 years.
I have lived in the Bay Area and enjoyed photography in San Francisco for most of my life until the last few years☹️ criminals drive around in cars it will just jump out and grab your camera or purse and drive off. Defunding the police, not prosecuting, giving the homeless and criminals more rights then the hard-working citizens😢 A special thanks to the politicians of California for making all this possible😡
@@jayo9750 well actually JAY O My brothers and I have been hanging out in San Francisco since the 60s I have spent a lot of time out there. They were nowhere near the homeless people in a positive note my camera was a cheap pocket Instamatic that was not worth stealing😬
You are dead on. Everything you said is very true. That song by Tony Bennet “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”? Change it to “I left my shoe in San Francisco” after I stepped on human feces in the City😂 You explained like you live(d)here. You are doing a public service telling visitors to up their awareness. Thank you for telling it like it is. So true.
As a former retail worker, I can tell you EXACTLY why we let shoplifters walk out with arms full of stuff: We are trained that way. We are told don't confront a shoplifter, if you get robbed, open the register and give the robber the cash. My life is worth SO MUCH MORE than clothes or money. You call the cops once they leave and let the cops deal w it. Retail workers have to go through natural disaster training, active shooter training, bomb threat training, basic first aid and CPR, and exactly what to do in each of these situations.
@@allisonhunter1063 ok, just don't complain when taxpayers and businesses keep leaving in droves. Lawlessness consistently brings serious societal problems
You need to understand that this sort of training was **NOT** required almost everywhere else in the U.S. The only reason you need it at all is because crime in SF and surrounding areas has **PURPOSELY** been **ALLOWED** to become so rampant that such training is deemed necessary. Your "leaders" don't care about your safety, because with crime spiking their response isn't to the fight crime, but to give **YOU** special training in how to survive the crime that they **PURPOSELY** allow to continue. You are being victimized by your "leaders."
And if they assault you, are you allowed to defend yourself? Can security do anything? Has the robberies bankrupted your location? (I’ve seen this happen… some employees were moved to another location, others was let go)
San Francisco and its vicinity is so beautiful that my wife & i have visited and returned there many times in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. But now, learning of its problems from friends who lives there, makes us just sad and won’t dare go back until its safe again.
Why focus on San Francisco and not other cities that have worse crime? The answer: Gavin Newsom. He was previously the mayor of San Francisco and he terrifies the MAGA crowd. So they retaliate by smearing a city that has crime and will always have crime. That’s the FACTS.
I live in the Bay Area, visit SF frequently and have never felt unsafe. Maybe you need to do a video on "how to visit a city without acting like a complete rube/yokel in a way that puts a giant target on your back"
We visited on holiday from Australia. We are shocked from what we saw in San Francisco. How can Biden and the people of California allow that to happen? It is a disgrace. The extremely high crime, drugs, homelessness, etc. The great USA is no longer. China has won. We would have felt more safe on holiday in Burundi.
The left destroy everything they touch but the crime situation in Australia and New Zealand isn’t much better!… Youth crime is actually worse down under… RUclips has plenty of Australian and New Zealand channels you can watch that highlight the epidemic of young criminal gangs in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Auckland, etc.
The bottom line is, keep voting democrat and you'll get the same results. To all the educated, high-tech, and sofisticated, yuppies, think about it, you vote the same way as the homeless drug addicts,hookers, panhandlers, shoplifters, thugs, and illegals, so I don't think I would complain about the atmosphere you helped create. I know it made you feel good at the time, being a good socialist describing yourself as a progressive, but it backfired on you didn't it.
Nice job and thanks for the shout out. FYI: the Marina district has tons of motels on Lombard (non windy) street. Also, Twin Peaks gets my nod for most dangerous neighborhood.
@@thomza Yes. That's the place you're most likely to be robbed. Granted, it's a tiny area, but there have been a lot of muggings there in the past 5 years.
I stopped going to SF a long time ago after a car break-in. Since then I've gone 3 times. And worried about my car getting broken into or getting car jacked.
I live in Seattle. I have noticed more and more people that just don’t leave stuff in there car anymore. When they go somewhere anything they bring into there car goes with them.
Just for reference: “In the state of Texas, theft crimes where the value of the stolen property is less than $1,500 is considered to be a misdemeanor theft”
As a Sacramento resident, I loved day trips to SF. Now, I refuse to go there. It's very, very dirty and I've had way too many violent or negative interactions with the unhoused. Really wish they could get it cleaned up because SF is so gorgeous!
doesn’t Sacramento got a lot of homeless population its much more than Stockton here in Stockton we take care of our homeless population unlike Sacramento ya ain’t doin a damn thing to help the homeless in ya area
No, the correlation is the facts of those hills house very rich people, and poor people have no business in there so they don’t go. They go to where people are actually out and about spending money and what not.
I think the correlation is between crime and women dominating voting. Petty crime is nothing compared to the number of children that are stolen off the fathers, then stealing the alimony after that. As long as women vote, there will be womens rights, human rights, immigration rights, criminal rights. Traditional white men have to pay for this.
I visited SF last week, and for four days, I did not see homeless people; The town was clean, with streets, sidewalks, stores, from Golden Gate Park to Chinatown spotless. I totally enjoyed the city, and yes, I did avoid the Tenderloin,
The glamour of San Francisco is part of a Bygone Era, now lost. From someone whose family lived in San Francisco since the 1950s, and lived or spent much time there from the 1980s to the mid-2000s, it has gone from a gleaming jewel to a bombed out crater. It is now a hyper-expensive, unsafe, unfriendly, dirty, pretentious pit with only small slivers of its past remaining. It has become worse than Detroit after de-industrialisation. Virtually all of the fabulous restaurants of yesteryear are now gone, most of which were shut in the last few years, including Fisherman's Grotto Number 9, Tarantino's, Jack's, Ernie's, North Beach Restaurant, The Carnelian Room, Tommy Toy's, Capp's Corner, Julius's Castle, Forbes Island, Jardiniere, Louis' Restaurant, Ocean Beach Cafe, and perhaps most devastatingly of all, the fabulous 150 year old Cliff House, whose fittings, decor and autographed photos were all auctioned off. A number of these restaurants had survived the Great Depression and, like countless other smaller businesses, are now gone. Half of Chinatown and one-third of Union Square has closed permanently due to soaring rents, the pandemic and tourist drop-off. Stores that are still in business often shut early and look like a war zone at night, as they're protected from thieves and vandals. "Smash and grabs" have become socially acceptable in the city and you cannot find a public loo open to the public due to the homeless situation. If the truth be known about just how bad the homeless situation is, think of mass Hoovervilles from the 1930s. Only residential neighbourhoods are spared much of this, but not all. As for festivals and fun destinations, like Halloween in Castro and the glorious cabaret show, Beach Blanket Babylon, the former was banned after several stabbings and the latter shut after 40+ years of performances. Events like Gay Pride have become corporate and are now sponsored by social media companies, who must force their employees at gunpoint to all march to show their "inclusivity," as the parade now lasts over six hours as the corporate participants pass by. Lastly, and the elephant in the room, the new tech and investor populations that now dominate the city live in areas away from the once thriving downtown and don't go out like people did up till the early 2000s. This new, more introverted lot don't go out, often work from home or travel outside the city, and this has destroyed small businesses that once depended on mass foot traffic. Finding a sit down family restaurant outside of downtown is a struggle. San Francisco is like Rio de Janeiro, with hyper-expensive real estate that only this population can afford, but with a degradation and high crime surrounding them. Hyperbole? Ask others who may verify this, but for someone who has the family longevity and visits quarterly from the UK, the mire it has become is all too apparent. In closing, having a friend walking next to you, getting punched in the face at random by a homeless man, only reinforces its status as a ruined relic. Upon arrest after a lengthy wait for police, after being asked why he did it, he duly said, "I felt like it." Consider this a tourist and public safety announcement.
Thank you so much for this video as a person who lives here I haven’t experienced or seen a lot of the terrible things mentioned here. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the us If it keeps the tourists away PLEASE. Keep posting vids like this
This has always been the case. My father started to put his wallet in front pocket in 1965 when he was in the Navy. I don't know what district but it sure was in the tourist area.
I used to love day trips to SF, market street and all the huge flagship stores around Union square were so fun to see. Now the mall is half empty, and the flagships of Uniqlo, H&M, Gap, Forever 21, Disney, Crate & Barrel, Barneys, Marshalls, and more have closed. Macy’s has cut their store in half and most of what’s left closes at 7. It just lost the fun big city feeling it used to have even there’s lots of stuff to do there that I still enjoy. We stayed around Union square and couldn’t find anything to do any night except see a movie at the AMC nearby.
The shoplifting that has been all but legalized under $900 is absolutely disgusting! Allowing the kind of homelessness that is being allowed there is disgraceful ! Politicians heads should roll for the awful policies but they don’t because Democrats are continually voted for non stop, every election, so I’m thinking all this is really ok 👌 with the people there as long as it doesn’t effect them personally? 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🙄🙄
Oh, so you've noticed we had a pandemic and everyone shops online now because its cheaper? People are becoming anti social because of cell phones and 'social' media? Congratulations. I used to love S. F. pre techie/real estate rip off experts too! Who didn't?
@@SirManfly Unfortunately it seems that way. They seem to condone crime which makes me stay out of San Francisco for jobs as well. It's such a shame. I used to love going to San Francisco.
im from miami and visiting SF in two weeks. not sure what to expect but ill keep all these in mind. we are taking the bart and uber/lyft to get around. and going to most of the touristic places you mentioned even japan town. Miami has high violent crime and you get shot here so idk how worse can SF be besides the petty crimes
Watched this upload before going to San Francisco. And has an absolutely great time. Stayed in fisherman’s wharf. And used transport daily with no issue. Super friendly people too
I am going on an Alcatraz tour tomorrow and I don't know where to park my car... I read that The parking lot charges $20 every 2 hours and it definitely takes more than 2 hours from beginning to end to do the Alcatraz thing... Does anyone have any suggestions? I really don't want to spend $100 on parking... And I have a kitty cat In my car so I don't feel safe really even leaving my car somewhere where somebody might break in to it
So my takeaways from this video… if one does not mind watching blatant theft, property destruction, violent outbursts, potential physical assaults, and walking in human fecal material… SF is a fabulous city to visit. If one does visit, don’t carry valuables of any kind, and stay away from the tourist hotspots; get off the streets before the sunset. Knowing the ridiculously high pricing for staying in safe hotels and being confined to the few and boring safe areas to avoid being victimized by vandals, I’ll pass on risking a visit to SF.
It's not just safety. It's the overall post lockdown lethargic vibe that is largely gone in most other places. Also, so many retail vacancies and hardly any cafes that are open past 3 pm. Really sad how they destroyed the city.
Why focus on San Francisco and not other cities that have worse crime? The answer: Gavin Newsom. He was previously the mayor of San Francisco and he terrifies the MAGA crowd. So they retaliate by smearing a city that has crime and will always have crime. That’s the FACTS.
Planning my first trip to S.F. in a mere three weeks. I will have no car. So I'll just be on foot and using Uber. Question: is public transportation reasonably safe?
I moved to San Francisco in 2005 and thought it was awesome. It slowly deteriorated over time. In 2012 I moved to the Oakland Hills and soon after started dreading the idea of going into SF, especially with my car. By 2019, between the lack of police response to basically anything, the homelessness mess, and the expense of living there, my family and I decided it was time to bail. Can't see going back.
Thank you so much for this video. Me and my daughters are taking a trip to SF this summer and your tips will definitely help keep us safer (or at least more vigilant and aware).
Maybe I watch too much US news, but I'll never set foot in the US again. I won't even transit through US airports. It's just not worth it. There are lots of places to go in the world that are just as beautiful and much, much safer. So sad, cuz I used to love visiting the States as a kid.
Things have gotten much worse since COVID and the idiotic "defund the police" mentality a lot of cities had (and are now regretting.) But the news absolutely does blow things out of proportion. I live in San Diego and never really give crime a thought. I don't feel the need to own a gun, although I am glad that I have the right to own one. I'm in my 50s and never once seen a gun drawn in anger, let alone fired. This includes traveling to almost all the states and some long road trips through the deep south and working some sketchy night shift jobs when I was young. Maybe I am just lucky, but I can assure you that except for a few really bad areas, it is not like the wild west out here.
@@norwegianblue2017 Yes, I'm sure you're right. But it's not just the crime and violence. The US has become a cauldron of ignorance, intolerance and hate. My wife is Asian. I'd never subject her to the US. And again, this makes me sad. I especially enjoyed my trips through New England as a kid.
@@norwegianblue2017 I didn't mean to suggest that everyone in the US is like that of course. But ignorance breeds intolerance and hate. It's not the America I remember. People are much more polarized than they used to be, wouldn't you say?
@@johnholst Yes, people are far more polarized than before. Our media and social media is 90% responsible for that, along with our politicians. But I don't see a lot of intolerance and hate among your typical American. It seems like that because our media give the extremists the most attention and cow-tows to their insane cultural and political demands. Woke/Cancel Culture have been very damaging and divisive to this country. I look forward to its demise, which I feel is on the way.
My two cents as a Bay Area native and current SF resident: Indeed property crime like retail theft & car break-ins are high, but violent crime is low. Homelessness is a thing but highly dependent on the neighborhood - post apocalyptic in some, close to non existent in others. Graffiti has increased. Things are coming back postpandemic but slower than other places and downtown vibrancy is diminished compared to the past. It feels like we’re turning the corner and people are calling for real action on these issues. The city still has delicious food, cultural events and museums, beautiful parks, landscape and architecture, walkable neighborhoods (a rarity in the US), diverse and open-minded people, and cool, moderate weather while the rest of the country swelters! There is plenty of ugly to find and plenty of wonderful things to find. It’s not a hellhole and it’s not disneyland, it is a real city with real problems and real beauty too. My advice to visitors: Don’t leave valuables in your car (or maybe skip the car altogether), don’t be oblivious at tourist hotspots, and research your neighborhoods. Also your visit need not be laser focused on SF, go to Sausalito, Napa, Muir Woods, Santa Cruz, or Monterey too!
But why would one spend 500$ plus for a hotel room, and 200 for a plate of dandelions, only to have to watch the sidewalk to avoid lots of puddles and piles?
Hi Chris and everyone. How safe is area around airport SF. We were going to SF but after what I heard about crime in SF, I’m scared. Should it be a better idea to find a hotel not far from airport and stay there?(is it safer there then sf?) and take Uber to some places in SF?
If you are on a budget stay at the Courtyard by Marriott. It’s under $200 per night and in an area where I go for an evening stroll. Mostly businesses there such as RUclips and Walmart corporate offices. If you are splurging I suggest staying at the Inn at the Presidio. One of the most beautiful places in SF. Go there even if you don’t stay there. One of the most beautiful areas in SF. Also, the Walt Disney Family museum is there. It’s run by the actual Disney family, not corporate Disney. Really fun and interesting. All of his Academy Awards are there including the special one for Snow White, which is a large Oscar with 7 small ones.
I’m really struggling with our tentative plans to visit SF with our two young adult daughters next month for a few days. They want to see SF but our San Diego family says it’s too dangerous. Are we crazy to go?
SF is not safe. I am from New York and was in SF June last year. Market Street is a ghost town. Homeless people everywhere and they are the aggressive kind. Target and drug stores close early, like afternoon early. Every 7/11 would have 1~3 homeless outside passed out or asking for money. There is no one on the street after sunset except for the hottest tourist spots and those close at 8 or 9
Native here, If you have a planned trip, please enjoy this beautiful city. The areas that are problematic are still in this sorry state. Follow your planned itinerary. Do’t wander too far from the places you intend to visit. Use Taxis, buses, and paid drivers (Uber). Stay in nice neighborhoods. The BEST Hotel is The Driscoll (Pacific Heights). You can walk to many nice places from this location. Hotel has a driver you can prearrange for service. ENJOY!
I'm planning on visiting, Chinatown, Japantown, and also going to see The painted ladies and the thanners house, obviously using Uber mostly, any more tips???
I'm from England and planning a 14 day trip to San Francisco, Yosemite and Las Vegas. I'm planning to spend 4 days in San Fran as part of the trip but seeing this video, comments below and comments from real life friends who have visited in the last two years I'm now not so sure. Never been to San Fran and there are so many things I would like to visit in that city. I guess I will just have to be on my guard even more so and try and avoid some of the hotspots mentioned here.
I just got back home yesterday from visiting SF (I was there from Thursday to Saturday), and I absolutely loved it (it was my first time visiting; I live in Houston). Thursday things were a bit more mellow, but there were people out and about, but the weekend was quite active. In Houston you don't see that kind of activity as we don't get much tourism here, and the little tourism we do get here - because Houston is such a large and spread out city (whereas SF is smaller and more dense / urban feeling) - is usually limited to certain areas. Even in Miami (I grew up there), I remember tourism being limited to certain parts of Dade. But in SF, it seemed like no matter what neighborhood you went to, there were always people out. In some ways it did remind me of NYC (a lot of my family grew up there or still lives there so I've visited many times) as far as the urban feel of it. Speaking of NYC... I will say, San Francisco residents, compared to people from NYC, South FL, and Houston, seem more introverted and quiet. In many occasions, whether we were on the BART/MUNI, walking, or in a variety of other settings (eateries, coffee shops, parks, etc), I noticed not hearing any loud conversations or seeing animated behavior. I am not used to that. But it's not a bad thing, it's just different. As far as safety, I never felt unsafe in San Francisco, in fact I felt safer there than here in Houston. But then, Houston's violent crime per capita is more than twice that of SF; property crime is about the same. I suppose it boils down to perspective. If you happen to be visiting from a smaller city, or a place with less crime, then surely San Francisco will seem intimidating. Homelessness is quite prevalent. Also, Oakland seemed more rundown and industrial (I stayed in Oakland during my visit as it was more economical), but I didn't get to explore Oakland, all the exploration was in San Francisco really, so that's based on a very limited glimpse that I got. Oh! The climate there...very interesting! I'm used to living in warmer climates, with some variations (seasons, even though some are very short and others longer). But San Francisco, it was a bit cold (I was prepared though), and from what I understand it's like this year-round. I mostly experienced temperatures in the 60s (farenheit) when the sun was out. At night (or during the day, but overcast) the temps were in the low 50s. Also more windy than what I'm used to. It's funny because seeing those grey clouds, to me, usually means rain (after looking it up, it actually doesn't seem to rain in SF that much) or the typical overcast you get during autumn/winter, but it seems that San Francisco is naturally a cloudy/foggy place (which is tied to the cold). I can't forget to mention the topography and nature in general. It was just...insanely beautiful, omg. And so hilly. I love it! All-in-all, I had a lovely few days there. San Francisco is a wonderful and enchanting city. It's got character, it's own personality. It is a very unique place. If I had the money (which I don't, lol) I would love to live there. It's no wonder why it's a popular destination.
Nice comment. I do wonder how your perspective might change after actually living here for six months. The human shit, dead bodies, and armed robberies are not pleasant.
@@numarkaz I don't think San Francisco is perfect, far from it, there were a few minor things here and there [that I didn't mention] that didn't please me. But what place on Earth is perfect. Houston (and Texas in general) has its fair share of flaws too, just like CA or any other place in the world. As far as violent crime and murder (again, per capita, because it's the fair and relatable way to compare Houston's 2 million+ population to SF's 870,000+ population), the crime here is quite higher than in San Francisco, so in that respect, I'm better off in San Francisco. Property crime on the other hand, although they're pretty close, you'd be better off in Houston. Anyone who has moved from or plans on moving from California to Houston (there's been quite a surge of Californians moving to Texas the past few years), I'm fairly certain they are confused or were misinformed and are actually NOT moving to the actual city proper of Houston, but to a suburb instead (Katy, Sugar Land, Spring, The Woodlands, Cypress, etc. [some are actually their own autonomous cities, but geographically they are part of Houston's metro area]), where obviously the crime is lower. Now, it is important to bear in mind, that because this is Texas, the gun laws here (and of course how painless a firearm purchase is here), we have options in defending ourselves, and surely that must have an effect on crime in general, I just have no clue whether it has been positive or negative. Speaking of which, here in Texas, you have the right to defend yourself and your property with force. If you are being victimized, you don't have to wait on the police or whoever to rescue you, you can handle it immediately with force. I know in this country many people have differing opinions on that. But that's how things work here in Texas.
@@groseron thanks for your response. I think people in all 50 states should have the right to defend themselves and be armed just as they are in Texas. If for no other reason, because it is enshrined in our country's constitution. Also, you write well. You have very good grammar 👍🏾.
San Francisco is a sanctuary city. Other cities send their homeless and mentally unhealthy people to San Francisco. They have had to charge those cities for cost and care of those people. I don't think they are handle all these problems well at all. San Francisco has definitely changed. It is not the city I grew up in. It really is a shame.
Chris is absolutely correct here and as a local, I can't recommend anyone visit this city anymore. It's a complete disaster and cesspool. The only disagreement I have is that violent crime like robberies and home invasion and attacks on asian is a permanent fixture and is on the rise.
I lived all my life in SF, and tourists usually are advised to rent a hotel room near Union Square because it is centrally located. BAD NEWS! Union Square is now devoid of stores, Market Street, Mission Street, Civic Center are all HELL HOLES full of homeless and the streets are full of human excrements. Robberies, low riders, smash and grab everywhere. It is very expensive to stay in SF, and there are very few hostels. Stay in Pacifica or Sausalito. If you want to stay in San Francisco, stay near Presidio, Aquatic Park, Ghirardelli Square, but you need to be careful of pick-pockets and car smash and grabs. Fisherman’s Wharf is a tourist trap, not even worth visiting.
Thanks for the tips. I've watched a lot of these videos but I've never been warned about the Western Addition, which is near where I'm staying at Alamo Square. I may want to take the bus to Japantown rather than walking.
Anytime "poop" is listed on some sort of list associated with a city, there is no other upside to counter that disgusting city problem! Once you mentioned poop, we scratched San Fran off the list!!
I am sorry that this was incorrectly depicted. San Francisco has many convenience places for the homeless to use the bathroom, drop of needles and the like. They are manned 24/7 and they are everywhere. No it it not okay to poop or urinate in public. I live in The Tenderloin and a lot of homeless let their dogs poop on the sidewalk. In almost 30 years of living here I can only recall seeing one person poop in public on my way to jury duty by the courthouse. I have seen people being busted a couple of times for urinating in public by the Alchemy Urban Underground people who are making this a better place to be. If you believe people are pooping on the sidewalk that is outdated information and irresponsible to post here. Yes, it’s dog poop!
@@dianethulin1700 "Yes, it's dog poop!" -- NOT. It's both. Even if you're refuting this travel videographer's observations, there's near 700 Comments nearer to, if not at, the reality: "Yes, it's human $hit and dog poop!" . . . Plus needles, needles, needles (of the used variety) . . . a despicable, ever-increasing, much-too-large segment of the population looking at their fellow beings as their personal piggy bank, whether it be theft from bodies or vehicles or residences (porch pirates) is to be expected. Then there's the drug store chains' outlets, major retailers, mom-and-pop businessess victimized too. "San Francisco has many convenience [CONVENIENT] places for the homeless to use the bathroom, drop of [OFF] needles and the like." -- Grammar 101 assist.
@@dianethulin1700 No, not "rude," simply correct. Thin-skinned much? So, the original Comment (i.e., by a "David Whitford") a certain "Diane Thulin" complained about and my Reply to the same "Diane Thulin" receive suspiciously similar and matter-of-factly NOT-SO retorts -- replying to David Whitford: " . . . outdated information . . . "; then, replying to SC Vandy: " . . . information is out of date . . . " Hmmm. I wouldn't have bothered to post had I not read with great interest and much sadness and frustraton the approximately 700 Comments (ed. - for a local, most would be surprised you didn't bother to do that) and knew from first-hand, you-are-there experiences TOGETHER that fortify "David Whitford"'s given reason for scratching off San Francisco from his / his family's ideal 'places-to-visit' list and inserting it under "Avoid,'" "Yuck," "Do NOT go," "not in 1200 years" columns. You share about living in The Tenderloin, but you can only have blinders on, or you're sheltered in a cocoon-like residence, to miss the degradation committed on this once, shining, urban GEM'S streets, sidewalks, parks, storefronts, parking lots, lawns, etc. Finally, FYI, it was your poor grammar that 'tilted me' to Reply mode. First impressions are lasting impressions -- even on RUclips.
@@scvandy3129 Hope you’re having a nice day! I know I know I am! You do make me laugh with this long-ass comment and seem to be a little obsessed. Take care Grammar Police!
I thought san fran is an interesting city but I did not feel safe there. We did find the safe areas but I was always a bit anxious about my car getting broken into. It was also difficult to find good restaurants / bars that weren't in the middle of a sketchy area. The few safe areas we found also left a lot to be desired. We decided to go to mission district one night and I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there after we got our food to go. I'm from Seattle and am used to seeing homelessness and people with mental health issues. San fran has a lot more people that just seem shifty and up to no good and that really left a bad impression on me. It also felt like it was impossible to avoid the dangerous areas. Turn the wrong corner and there's some scary people waiting for you. It's an interesting city but after spending a couple days there I can't see myself ever wanting to go back. If anything visiting San Fran just reassured me more that Seattle is the place for me.
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Hi Chris,
Is Alcatraz open?
City was the height if sophistication, class, food, banking and insurance. Cant blame republicans fir turning it into a open air toilet. We use to laugh at detroit chicago philly, New York, dc etc… i heard kids in China who dint finish their dinner are told…think about all the homeless people in San Francisco! Stupid threat….out drug addicts and homeless are the fattest in the world!
I don't know who would want to visit Frisco. What a dump!
Something that has ALWAYS been Dangerous about San Francisco are the Cable Cars. In the 1970's & 1980's, there was the same article buried inside the SF Chronicle each and every year. It reported how much SF had to pay out that year for insurance settlements for injuries sustained by tourists riding the Cable Cars. Most of the accidents involved tourists trying to jump on or off a Cable Car while it's in motion. And at least once a year a Cable Car jumps the rails and goes careening down hill out of control until it hits a car or a wall, thereby causing tourist injuries. Each year this report stated that the amount paid out for insurance settlements for Cable Car injuries far exceeds the revenue taken in as fares. It said that the ONLY Reason why money losing, injury creating SF Cable Cars continue to operate is because they are an iconic image that draw MANY Tourists to The City. So instead of removing these DANGEROUS Cable Cars, or at least warning the Public about it, SF Govt and Big Business would rather suppress this vital information just to keep raking n The BIG Bucks !!!
Capitalists ALWAYS value Financial Profit over Human Life !!!
It's that Moral View that has made America a Great and Powerful Nation !!!
SO don't Knock It, OK ???
Gorgeous city. Like I said in another comment we spent our honeymoon there in the 80s. It’s a shame I would never ever go back there the way it is today. I would love to but I wouldn’t go walking around without a gun. But I’d probably get in trouble if someone tried to rob me and I killed them. So fuck it. It’s a shame your politicians ruined a beautiful place.
I was in San Francisco last week and I walked by a parking lot just to shoot a video showing the lots that are often broken into and someone literally broke into a car right when we got there. It was like 11am, so crazy
Nah. Not so crazy. /
Wow. The thieves are brazen for sure! Hopefully you stayed safe Josh!
Cops won’t stop anyone that isn’t threatening lives
Smash and grabs are a problem everywhere, not just San Francisco. It’s a tourist destination, and tourists leave their luggage in cars. Never leave your luggage in your car. Even if you’re early to your hotel, they’ll still hold your luggage.
City pro-tip: Any City. Don't leave anything visible in your car, especially a rental car.
I'm from England and visited San Francisco a couple of years ago. In the space of 1 week I was mugged, assaulted, had my car hire broken into, was threatened multiple times and overall just felt scared the whole time I was there. Along side that the homeless situation and the general state of some of the areas of the city is just awful. I will never go back and wish I had never bothered spending all that money. It's so expensive and I've never felt more unwelcome and exhausted fr going on holiday.
So sorry for your awful experience. Last time I was in SF was in the 90's. It was a beautiful city then. Seems like most cities in the US are having huge issues with homelessness. How does your city/country in England deal with this issue?
A disgrace that this should be a reality in one of America's most celebrated cities; truly for shame!
I grew up there in the 80s and all my relatives would always come visit us so they could enjoy the beauty of SF and the surrounding areas. Sorry you had to see what it’s now become. It really was awesome back then.
I'm very sorry for your experience. I'm a native bay arean and yes San Francisco and other cities in the area are very lax. I'm very careful because even the native can be victims. I hope time and a better unhousing solution can convince you to try our bay area but I know it will be a long time for a resolution.
Bro you out here starting shit or something out here... I've live here in the heart of the worst area the tenderloin for 20 years and never had a problem that I did integynize myself. Sure shit happens but you either got the worst luck in the world or just that naive.
Your channel built my vacation and it was wonderful! Thank you for your help and all of your excellent content!
Wow! Thank you so much Elizabeth! I happy I could help and I very appreciate your support!!!
Lets date Eliza?
I remember visiting SF back in 1960. It was a wonderful and exciting place where I would love to be. I am now 95 and marvel how such a beautiful city could go down the drain so fast. Heartbreaking.
95! You've live a long life
You are one of the nicest, friendliest youtube hosts and I like your stuff. Thanks.
Aww. Thanks John!
I’ve lived in San Francisco for 15 years and I’ve never once thought I’d want to leave until the last 5 years. I’m a homeowner and I’m thinking of seriously renting out my home and just leaving this place. Drug addicts and homeless people + people completely void of morality have taken over this city.
Bummer 😞
Sadly, even renters are leaving in droves.
But you are getting EXACTLY what you voted for ?
Please dont bring to OUR community what you destroyed your with
@@henrykirk4457 That’s more than just San Francisco. The whole state of California’s going down the crapper, due to voter ignorance of electing these woke morons who can’t run anything.
As a native San Franciscan, it breaks my heart to see what has happened to my hometown. Unfortunately, unless the citizens of S.F. change their mindset and voting ways, it will only get worse.
I.E-don't vote democrat. They hate cops, law and order and love to release criminals from jail because they are soooo tolerant (of everyone that shares their same misguided, naïve beliefs).
I live in San Franciso My experience is far different. I’m happy here. I vote here.
Exactly !!! How right you are! Until the citizens themselves undertake to solve these problems, no one else will do it!
@Big Dick Black Yeah people never wanna mention cities is red states or just say "THE DEMOCRAT RUN THEM" as like an cop out. Maybe just cities are dangerous because they are giant population centers. More people = more crime. Of course the crimes commited in rural areas are low, they aint no people there. Not saying California is perfect, but its far from the hell hole its painted as.
@@billsfo6400 Me too. I love living in San Francisco! My children had an incredible childhood here.
I live in the Bay Area and the City has gotten too expensive and dangerous in the past couple years. Homelessness is a serious problem. You really have to be street smart to get around. Your tips are excellent. I hope more people pay attention to them.
We have more problems from bridge and tunnel people than our homeless. " Let's all go over to the City and act like assholes! '.
NEVER VOTE FOR ANY LEFTIST POLITICIANS!
@lasthumankind no one asked you
@@ww2remembered983 deal with it
@@opwave79 Oh, we do simpleton.
Omg THANK YOU!
NUMBER 1 PROBLEM IS FORSURE SHOPLIFTING!
I work at a grocery store and it’s so bad! So many stores closing!
Thanks for the heads up. I’m going to SF with my family in April next year so vids like this are definitely useful. I have a police background so I have a good understanding of preventative measures but obviously in city I’ve never been before research is key.
"WTF?" That's what I found myself saying repeatedly while watching this video. I think I'll pass for now. At least until they get their shit together, literally. lol
There is like one example in history of a city getting its shit together and cleaning up, which was New York City in the 90s, under Mayor Giuliani and he is vilified for it and the methods they used to make the city safe are now called racist and "gentrification". And as soon as they got rid of those "racist" methods like "Stop and Frisk" or the "Broken Windows" policy, the city went back to shit again.
So don't hold your breath.
Love your videos! It would take an Act of God. Maybe that's what happened in the Bible with Noah's Ark.
Probably a good plan Tangerine Travels.. WTF indeed :)
Chris - youtube has not recommended your channel content for months now. Sorry I lost track. I am excited to see where you have been of late! Thanks for doing these!
Even as a child I was in love with San Francisco, so it pains me to no end to say this, but lately SF has done a stellar job in ruining its reputation. Thanks in no small measures to a bunch of incompetent politicians and their irresponsible legislations. Like you said at the end of the video: Is a visitor in danger of getting shot/killed in SF? Most likely not. But are there enough petty crimes and otherwise unpleasant niceties happening in SF to completely ruin someone’s vacation? Yes, indeed. They have destroyed what used to be a lovely city, and it’s a darn shame.
Thanks for the wonderful video.
@Big Dick Black You mean “reported” crimes, don’t you? For every crime reported there are hundreds of crimes like brazen shoplifting, breaking into cars, and what have you that people don’t even bother to report because they know nothing would come of it. Also the city is drowning in human piss and excrement and no-one is doing a thing about it. Sadly, the list is long.
Don't worry. We're about to vote out the current DA who doesn't like prosecuting criminals. I mean, that's basically his job duties. If he wanted to rehabilitate criminals, he should have applied for a different job.
@Big Dick Black I guess our jails are too nice. Maybe we should outsource our jails to another country!
@@stevelouie5928 You wish granted, as of 6/7/22. Unfortunately the number of years the p.o.s. had carte blanch to self administer 'justice' contributed mightily to completing the transition of turning SF into 'a toilet.' . . . The southern California clone, D.A. George Gascon in Los Angeles, hopefully will be booted out as well in 2022. But tragically and realistically, the damage their lack of principals, ethics and ABIDING BY THE LAW as public servants have caused so much material (including businesses' inventories) and structural losses, desecration-beyond-repair of public areas plus moral decay of the citizenry to these two urban centers that years and YEARS of fixing their self-directed damage await.
It's a woke city, and that's what you get when you go woke
The problem urban areas in California are having kind of started in the 1990’s when California passed a 3 strikes law where being convicted of a 3rd felony meant life in prison. A second strike was like 10 years. The net effect was crime went down significantly. However, very vocal opponents to the law said the law was too harsh. Also, it clogged up California prisons where overcrowding became such an issue, California was ordered by a judge to either reduce the prison population - or I guess build more prisons. The third thing that happened during this period is that California moved away from rehab in prisons to a more punitive environment resulting in a much higher recidivism rate.
So California first started watering down the 3 strikes law. Instead of building new prisons, they started letting people out. In the midst of all this came Prop 47, which was billed as criminal justice reform, and which the voters of California voted for, that reduced certain crimes to misdemeanors, such as the $900 limit for shoplifting. You can Google the specifics.
The next thing that happened was George Floyd and the backlash against police departments not just from the public, but from their own city governments. So what did the police officers in SF, Oakland, and San Jose do? They either retired, moved laterally or just quit. Staffing numbers are way down in these cities, and the city governments are not in a hurry to replace them.
Lastly, there has been groundswell to elect progressive DA in many Bay Area counties like SF, Alameda County and Contra Costa County, not to mention LA. The policy of these DAs is diversion - not jail. There’s a push to abolish bail, and sentencing enhancements have been done away with.
These measures were put in place to address the social, economic and racial disparities in California’s criminal justice system. From my point of view living in Oakland, this grand experiment is not working, and I feel like California is on the brink of total chaos if we don’t change course soon.
Hey Chris I've visited San Fran many times in the past & always had a great time . But haven't been for about 15 years & by the looks of your video I won't be heading there any time soon . It's such a shame as San Fran was such a fun place & the locals used to be so friendly & helpful . Cheers from downunder
Yeah. SF has really gone downhill unfortunately
I am not going to visit a place where I have to go to the extreme just to be safe walking and parking. It is definitely a sad situation. I have been to SF before and love it. I hope things can get better there.
Exactly! Plus as expensive as it is!
Don't hold your breath.
my wife and I left SF 3 years ago after living there for over 30 years and we are so glad we left the city we once loved when we did its become a filthy crime ridden shit hole where the criminals are free to do what ever they want whilst the druggies pee and poo anywhere they want :(
Well said...Ive been gone for 10 years and have just returned an yes it is a shit hole lol...every bus I get I'm expecting somebody mentally unstable. I'm always like "wait for it"...never fails
I live 15 miles south of SF and haven't been in the city for over 2 years. I used to go several times a month to dine and shop. But it's not for fear of my physical safety, but for property crime. I don't want my car window bashed in. 70 windows a day are broken. The other thing is the cost to park in SF. They are putting up meters all over the place and it's not cheap to park even at the meters. Overall it just isn't worth going into the city. The city is an example of how to keep people away from spending in the city. :)
It cost me $10/hr to park this past weekend. 😒
Yet they still keep voting in the same people who are destroying their city with their insane liberal views.
Planning a trip soon for the day, any tips on what parking garage is better to use by pier 39?
Pier 39 has its own parking garage, and if you reserve ahead online it's like $20. Or do what I did and park at a hotel valet 😉
Thank you! I feel better traveling with my pup now. 🙂
I have been to Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf at least 30 times in the 90's and have visited Mitchell Brother's O'Farrell Theatre in the Tenderloin dozens of times as well as Market Street Cinema and never had a problem. But have not been to these areas much in the last decade. Been worse in that time span?
A lot of people say “mental health,” but a lot of these folks who may have mental health issues are medicating themselves with street drugs and are battling addiction. Trying to treat MH without addressing the addiction first is gonna be a battle
Mental health and substance abuse go hand in hand from my experience.
@@kevinmael3862 of course they can go hand in hand, but do you think that it’s likely that most of the individuals profiled In this video who are chronically homeless and are likely battling addiction on street drugs are going to be successfully referred and linked to outpatient mental health care and equally follow through with subsequent appointments/services? You may have some successful cases, but I’m willing to bet that there would be more unsuccessful cases.
@@Ret_Chrogames so what’s the answer ?
@@antonyware9887 enforcing court mandated drug treatment and follow up court mandated mental health services
@@Ret_Chrogames and the services are available are they ?
Hi Chris. Thanks for the very important tips on SF. I am surprised at some of the information you shared. Thanks again and take care.
Thanks James
Great video, Chris. Very helpful and eye-opening. As one who has visited San Francisco in the past, including a weeklong walk all over the city in the early 1990s, I am saddened at the decay of that used to be such a wonderful city. The government there has their heads buried in the sand. It is a shame and not doing anyone any good.
Sorry, “what,” not “that.”
Blaming government officials is way off the mark. The real criminals in San Francisco are the voters. The voters are the ones who installed those officials in their positions.
Great city great restaurants great fashion years ago, very very sad it’s a city full of history and culture
How many city leaders actually live in the city? I'd bet they don't and so don't have any real attachment to the goings on in the city. Higher officials probably have private security protecting them, so what, me worry.
You mean the SF mayor, city councils, Gavin NewsCum, SF county Supervisors have ALL buried their head in their BUTT ... yet none of them are held accountable. I believe It's Pelosi's, Gavin NewsCum's auntie, district. She's a multimillionaire. The crime drug and social problems have been caused by the liberal DemonRats policies.
awesome information. It would be great if you could mention the areas where most poops- so visitors could avoid those areas
Theft is essentially legalized. Now in the name of employee safety, stores cannot do anything to stop a theft in progress. Hence why thieves are more brazen. Are hotels being converted or doubled up into homeless shelters? Is public transportation safe?
I work in San Francisco. Don't visit San Francisco. Half the city smells like urine or marijuana. Food and other items are expensive. There is no parking and your car will have a good chance of being broken into. Oh, and you will most likely see a homeless person taking a shit on the street. Lastly, you have a good chance of stepping on poop or a drug needle . If you visit City Hall, you will get a good view of the homeless encampment just 100 yards away from the steps.
Great
This absolutely breaks my heart. I’m a native Seattleite who lived in SF for a few years in the early 2000s. A lot of these problems are similar to the problems we are experiencing in Seattle. I used to be a social democrat and now middle-right. What the city leaders are doing up and then the major cities in the west coast are not working. Thank you for a honest video.
Thanks William
Thankfully, it seems the whole country is starting to get red-pilled. When they start calling guys like Joe Rogan right-wing, you know the left has lost the plot. People are leaving the big blue states and cities in droves.
A policy to reduce above $900 value of theft, as a felony down to a petty crime, is not what's causing the problems. It simply low life pieces of shit that ruin the city.
You used to care about poor people, then you stopped
@@linusmlgtips2123 Nope. He just grew up and realized that "caring" and enabling addicts hasn't improved the situation. Adults making policy is the only thing that does.
Thanks for the city update, Chris. We've been thinking of going there so it's helpful to see this informative video.
Bill and Lisa: Love your videos, but please do NOT come to San Francisco. Not safe for tourists.
Thanks Bill and Lisa!
@@ThePecunious Not true. SF is very safe. I live here all my life. Yes, we have tons of homeless but they are only in the downtown and Tenderloin and don't bother people.
Unlike some cities, you won't be killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
@@ThePecunious Untrue!
Great video! Enjoy all your videos. Very informative!
Thanks for watching!
Thank for videos like these, me and friend are still going regardless, because there are just a few things we want to do out there. We will just have to do our research and be as smart as possible while visiting.
Hi Chris..., I just arrived home ( Montana ) from San Francisco ( for a trade show ), and I will ( NOT ) be going back to San Francisco. I am going to be blunt and honest about San Francisco. I did ( NOT ) feel safe in San Francisco, especially in the Tenderloin District or neighborhood where the homeless have taken over the entire area and talk about poop, drugs, dirty streets, and sidewalks and shops and stores are closed... It is ( NOT ) safe, and I felt that way..., all over San Francisco, including Fisherman Wharf and Union Square, for the trade show. Drug paraphernalia, especially drug needles and mentally ill people, are everywhere in San Francisco... I walked around San Francisco for blocks during the day and never saw one San Francisco Police Patrol Car...; that bothered a friend from the trade show and me... The streets were dirty, and the sidewalks were worse... One Taxi driver said..., "I will not drive in or through the Tenderloin District." * * I did ( love ) San Francisco..., not anymore. I will ( NOT ) be going back to historic beloved San Francisco... * I am sorry, Chris..., but San Francisco has lost its charm and elegance... The Mayor of San Francisco and the City Council, and Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi have some explaining to do to the residents of San Francisco and large and small business owners and tourists... San Francisco has turned into a disgrace and cesspool of society, and the residents and tourists are ( NOT ) safe... Sad..., but true. Your friend always.., Mike in Montana :)
Thanks for your perspective Mike. No need to be sorry.. I don't own any stock in San Francisco tourism :)
Why do you type like that? I highly doubt the whole city was covered in trash, needles and excrement. Sounds like you’re being extra. The lack of police patrols is concerning, though
Your entire SF experience was, for the most part, downtown. If you had ventured west towards the avenues you would have had an entirely different experience.
Well said Sean
@@thepassionofthegoose5472 Or you can go to other places in the world and not have to worry about it at all.
Hey Chris
My brother and me just return from San Francisco 2weeks ago The car was breaking in when park in parking overnight we lost $2000 in all our goods
We call the police and they told us to make report on line
We will never go back again.thank Chris
yeah police don't care, especially that they're defunded and underappreciated
Sorry to hear that happened to you jacques!
Was in SF about a week ago, visiting from London. Watched your previous videos and others in preparation, and as a result was aware of the potential dangers. We were pleasantly surprised by how clean and safe it was in some neighbourhoods considering some of the horror stories we had seen - and appreciate its worse now than pre Covid. The TL is one to avoid still. We did see homelessness in Fisherman’s Wharf, and we were on guard, but it didn’t spoil our visit. Things did close early though. Thanks for your previous videos, especially the Boudins recommendation!
Thanks Peter! Glad you enjoyed the trip!
Just had a very extended stay (2 months) in SF and was impressed by how clean and safe the city felt. Obviously, avoid the Tenderloin and some parts of the Mission District. But as somebody who's traveled all over the world, SF remains near the top of my list of favorite cities.
I’m pleased to hear and unbiased opinion. I was there for a month a few weeks ago and I found the place less scary and much cleaner than it was a few years ago. I think there are too many RUclipsrs that are clutching at straws trying to get likes and subscribers that they cherry pick the topics that they know are the most controversial.
youre always welcomed to visit our area, if you ever visit again, feel free to ask the good places to eat!
Embarcadero and fishermans wharf is the only area they keep clean for tourists bc thats how the city makes its money
Just visited San Francisco this weekend. Had a great time with no issues. The new Central Subway is awesome!
Great to hear Kevin!
I once took a trip to SF in 2019. I went to school in the bay area once, so I went for nostalgia. Golden Gate bridge, CA academy of sciences, Golden gate park, Coit tower, Fisherman's wharf and alcatraz, and angel island. Some of the best days of my life. I did notice problems back then, but it seems when you know what happened, the dam broke and now SF just seems overrun with it's vices. I hope that will not be the last time I visit, and someday, things may get better and I can follow that trip up.
i wish i knew this before coming to sf, my family got our renta broken into and valuables stolen. ruined the entire experience and feel really unsafe now
I have not been here yet but I hear horror stories every day from people who have been robbed at conventions and cars smashed for almost nothing. I really want to visit here but I shall wait till they power wash the streets or it rains very heavy to clean the streets lol.
Asians get attacked daily, that's right. by who? you know who (BLM)
@Big Dick Black Thanks for reality check! Just be aware of your surroundings wherever you are in the US.
I live in downtown Tacoma, Wa. We are having the same problems here. Seattle is worse. Homeless encampments everywhere and rampant crime. If things don’t change soon we are going to move unfortunately. I am a moderate democrat but won’t be voting for them in the midterm elections with our city in the condition it is in.
quit voting blue
Don't vote Democrat when you move.
Hang in there!! It’s worse in Seattle!
What are Republicans going to do? Kick all the homeless people out and either do nothing to prevent them from coming back, or just heap them on another city to deal with (like Tacoma)? Don't expect them to spend the money to get them off the streets, or deal with the mental health problems that cause much of the crime, or help them with their drug addictions.
@@whatafreakinusername that's all caused by Democrats
About 45 years ago I lived at the Bristol hotel, in the heart of the Tenderloin. It was a dicey area then; I can't imagine what it must be now.
I was thinking the same thing as you just before you mentioned that Alcatraz should maybe be opened.
Good minds think alike!
I visited SF in 2006 and 2011, exploring the city on my own and felt safe most of the time. Even then there was a large homeless population but they mostly left everyone alone. It’s sad to hear what you’ve seen here because it’s such a beautiful city geographically and architecturally. I think I’m going to wait a bit longer before coming back, I hope they turn it around.
it never will unless you get a Republican mayor
I lived in financial district/China town area and would go out for a walk in wee hours (1-3 AM).
I've lived in a great many cities in east coast and Europe.
Believe it or not, SF is the most safest city I've ever lived!
It was right around 2012 during the Occupy Wall Street fiasco that the city started to lose its charm. It's still a beautiful city and your not getting robbed at gun point, its just homelessness and petty theft have made the city look really bad.
@@malcorub bad guys have guns. They don't follow the rules
@@cmonman85 I used to cut through Chinatown at midnight all the time coming home from work. Safe always
I love San Francisco. Been there many times and felt in love with it every times I visited. Unfortunately and very sadly the city slowly becoming a dump with homelessness, trash, and drug addicts everywhere.😌
ruclips.net/video/a4PVB25itIQ/видео.html
I've noticed that too and it's a real shame.
I went last year. On a Thursday around 1130 in the afternoon a car just pulled up and started smashing parked car windows and grabbing everything inside then moved onto the next car hitting multiple cars along the street. There was a lot of people who were homeless, every big city has but some can be a little aggressive wanting money. Its such a beautiful city, i wish for it to get cleaned up and the people to get helped.
It would take an Act of God. Maybe that's what happened in the Bible with Noah's Ark.
Thanks for sharing that personal experience. Yeah. The thieves are bold!
I am sure some areas are "OK" but my question still remains: why would one spend 500$ plus for a hotel room, and 200 for a plate of dandelions, only to have to watch the sidewalk to avoid lots of puddles and piles?
SF is dead 100%
Hey great video, thank you. Could you please advise, how is early March weather? I m visiting San Francisco from March 2nd to March 7, but some people think, March is cold and lots of rains 🌧.
Rainy and cold describes San Francisco in general. I think March is a fine month to visit
@@YellowProductions thank you.
I live in the SF Bay Area and have spent over 30+ years in the region. SF has gotten so unsafe that no sane person from our region would deliberately go visit. If I have to go for some reason, like business meetings, or visit embasseies there for Visa and such, I would then not wear those shoes again in my home. Human urine and fecal matters are everywhere... Homeless and used needle are literally on most streets. Don't expect this to change with the liberal politicians in control that cares more about being woke than citizen safety and well being. San Francisco is a lost cause it's best to just let it die out on its own.
I visited San Francisco in April. The homeless has taken over the city. I stayed in union square and this was a solo trip. I used uber, big bus, the subway and the cable car for transportation.
Nah. Not taken over the city. /
Lol....talk about over exaggeration. its limited to small sections of the city. give it a rest already 🤣
@@christhompson6010 limited to small sections of the city?! Lmao! Get your head out of your ass, it is EVERYWHERE!!!
@@christhompson6010 BS the nasty filthy bums are EVERYWHERE.
@@christhompson6010 why do people do this? Are these this conservatives that want to slander the city?
San Francisco is a HOLE!! If you drive here and Park, Just KNOW that your car WILL get Broken Into If you don't park in a Garage and even Then, you never know!!! It is SOO SAD because SF is SO Beautiful but just giving you FACTS cuz I live near by!!! btw, There ARE a Lot of Hotels in the Marina up and down Lombard Street, so you were wrong there!
I lived in that town for over 20 years and got out in 2001 because I could see where it was going. Got out of California in 05 because I just could not afford it anymore on $78k a year and I never looked back. So glad I'm out of there! Been very happy in Florida now for the last 14 years.
Couldnt afford to live in California on $78k a year in 2005? Yeah we dont believe you...
Hi Chris, can you give a link to the video for that “safe” bag you are talking about
I have lived in the Bay Area and enjoyed photography in San Francisco for most of my life until the last few years☹️ criminals drive around in cars it will just jump out and grab your camera or purse and drive off. Defunding the police, not prosecuting, giving the homeless and criminals more rights then the hard-working citizens😢 A special thanks to the politicians of California for making all this possible😡
Who cares u not even from here. And it was worse in the 90s/80s
@@jayo9750 you sure know how to think huh buddy 🤦🏻♂️
@@Lonjemoco thank u
@@jayo9750 well actually JAY O My brothers and I have been hanging out in San Francisco since the 60s I have spent a lot of time out there. They were nowhere near the homeless people in a positive note my camera was a cheap pocket Instamatic that was not worth stealing😬
@@MaxwellSmart6425 what was it like back in the 60s?
You are dead on. Everything you said is very true. That song by Tony Bennet “I Left My Heart In San Francisco”? Change it to “I left my shoe in San Francisco” after I stepped on human feces in the City😂 You explained like you live(d)here. You are doing a public service telling visitors to up their awareness. Thank you for telling it like it is. So true.
As a former retail worker, I can tell you EXACTLY why we let shoplifters walk out with arms full of stuff:
We are trained that way. We are told don't confront a shoplifter, if you get robbed, open the register and give the robber the cash. My life is worth SO MUCH MORE than clothes or money. You call the cops once they leave and let the cops deal w it. Retail workers have to go through natural disaster training, active shooter training, bomb threat training, basic first aid and CPR, and exactly what to do in each of these situations.
Allowing crime to run rampant won't make you safer. Just look at how things are years after those policies were implemented
@@casualcausalityy It keeps ME and everyone else in the building with me from getting hurt over FUCKING clothes or money.
@@allisonhunter1063 ok, just don't complain when taxpayers and businesses keep leaving in droves. Lawlessness consistently brings serious societal problems
You need to understand that this sort of training was **NOT** required almost everywhere else in the U.S. The only reason you need it at all is because crime in SF and surrounding areas has **PURPOSELY** been **ALLOWED** to become so rampant that such training is deemed necessary. Your "leaders" don't care about your safety, because with crime spiking their response isn't to the fight crime, but to give **YOU** special training in how to survive the crime that they **PURPOSELY** allow to continue. You are being victimized by your "leaders."
And if they assault you, are you allowed to defend yourself?
Can security do anything?
Has the robberies bankrupted your location? (I’ve seen this happen… some employees were moved to another location, others was let go)
San Francisco and its vicinity is so beautiful that my wife & i have visited and returned there many times in the 80s, 90s and early 2000s. But now, learning of its problems from friends who lives there, makes us just sad and won’t dare go back until its safe again.
Why focus on San Francisco and not other cities that have worse crime? The answer: Gavin Newsom. He was previously the mayor of San Francisco and he terrifies the MAGA crowd. So they retaliate by smearing a city that has crime and will always have crime. That’s the FACTS.
I live in the Bay Area, visit SF frequently and have never felt unsafe. Maybe you need to do a video on "how to visit a city without acting like a complete rube/yokel in a way that puts a giant target on your back"
I use to love love visiting San Francisco. No way now!!! In fact, last week going up to the Redwoods National and State Parks we went via 580.
We visited on holiday from Australia. We are shocked from what we saw in San Francisco. How can Biden and the people of California allow that to happen? It is a disgrace. The extremely high crime, drugs, homelessness, etc. The great USA is no longer. China has won. We would have felt more safe on holiday in Burundi.
Hey Aussie!! Learn how to tip, ya cheap bastards! Poor baby, gfy!
The left destroy everything they touch but the crime situation in Australia and New Zealand isn’t much better!… Youth crime is actually worse down under… RUclips has plenty of Australian and New Zealand channels you can watch that highlight the epidemic of young criminal gangs in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Auckland, etc.
The bottom line is, keep voting democrat and you'll get the same results. To all the educated, high-tech, and sofisticated, yuppies, think about it, you vote the same way as the homeless drug addicts,hookers, panhandlers, shoplifters, thugs, and illegals, so I don't think I would complain about the atmosphere you helped create. I know it made you feel good at the time, being a good socialist describing yourself as a progressive, but it backfired on you didn't it.
Come to the Midwest, avoiding cities like Shitcago, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, etc. You'll think you're in a different country.
Nice job and thanks for the shout out. FYI: the Marina district has tons of motels on Lombard (non windy) street. Also, Twin Peaks gets my nod for most dangerous neighborhood.
You mean it's dangerous to visit the Twin Peaks overlook?
@@thomza Yes. That's the place you're most likely to be robbed. Granted, it's a tiny area, but there have been a lot of muggings there in the past 5 years.
I stopped going to SF a long time ago after a car break-in. Since then I've gone 3 times. And worried about my car getting broken into or getting car jacked.
I live in Seattle. I have noticed more and more people that just don’t leave stuff in there car anymore. When they go somewhere anything they bring into there car goes with them.
Just for reference:
“In the state of Texas, theft crimes where the value of the stolen property is less than $1,500 is considered to be a misdemeanor theft”
As a Sacramento resident, I loved day trips to SF. Now, I refuse to go there. It's very, very dirty and I've had way too many violent or negative interactions with the unhoused. Really wish they could get it cleaned up because SF is so gorgeous!
Enjoy your gang infested Sacramento!!
Sadly, Sacramento is not what it was once before. It is becoming next SF.
"unhinged" is a better description than "unhoused". These are not your father's bums and winos.
doesn’t Sacramento got a lot of homeless population its much more than Stockton here in Stockton we take care of our homeless population unlike Sacramento ya ain’t doin a damn thing to help the homeless in ya area
I agree that people who commit crimes do not want to climb uphill. I always wondered if there is a correlation between petty crime and altitude.
No, the correlation is the facts of those hills house very rich people, and poor people have no business in there so they don’t go. They go to where people are actually out and about spending money and what not.
I think the correlation is between crime and women dominating voting. Petty crime is nothing compared to the number of children that are stolen off the fathers, then stealing the alimony after that.
As long as women vote, there will be womens rights, human rights, immigration rights, criminal rights. Traditional white men have to pay for this.
I visited SF last week, and for four days, I did not see homeless people; The town was clean, with streets, sidewalks, stores, from Golden Gate Park to Chinatown spotless. I totally enjoyed the city, and yes, I did avoid the Tenderloin,
Glad to hear that Rafael!
The glamour of San Francisco is part of a Bygone Era, now lost. From someone whose family lived in San Francisco since the 1950s, and lived or spent much time there from the 1980s to the mid-2000s, it has gone from a gleaming jewel to a bombed out crater. It is now a hyper-expensive, unsafe, unfriendly, dirty, pretentious pit with only small slivers of its past remaining. It has become worse than Detroit after de-industrialisation. Virtually all of the fabulous restaurants of yesteryear are now gone, most of which were shut in the last few years, including Fisherman's Grotto Number 9, Tarantino's, Jack's, Ernie's, North Beach Restaurant, The Carnelian Room, Tommy Toy's, Capp's Corner, Julius's Castle, Forbes Island, Jardiniere, Louis' Restaurant, Ocean Beach Cafe, and perhaps most devastatingly of all, the fabulous 150 year old Cliff House, whose fittings, decor and autographed photos were all auctioned off. A number of these restaurants had survived the Great Depression and, like countless other smaller businesses, are now gone. Half of Chinatown and one-third of Union Square has closed permanently due to soaring rents, the pandemic and tourist drop-off. Stores that are still in business often shut early and look like a war zone at night, as they're protected from thieves and vandals. "Smash and grabs" have become socially acceptable in the city and you cannot find a public loo open to the public due to the homeless situation. If the truth be known about just how bad the homeless situation is, think of mass Hoovervilles from the 1930s. Only residential neighbourhoods are spared much of this, but not all. As for festivals and fun destinations, like Halloween in Castro and the glorious cabaret show, Beach Blanket Babylon, the former was banned after several stabbings and the latter shut after 40+ years of performances. Events like Gay Pride have become corporate and are now sponsored by social media companies, who must force their employees at gunpoint to all march to show their "inclusivity," as the parade now lasts over six hours as the corporate participants pass by. Lastly, and the elephant in the room, the new tech and investor populations that now dominate the city live in areas away from the once thriving downtown and don't go out like people did up till the early 2000s. This new, more introverted lot don't go out, often work from home or travel outside the city, and this has destroyed small businesses that once depended on mass foot traffic. Finding a sit down family restaurant outside of downtown is a struggle. San Francisco is like Rio de Janeiro, with hyper-expensive real estate that only this population can afford, but with a degradation and high crime surrounding them. Hyperbole? Ask others who may verify this, but for someone who has the family longevity and visits quarterly from the UK, the mire it has become is all too apparent. In closing, having a friend walking next to you, getting punched in the face at random by a homeless man, only reinforces its status as a ruined relic. Upon arrest after a lengthy wait for police, after being asked why he did it, he duly said, "I felt like it." Consider this a tourist and public safety announcement.
Thank you so much for this video as a person who lives here I haven’t experienced or seen a lot of the terrible things mentioned here. It’s one of the most beautiful cities in the us If it keeps the tourists away PLEASE. Keep posting vids like this
This has always been the case. My father started to put his wallet in front pocket in 1965 when he was in the Navy. I don't know what district but it sure was in the tourist area.
I used to love day trips to SF, market street and all the huge flagship stores around Union square were so fun to see. Now the mall is half empty, and the flagships of Uniqlo, H&M, Gap, Forever 21, Disney, Crate & Barrel, Barneys, Marshalls, and more have closed. Macy’s has cut their store in half and most of what’s left closes at 7. It just lost the fun big city feeling it used to have even there’s lots of stuff to do there that I still enjoy. We stayed around Union square and couldn’t find anything to do any night except see a movie at the AMC nearby.
The shoplifting that has been all but legalized under $900 is absolutely disgusting! Allowing the kind of homelessness that is being allowed there is disgraceful ! Politicians heads should roll for the awful policies but they don’t because Democrats are continually voted for non stop, every election, so I’m thinking all this is really ok 👌 with the people there as long as it doesn’t effect them personally?
🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🙄🙄
Oh, so you've noticed we had a pandemic and everyone shops online now because its cheaper? People are becoming anti social because of cell phones and 'social' media? Congratulations. I used to love S. F. pre techie/real estate rip off experts too! Who didn't?
@@SirManfly Unfortunately it seems that way. They seem to condone crime which makes me stay out of San Francisco for jobs as well. It's such a shame. I used to love going to San Francisco.
DooDOO rats have endorsed crime, fecal dumps and assaults. What store would from a logical standpoint stay?
Thank you for the video. Our friends car got broken into last year. So I am not surprised that things are getting worse
Sorry to hear about your friends car!
Hi, this video were made for 2 years ago, how the crime and homeless situation in SF now? Is it worth or better? Thanks
im from miami and visiting SF in two weeks. not sure what to expect but ill keep all these in mind. we are taking the bart and uber/lyft to get around. and going to most of the touristic places you mentioned even japan town. Miami has high violent crime and you get shot here so idk how worse can SF be besides the petty crimes
What was your experience? Im visiting soon too
@@rey-op7je, my guess is he couldn't wait to get back to Miami.
How was it?
Watched this upload before going to San Francisco. And has an absolutely great time. Stayed in fisherman’s wharf. And used transport daily with no issue. Super friendly people too
Friendly people? You must have run into tourists only
10:05 - the only silver lining in SF is the one coming up in a couple of weeks to recall DA Chesa Boudin. Vote Yes on Prop H June 7th.
I am going on an Alcatraz tour tomorrow and I don't know where to park my car... I read that The parking lot charges $20 every 2 hours and it definitely takes more than 2 hours from beginning to end to do the Alcatraz thing... Does anyone have any suggestions? I really don't want to spend $100 on parking... And I have a kitty cat In my car so I don't feel safe really even leaving my car somewhere where somebody might break in to it
Reopening Alcatraz since S.F. has become crime-ridden. OMG...what an inspired idea! Chris for S.F. Mayor!
So my takeaways from this video… if one does not mind watching blatant theft, property destruction, violent outbursts, potential physical assaults, and walking in human fecal material… SF is a fabulous city to visit. If one does visit, don’t carry valuables of any kind, and stay away from the tourist hotspots; get off the streets before the sunset. Knowing the ridiculously high pricing for staying in safe hotels and being confined to the few and boring safe areas to avoid being victimized by vandals, I’ll pass on risking a visit to SF.
It's not just safety. It's the overall post lockdown lethargic vibe that is largely gone in most other places. Also, so many retail vacancies and hardly any cafes that are open past 3 pm. Really sad how they destroyed the city.
And ever since all the looting that happen in 2020 things just changed and made it ok to steal.
I completely agree that the government here has destroyed this city.
You can tell just by the guys video. That shot of fisherman’s wharf is the emptiest I’ve ever seen it. That area used to be hard to walk in.
@@MrsTurntables I agree as well.
@@Kunfucious577 to play devils advocate, he could have filmed this at 4pm on a Tuesday. That area is packed on weekends
I love this guy. He's more truthful, aware and thorough than MEDIA.
Why focus on San Francisco and not other cities that have worse crime? The answer: Gavin Newsom. He was previously the mayor of San Francisco and he terrifies the MAGA crowd. So they retaliate by smearing a city that has crime and will always have crime. That’s the FACTS.
Planning my first trip to S.F. in a mere three weeks. I will have no car. So I'll just be on foot and using Uber. Question: is public transportation reasonably safe?
Yes.. it's "reasonably" safe.. as in. Not any worse than any other major city in the USA
I moved to San Francisco in 2005 and thought it was awesome. It slowly deteriorated over time. In 2012 I moved to the Oakland Hills and soon after started dreading the idea of going into SF, especially with my car. By 2019, between the lack of police response to basically anything, the homelessness mess, and the expense of living there, my family and I decided it was time to bail. Can't see going back.
Thank you so much for this video. Me and my daughters are taking a trip to SF this summer and your tips will definitely help keep us safer (or at least more vigilant and aware).
Thanks Nikki!
Maybe I watch too much US news, but I'll never set foot in the US again. I won't even transit through US airports. It's just not worth it. There are lots of places to go in the world that are just as beautiful and much, much safer. So sad, cuz I used to love visiting the States as a kid.
Things have gotten much worse since COVID and the idiotic "defund the police" mentality a lot of cities had (and are now regretting.) But the news absolutely does blow things out of proportion. I live in San Diego and never really give crime a thought. I don't feel the need to own a gun, although I am glad that I have the right to own one. I'm in my 50s and never once seen a gun drawn in anger, let alone fired. This includes traveling to almost all the states and some long road trips through the deep south and working some sketchy night shift jobs when I was young. Maybe I am just lucky, but I can assure you that except for a few really bad areas, it is not like the wild west out here.
@@norwegianblue2017 Yes, I'm sure you're right. But it's not just the crime and violence. The US has become a cauldron of ignorance, intolerance and hate. My wife is Asian. I'd never subject her to the US.
And again, this makes me sad. I especially enjoyed my trips through New England as a kid.
@@johnholst Ignorance, maybe. A cauldron of intolerance and hate? No. Don't believe the media.
@@norwegianblue2017 I didn't mean to suggest that everyone in the US is like that of course.
But ignorance breeds intolerance and hate. It's not the America I remember. People are much more polarized than they used to be, wouldn't you say?
@@johnholst Yes, people are far more polarized than before. Our media and social media is 90% responsible for that, along with our politicians. But I don't see a lot of intolerance and hate among your typical American. It seems like that because our media give the extremists the most attention and cow-tows to their insane cultural and political demands. Woke/Cancel Culture have been very damaging and divisive to this country. I look forward to its demise, which I feel is on the way.
My two cents as a Bay Area native and current SF resident: Indeed property crime like retail theft & car break-ins are high, but violent crime is low. Homelessness is a thing but highly dependent on the neighborhood - post apocalyptic in some, close to non existent in others. Graffiti has increased. Things are coming back postpandemic but slower than other places and downtown vibrancy is diminished compared to the past. It feels like we’re turning the corner and people are calling for real action on these issues.
The city still has delicious food, cultural events and museums, beautiful parks, landscape and architecture, walkable neighborhoods (a rarity in the US), diverse and open-minded people, and cool, moderate weather while the rest of the country swelters! There is plenty of ugly to find and plenty of wonderful things to find. It’s not a hellhole and it’s not disneyland, it is a real city with real problems and real beauty too.
My advice to visitors: Don’t leave valuables in your car (or maybe skip the car altogether), don’t be oblivious at tourist hotspots, and research your neighborhoods. Also your visit need not be laser focused on SF, go to Sausalito, Napa, Muir Woods, Santa Cruz, or Monterey too!
Wow...I'm from here and you are spot on!
How did you vote in the last election? Just curious....seeing as you say "people" want to "turn it around"....
But why would one spend 500$ plus for a hotel room, and 200 for a plate of dandelions, only to have to watch the sidewalk to avoid lots of puddles and piles?
Hi Chris and everyone. How safe is area around airport SF. We were going to SF but after what I heard about crime in SF, I’m scared. Should it be a better idea to find a hotel not far from airport and stay there?(is it safer there then sf?) and take Uber to some places in SF?
If you are on a budget stay at the Courtyard by Marriott. It’s under $200 per night and in an area where I go for an evening stroll. Mostly businesses there such as RUclips and Walmart corporate offices. If you are splurging I suggest staying at the Inn at the Presidio. One of the most beautiful places in SF. Go there even if you don’t stay there. One of the most beautiful areas in SF. Also, the Walt Disney Family museum is there. It’s run by the actual Disney family, not corporate Disney. Really fun and interesting. All of his Academy Awards are there including the special one for Snow White, which is a large Oscar with 7 small ones.
I’m really struggling with our tentative plans to visit SF with our two young adult daughters next month for a few days. They want to see SF but our San Diego family says it’s too dangerous. Are we crazy to go?
I don't think you're crazy to go to SF. Just don't park your car with any belongings in it. And stick to the busy areas.
@@YellowProductions thank you!!!
And beware the poo smells lots of turd logs wear boots😊
SF is not safe. I am from New York and was in SF June last year. Market Street is a ghost town. Homeless people everywhere and they are the aggressive kind. Target and drug stores close early, like afternoon early. Every 7/11 would have 1~3 homeless outside passed out or asking for money. There is no one on the street after sunset except for the hottest tourist spots and those close at 8 or 9
Liberal government…WCIS ?…..and put your head on a swivel
Lived in SF for 55 years and finally had enough. It's a pit and had to leave.
Native here,
If you have a planned trip, please enjoy this beautiful city. The areas that are problematic are still in this sorry state. Follow your planned itinerary. Do’t wander too far from the places you intend to visit. Use Taxis, buses, and paid drivers (Uber). Stay in nice neighborhoods. The BEST Hotel is The Driscoll (Pacific Heights). You can walk to many nice places from this location. Hotel has a driver you can prearrange for service. ENJOY!
I'm planning on visiting, Chinatown, Japantown, and also going to see The painted ladies and the thanners house, obviously using Uber mostly, any more tips???
Enjoy Enjoy
Ugh! I’m doing research for our upcoming anniversary trip and wanted to visit SF! May be reconsidering based on these videos.
I'm from England and planning a 14 day trip to San Francisco, Yosemite and Las Vegas. I'm planning to spend 4 days in San Fran as part of the trip but seeing this video, comments below and comments from real life friends who have visited in the last two years I'm now not so sure. Never been to San Fran and there are so many things I would like to visit in that city. I guess I will just have to be on my guard even more so and try and avoid some of the hotspots mentioned here.
Read the comments and stay out of Frisco. Decent people moved out years ago.
I just got back home yesterday from visiting SF (I was there from Thursday to Saturday), and I absolutely loved it (it was my first time visiting; I live in Houston).
Thursday things were a bit more mellow, but there were people out and about, but the weekend was quite active. In Houston you don't see that kind of activity as we don't get much tourism here, and the little tourism we do get here - because Houston is such a large and spread out city (whereas SF is smaller and more dense / urban feeling) - is usually limited to certain areas. Even in Miami (I grew up there), I remember tourism being limited to certain parts of Dade. But in SF, it seemed like no matter what neighborhood you went to, there were always people out. In some ways it did remind me of NYC (a lot of my family grew up there or still lives there so I've visited many times) as far as the urban feel of it.
Speaking of NYC... I will say, San Francisco residents, compared to people from NYC, South FL, and Houston, seem more introverted and quiet. In many occasions, whether we were on the BART/MUNI, walking, or in a variety of other settings (eateries, coffee shops, parks, etc), I noticed not hearing any loud conversations or seeing animated behavior. I am not used to that. But it's not a bad thing, it's just different.
As far as safety, I never felt unsafe in San Francisco, in fact I felt safer there than here in Houston. But then, Houston's violent crime per capita is more than twice that of SF; property crime is about the same. I suppose it boils down to perspective. If you happen to be visiting from a smaller city, or a place with less crime, then surely San Francisco will seem intimidating.
Homelessness is quite prevalent. Also, Oakland seemed more rundown and industrial (I stayed in Oakland during my visit as it was more economical), but I didn't get to explore Oakland, all the exploration was in San Francisco really, so that's based on a very limited glimpse that I got.
Oh! The climate there...very interesting! I'm used to living in warmer climates, with some variations (seasons, even though some are very short and others longer). But San Francisco, it was a bit cold (I was prepared though), and from what I understand it's like this year-round. I mostly experienced temperatures in the 60s (farenheit) when the sun was out. At night (or during the day, but overcast) the temps were in the low 50s. Also more windy than what I'm used to. It's funny because seeing those grey clouds, to me, usually means rain (after looking it up, it actually doesn't seem to rain in SF that much) or the typical overcast you get during autumn/winter, but it seems that San Francisco is naturally a cloudy/foggy place (which is tied to the cold).
I can't forget to mention the topography and nature in general. It was just...insanely beautiful, omg. And so hilly. I love it!
All-in-all, I had a lovely few days there. San Francisco is a wonderful and enchanting city. It's got character, it's own personality. It is a very unique place. If I had the money (which I don't, lol) I would love to live there. It's no wonder why it's a popular destination.
Thanks for your detailed trip report. Sounds like a great visit!
The houses are beautiful
Nice comment. I do wonder how your perspective might change after actually living here for six months. The human shit, dead bodies, and armed robberies are not pleasant.
@@numarkaz I don't think San Francisco is perfect, far from it, there were a few minor things here and there [that I didn't mention] that didn't please me. But what place on Earth is perfect. Houston (and Texas in general) has its fair share of flaws too, just like CA or any other place in the world.
As far as violent crime and murder (again, per capita, because it's the fair and relatable way to compare Houston's 2 million+ population to SF's 870,000+ population), the crime here is quite higher than in San Francisco, so in that respect, I'm better off in San Francisco.
Property crime on the other hand, although they're pretty close, you'd be better off in Houston.
Anyone who has moved from or plans on moving from California to Houston (there's been quite a surge of Californians moving to Texas the past few years), I'm fairly certain they are confused or were misinformed and are actually NOT moving to the actual city proper of Houston, but to a suburb instead (Katy, Sugar Land, Spring, The Woodlands, Cypress, etc. [some are actually their own autonomous cities, but geographically they are part of Houston's metro area]), where obviously the crime is lower.
Now, it is important to bear in mind, that because this is Texas, the gun laws here (and of course how painless a firearm purchase is here), we have options in defending ourselves, and surely that must have an effect on crime in general, I just have no clue whether it has been positive or negative. Speaking of which, here in Texas, you have the right to defend yourself and your property with force. If you are being victimized, you don't have to wait on the police or whoever to rescue you, you can handle it immediately with force.
I know in this country many people have differing opinions on that. But that's how things work here in Texas.
@@groseron thanks for your response. I think people in all 50 states should have the right to defend themselves and be armed just as they are in Texas. If for no other reason, because it is enshrined in our country's constitution. Also, you write well. You have very good grammar 👍🏾.
San Francisco is a sanctuary city. Other cities send their homeless and mentally unhealthy people to San Francisco. They have had to charge those cities for cost and care of those people. I don't think they are handle all these problems well at all.
San Francisco has definitely changed. It is not the city I grew up in. It really is a shame.
Chris is absolutely correct here and as a local, I can't recommend anyone visit this city anymore. It's a complete disaster and cesspool. The only disagreement I have is that violent crime like robberies and home invasion and attacks on asian is a permanent fixture and is on the rise.
I lived all my life in SF, and tourists usually are advised to rent a hotel room near Union Square because it is centrally located. BAD NEWS! Union Square is now devoid of stores, Market Street, Mission Street, Civic Center are all HELL HOLES full of homeless and the streets are full of human excrements. Robberies, low riders, smash and grab everywhere. It is very expensive to stay in SF, and there are very few hostels.
Stay in Pacifica or Sausalito. If you want to stay in San Francisco, stay near Presidio, Aquatic Park, Ghirardelli Square, but you need to be careful of pick-pockets and car smash and grabs. Fisherman’s Wharf is a tourist trap, not even worth visiting.
Thanks for the tips. I've watched a lot of these videos but I've never been warned about the Western Addition, which is near where I'm staying at Alamo Square. I may want to take the bus to Japantown rather than walking.
And for the privilege of staying in a hotel in this dump, you pay the highest hotel rates in the US. At least they were pre pandemic.
Anytime "poop" is listed on some sort of list associated with a city, there is no other upside to counter that disgusting city problem! Once you mentioned poop, we scratched San Fran off the list!!
I am sorry that this was incorrectly depicted. San Francisco has many convenience places for the homeless to use the bathroom, drop of needles and the like. They are manned 24/7 and they are everywhere. No it it not okay to poop or urinate in public. I live in The Tenderloin and a lot of homeless let their dogs poop on the sidewalk. In almost 30 years of living here I can only recall seeing one person poop in public on my way to jury duty by the courthouse. I have seen people being busted a couple of times for urinating in public by the Alchemy Urban Underground people who are making this a better place to be. If you believe people are pooping on the sidewalk that is outdated information and irresponsible to post here. Yes, it’s dog poop!
@@dianethulin1700 "Yes, it's dog poop!" -- NOT. It's both. Even if you're refuting this travel videographer's observations, there's near 700 Comments nearer to, if not at, the reality: "Yes, it's human $hit and dog poop!" . . . Plus needles, needles, needles (of the used variety) . . . a despicable, ever-increasing, much-too-large segment of the population looking at their fellow beings as their personal piggy bank, whether it be theft from bodies or vehicles or residences (porch pirates) is to be expected. Then there's the drug store chains' outlets, major retailers, mom-and-pop businessess victimized too.
"San Francisco has many convenience [CONVENIENT] places for the homeless to use the bathroom, drop of [OFF] needles and the like." -- Grammar 101 assist.
@@scvandy3129 Your information is out of date. Nobody needs a grammar assist on social media. How rude!
@@dianethulin1700 No, not "rude," simply correct. Thin-skinned much?
So, the original Comment (i.e., by a "David Whitford") a certain "Diane Thulin" complained about and my Reply to the same "Diane Thulin" receive suspiciously similar and matter-of-factly NOT-SO retorts -- replying to David Whitford: " . . . outdated information . . . "; then, replying to SC Vandy: " . . . information is out of date . . . " Hmmm.
I wouldn't have bothered to post had I not read with great interest and much sadness and frustraton the approximately 700 Comments (ed. - for a local, most would be surprised you didn't bother to do that) and knew from first-hand, you-are-there experiences TOGETHER that fortify "David Whitford"'s given reason for scratching off San Francisco from his / his family's ideal 'places-to-visit' list and inserting it under "Avoid,'" "Yuck," "Do NOT go," "not in 1200 years" columns. You share about living in The Tenderloin, but you can only have blinders on, or you're sheltered in a cocoon-like residence, to miss the degradation committed on this once, shining, urban GEM'S streets, sidewalks, parks, storefronts, parking lots, lawns, etc.
Finally, FYI, it was your poor grammar that 'tilted me' to Reply mode. First impressions are lasting impressions -- even on RUclips.
@@scvandy3129 Hope you’re having a nice day! I know I know I am! You do make me laugh with this long-ass comment and seem to be a little obsessed. Take care Grammar Police!
I thought san fran is an interesting city but I did not feel safe there. We did find the safe areas but I was always a bit anxious about my car getting broken into. It was also difficult to find good restaurants / bars that weren't in the middle of a sketchy area. The few safe areas we found also left a lot to be desired. We decided to go to mission district one night and I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there after we got our food to go. I'm from Seattle and am used to seeing homelessness and people with mental health issues. San fran has a lot more people that just seem shifty and up to no good and that really left a bad impression on me. It also felt like it was impossible to avoid the dangerous areas. Turn the wrong corner and there's some scary people waiting for you. It's an interesting city but after spending a couple days there I can't see myself ever wanting to go back. If anything visiting San Fran just reassured me more that Seattle is the place for me.
So, overall do you recommend that we rent a car or take transit ?
Transit
Is there a hotel that you would recommend in a safe area that has coffee shops and resteraunts in safe walking distance?