I Get Around
Driving in San Francisco as a canine chauffeur is actually quite satisfying. My co-worker, Kristian, and I get to listen to music like Massive Attack, T-Rex and a new band (for me) called Mew. This is a position with loads of sunshine, exercise and a soundtrack at will. Dogwalker is such an appropriate first-year-in-new-city-job as I'm becoming intimate with the geography of neighborhoods and the habits of other drivers. I'll attempt to comment on the latter without cursing.
Getting to know Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights, the Castro, the Mission, Noe Valley, Potrero Hill and Excelsior are some of my small victories over the last two weeks. These mid-central to outer neighborhoods utilize the stop sign at every corner. The Mission, Noe Valley and Potrero Hill are all designed on the grid pattern while Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights and the Castro (more of less) have slender, curvy, hilly streets. I'm becoming privy to secret shortcuts and freeway entrances. Everyday I drive to John McLaren Park, a large, wild wooded area in the Excelsior district. John McLaren was known as Golden Gate Park's first superintendent but the park of his namesake is often thought of as "the ghetto golden gate." Each day I drop off and pick up four groups of dogs.
The drivers here are completely out-to-lunch and totally self-centered. I've always thought that Boston drivers were very conscious and sophisticated and would often give you a break on your left turn. Not so in San Francisco. They are good drivers just not very generous towards others. Highways are called freeways in California. When cruising around the Mission avoid taking 16th, 19th and 24th streets. The best bet is always one street adjacent, namely, 17th, 20th (especially) and 25th. In the bucolic residential neighborhoods a little further west, use Diamond as a great south to north corridor and avoid Castro or Noe streets. Only drive on "the" 101 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunny, lovely Potrero Hill is never too congested. Streets in that eastern hood are named after U.S. states but have no chronological, political or geographical order. For instance, why does Rhode Island run parallel to Kansas?
Meter maids toot around in these menacing, little white golf carts but I've only ever seen them in the Castro. Weeks ago during a furniture move I actually witnessed a friend of mine hug it out with one of these city employees and no ticket was issued. So maybe the Franciscans do believe in breaks from time to time.
Getting to know Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights, the Castro, the Mission, Noe Valley, Potrero Hill and Excelsior are some of my small victories over the last two weeks. These mid-central to outer neighborhoods utilize the stop sign at every corner. The Mission, Noe Valley and Potrero Hill are all designed on the grid pattern while Bernal Heights, Diamond Heights and the Castro (more of less) have slender, curvy, hilly streets. I'm becoming privy to secret shortcuts and freeway entrances. Everyday I drive to John McLaren Park, a large, wild wooded area in the Excelsior district. John McLaren was known as Golden Gate Park's first superintendent but the park of his namesake is often thought of as "the ghetto golden gate." Each day I drop off and pick up four groups of dogs.
The drivers here are completely out-to-lunch and totally self-centered. I've always thought that Boston drivers were very conscious and sophisticated and would often give you a break on your left turn. Not so in San Francisco. They are good drivers just not very generous towards others. Highways are called freeways in California. When cruising around the Mission avoid taking 16th, 19th and 24th streets. The best bet is always one street adjacent, namely, 17th, 20th (especially) and 25th. In the bucolic residential neighborhoods a little further west, use Diamond as a great south to north corridor and avoid Castro or Noe streets. Only drive on "the" 101 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunny, lovely Potrero Hill is never too congested. Streets in that eastern hood are named after U.S. states but have no chronological, political or geographical order. For instance, why does Rhode Island run parallel to Kansas?
Meter maids toot around in these menacing, little white golf carts but I've only ever seen them in the Castro. Weeks ago during a furniture move I actually witnessed a friend of mine hug it out with one of these city employees and no ticket was issued. So maybe the Franciscans do believe in breaks from time to time.
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