Support NeoGAF

[CherryWoodFuton]

Is it just me or a lot of Gaffers on the OT love to trash talk SF and the Bay Area??

I just say that Vice thread and yea this area is disgustingly expensive but some gaffers act like living here is an absolute hell hole
(Which coming from a recent transplant like myself is so fucking far from the truth)

I saw one post that said SF is even more rude than LA lolololol

 

[Miletius]

Is it just me or a lot of Gaffers on the OT love to trash talk SF and the Bay Area??

I just say that Vice thread and yea this area is disgustingly expensive but some gaffers act like living here is an absolute hell hole
(Which coming from a recent transplant like myself is so fucking far from the truth)

I saw one post that said SF is even more rude than LA lolololol

Bay Area is in the news a lot so people tend to trash it for sure. I think it's a combination of not really knowing what it's like to live here along with a predetermined narrative of what it's like to be here. It isn't exlusive to GAF though, if we were a more conservative or moderate board I'd assume there'd be a thread on the "alt-left" in Berkeley this morning, despite the fact that it's been fairly quiet on campus this morning -- more so than even a normal day on campus. I mean things might heat up this afternoon but you wouldn't know it from the pictures of riot police on the front page of the Wash po, for example, and that's supposed to be a liberal rag.

For example, a lot of people talk about NIMBYism in SF and the Peninsula, but fail to realize that transportation infrastructure won't support a huge influx of housing in any part of the Bay right now. Not saying that new housing shouldn't be built (god knows that we need some) but it's a multi-facted problem and nuance isn't a strong suit of any message board.

The media often defines the type attitude people have on a particular area, and for Bay Area for a while it's been "it's so expensive" so I think people have ingrained attitudes about that shit. Loosely, GAF is part of the media because it's become increasingly apparent to me that some people come here for their news instead of actually reading/listening/watching the news. Not that it's exactly revelatory, but it does actually make a fair point about media narratives and how even liberal mags are susceptible to helping sustain group think.

 

[Curler]

If only it was as simple as "build more homes". We are... but those companies would rather make top dollar than put it aside to other people. Also, the infrustructure is awful and with so many people moving here, we need room for things like more schools etc., and that requires a lot of room.

 

[tryptobphan]

The Bay Area is definitely an amazing place to live. It's hard to move elsewhere and find everything else we have here. However, it is sad that everything has become so expensive it's hard for most people to live well or even get by here. Not everyone can be part of the tech industry or be in a financial firm, law firm, or medical/dental clinic here in the Bay Area.

 

[hateradio]

Is it just me or a lot of Gaffers on the OT love to trash talk SF and the Bay Area??

I just say that Vice thread and yea this area is disgustingly expensive but some gaffers act like living here is an absolute hell hole
(Which coming from a recent transplant like myself is so fucking far from the truth)

I saw one post SF is even more rude than LA lolollol

I'm a recent transplant, too. But I live in SJ, unfortunately. I do think it's like living in a hell hole.

I think the housing market in the rest of the bay (burbs) is absolutely absurd. In LA/OC you can find amazing homes for $2M. Besides working for a tech company, there's no reason to pay that much to live in Sunnyvale (like in a recent thread).

The Bay Area is definitely an amazing place to live. It's hard to move elsewhere and find everything else we have here.

Like what?

 

[M52B28]

The media often defines the type attitude people have on a particular area, and for Bay Area for a while it's been "it's so expensive" so I think people have ingrained attitudes about that shit. Loosely, GAF is part of the media because it's become increasingly apparent to me that some people come here for their news instead of actually reading/listening/watching the news. Not that it's exactly revelatory, but it does actually make a fair point about media narratives and how even liberal mags are susceptible to helping sustain group think.

I have been noticing this as well. Most of the time, a thread about SF and the Bay Area are only going to mention the cost of living. Those threads usually turn into jokes about poop on the street and how it's not worth living here. I have my problems with this place, but it isn't half bad compared to hundreds of other places.

What most people don't exactly understand is that, while cost of living is expensive compared to the rest of the United States, the wages are almost always adjusted. My brother moved his job from the Midwest to out here and he got compensation and all. He said he had a hard time adjusting to the pricing on different goods and gas, but it was enough for him to sustain - pay off his car, pay his rent, food and go out on small vacations with friends and spend nights out.

He moved back, but he regrets that decision.

Like what?

The whole Bay Area environment is something that is hard to find outside of this place. To me, everything is near arms length to get to. A few hours out you have massive national parks, amazing beach coves in Big Sur, mini cities with their own scenes - I mean, there's so much shit here. My brother and I had this conversation abut the Bay Area and it entailed that there is so much stuff to here that it's almost overwhelming.

 

[midramble]

Yeah, I've seen the SF hate as well. Some of it also has to do with the tourist spots being homeless hotspots and many tourists unknowningly end up booking hotels in the TL because of the price.

Jesus though I wish they would fix zoning here. Jane Kim was all about that housing kick...

Coming back from Tokyo and seeing another "SF RENT IS TOO DAMN HIGH" thread made me sad. We could be Tokyo if we tried...

 

[tryptobphan]

I'm a recent transplant, too. But I live in SJ, unfortunately. I do think it's like living in a hell hole.

Like what?

I've lived in SF and SJ. I still currently live in the Bay Area. I've lived in various cities in Southern California and Oregon. I've also lived abroad as well.

Every place I've lived in had some good and bad. The Bay Area is no exception. I always thought I'd prefer LA over SF and the Bay Area, however, in recent years it's begun to change. I always thought SF didn't have anything except for people who loved to go out to restaurants and hole-in-the-wall type food/bar/night life experiences. In that regards, SF is amazing for having a lot of attractions in any given area. However, I personally don't really care about these places.

I think the Bay Area is amazing for everything that most people don't go to. I think most people here just go to work, come home, and spend time with family or friends. Maybe they'll stay home and watch Netflix or go out to a bar or restaurant with friends. That's it.

However, they are missing out on a lot of the sights, scenery, and areas around here. In recent years I got into cars and having cars that I love to drive, I eventually wandered off the beaten path to go to different festivals, different cities I never spent time at, I went on mountain paths with gorgeous views of lakes and the Bay Area, restaurants on mountains, backroads down to Gilroy that is hidden from the 101 or highway 1, etc.

There are so many places to go and explore in the Bay Area that people just don't go out and do. Everyone will hang out in certain areas like SF people only stay in SF or SJ people only stay in Downtown SJ, but if you find yourself loving to drive, then get out there and drive around. There are a load of locations to explore and be adventurous about.

Some recommendations if you like to drive: Highway 1, Highway 9 near Saratoga up to Skyline Blvd, Skyline Blvd near Alice's Restaurant to Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay on Highway 1, Santa Cruz to Half Moon Bay via Highway 1, Big Basin to Highway 9, McKrean road from South San Jose to Gilroy as you pass the reservoirs and Watsonville, Pacifica Highway in South San Francisco near the Pacific coast, Calaveras Road near the mountains by Sunol to Livermore, North Minds Road in Livermore to Mt. Hamilton near Lick's Observatory, etc.

Again, if you like exploring and driving, then it's amazing here. It feels like you're playing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in that every where you go on a road, you'll find something of interest not far from where you are. Other places I've lived in, a road can take forever to take you anywhere worthy or with anything of interest. But all those roads listed above? I randomly just turned on the navigation in my car and took random roads off the beaten path to find nice restaurants from down-to-earth ones like Alice's Restaurant to high end ones like Grandview Restaurant on Mt. Hamilton. You find little festivals year round. I randomly happened to stop by Livermore during its Shakespear Festival and stopped that evening just to watch a play, it was great. I stopped by Saratoga for Mountain Winery, a place I never knew existed for concerts and wine tasting along with a great view.

If you like water activities then there's a lot of places to find like at Berkeley's Sailing Club or even Rengstorff House off of Shorelines near Mountain View. These places may pale in comparison to Mission Bay Aquatic Center in San Diego, but they're still pretty nice. The list goes on since there are so many cities in the Bay Area.

Weather? We've got it pretty good here compared to most of the US.

Again, I tend to never defend the Bay Area, but I have to admit there are a lot of places that I never knew about until I started adventuring off the beaten path in a car and just explored. Try it if you haven't already.

Also, as much as I love Los Angeles, even on weekends, there is way worse traffic down there than there is in the Bay Area, and we already have it bad up here.

 

[tryptobphan]

The whole Bay Area environment is something that is hard to find outside of this place. To me, everything is near arms length to get to. A few hours out you have massive national parks, amazing beach coves in Big Sur, mini cities with their own scenes - I mean, there's so much shit here. My brother and I had this conversation abut the Bay Area and it entailed that there is so much stuff to here that it's almost overwhelming.

Well said, way more succinct and straight to the point than my wall of text in the previous post. And I agree with you. If people living here are willing to step outside their homes and make their way around to the many cities in the Bay Area, there are a ton of stuff to do and see from downtown Mountain View to National Parks and beaches all within a short driving distance.

 

[Spoiled Milk]

Again, if you like exploring and driving, then it's amazing here. It feels like you're playing Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in that every where you go on a road, you'll find something of interest not far from where you are.

I agree with this. Was hiking around on Tamalpais and ended up at Stinson Beach which I had never heard of but was uncrowded and pleasant.

 

[v1lla21]

I don't like sf but that's just because I don't care for it or the night life.

I'm more like trypto in regards to exploring and going out to drive. I spend more time in Monterey and Big Sur than I do driving north of San Jose.

 

[tryptobphan]

I agree with this. Was hiking around on Tamalpais and ended up at Stinson Beach which I had never heard of but was uncrowded and pleasant.

Yeah, I've never even heard of Tamalpais, but because of your post, I'll be heading there later. It's on my list now. This is what I mean about the Bay Area. So many things to do and see, places to explore. It is like Star Trek or Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild in regards to adventuring around here.

I haven't even listed the places I've been to above Oakland, Berkeley, Napa or Sonoma. Lots of places there to explore. If you have a significant other, there are a ton of places to travel around and have fun. My personal favorite place isn't even hidden, it's Monterey and Carmel Valley. It's different from anywhere else in the Bay Area and it feels like you are traveling somewhere else for a short weekend getaway. No need to spend money to go on a crazy expensive vacation, it's just a short drive away.

How about those purple sand beaches at Pfeiffer Beach? Never seen it? Take a car out there and explore it, it's near Big Sur.

Also, I agree with many topics and threads becoming a big hate train against SF for having homeless, excrete, dirty city, etc. I actually agree with a lot of people who hate SF, because I'm not a SF lover, but I know the area around here has a lot of beauty to behold if people went out of their comfort zone to explore it instead of just focusing on bars, restaurants, and rock climbing gyms for socializing.

Lastly, if we're talking food, the Bay Area has you covered. From three 3-star Michelin restaurants all the way down to hole-in-the-wall places to try, it's all here. Don't feel like flying to New York for Lady M Cakes? Well, there's Antoine's Patisserie who does a similar style crepe cake that's just as good if not better. Desire a restaurant with sea-view? Go to Monterey or SF, there are a lot to choose from. Feel like fantastic clam chowder? Monterey. Feel like a cozy downtown street with plenty of restaurants and nice park to walk around but find that Palo Alto is too big? Go to Mountain View. Like winery and vineyard type settings but think Napa is too far? Go to Livermore or Saratoga. Feel like watching sports and concerts? Check out Levi Stadium, AT&T Park, or even SAP Center and Oracle Stadium.

I even made it mission to try out the top burgers in the Bay Area according to multiple lists online. And the crazy part is that I think the best gourmet burger I've had in the Bay Area is not on any list, the Q Burger at the Four Season Hotel's Quattro Restaurant in Palo Alto. I like it more than any burger on any top burger list found online for the Bay Area and I think I've tried them all. I still think In-N-Out is better than any gourmet burger place I've tried except for the Q Burger at the Four Season Hotel in Palo Alto. It was a nice find.

So again, for all the people in this thread or even lurkers who are just reading about the Bay Area, try to step out of your comfort zone, pick up a car, whether it's a manual or automatic vehicle, and drive around to explore. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by how much is around here once you open your eyes to experience everything.

You know what we don't have? Disneyland. But it's OK, we can't have everything.

I don't like sf but that's just because I don't care for it or the night life.

I'm more like trypto in regards to exploring and going out to drive. I spend more time in Monterey and Big Sur than I do driving north of San Jose.

You and I need to go out for a drive together or something. I think we probably both know some good roads to drive on. I spend time in Monterey as well since it's one of my favorite areas in the Bay Area.

 

[Spoiled Milk]

you also want to check out muir woods for the redwoods

here's some pics I took up on tamalpais

That's SF off in the distance.

Been meaning to do Mount Diablo for a couple years now.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Yeah, I've never even heard of Tamalpais, but because of your post, I'll be heading there later. It's on my list now.

The top of Mount Tam is a great place for stargazing if the weather cooperates.

There's lots of great trails all over the Bay Area if you enjoy hiking.

 

[Miletius]

you also want to check out muir woods for the redwoods

here's some pics I took up on tamalpais

That's SF off in the distance.

Been meaning to do Mount Diablo for a couple years now.

As a hiking and wildlife afficianado, the Bay Area is amazing. I mean, there's nothing here that you can't see elsewhere (technically). But to have it all clustered up in one region is pretty amazing. Plus, the weather keeps hiking accessible year round most of the time on all but the hottest of days.

Two of my favorite memories of this area is watching the elephant seals mate and pup in Ano Nuevo, and Natural Bridges during butterfly migration. Highly recommend both of those experiences.

I agree with you M52B58 -- wages here adjust to CoL, mostly. I think housing is the only thing where it's so out of control that people (rightfully) complain.

 

[v1lla21]

Ayyy an earthquake

 

[hateradio]

The whole Bay Area environment is something that is hard to find outside of this place. To me, everything is near arms length to get to. A few hours out you have massive national parks, amazing beach coves in Big Sur, mini cities with their own scenes - I mean, there's so much shit here. My brother and I had this conversation abut the Bay Area and it entailed that there is so much stuff to here that it's almost overwhelming.

Is it? I've been bored out of my mind most of the time I've been here.

If you have a more formal list, I'd like to know. I guess by arms length you mean a trek.

.

I think that's my biggest gripe. Everything is hours away, and I don't like to drive at all. And there's not immediate night life besides DTSJ which is abysmal.

I love LA in some regards (I'm from there), too, since I know when to go to places and to plan ahead. The only traffic that is of concern is weekday. However, it's like a woven blanket, where each city has something to offer, and at most you have to drive an hour. (I typically don't like to drive more than that.) Save me Model 3!

Yet, I am considering doing some roadtrips in the next few months, so I'll take some of the names you listed and ask some of my new friends here if they've been or want to go.

Hour+ drives here, I've gone to SF, Santa Cruz, Monterrey, and I've driven through Marin. But I still have a lot of other places to go to. It's just that I don't want to go by myself, and it's hard since I don't have many friends here.

 

[AcridMeat]

We could be Tokyo if we tried...

I would love that. I was just thinking we need about 8 more of those Salesforce towers.

Now that you're back let's get that BBQ trip going!

Is it just me or a lot of Gaffers on the OT love to trash talk SF and the Bay Area??

I just say that Vice thread and yea this area is disgustingly expensive but some gaffers act like living here is an absolute hell hole
(Which coming from a recent transplant like myself is so fucking far from the truth)

I saw one post that said SF is even more rude than LA lolololol

There's a lot more to shit on about the Bay Area now than in the past, especially with how many articles there are about the housing market, shit in the streets, etc. I find the area a lot less bearable than it used to be. I lament not being an adult with a job 15 years ago haha.

I really wish more would be done about public transit in the area because it's getting horrible.

Well said, way more succinct and straight to the point than my wall of text in the previous post. And I agree with you. If people living here are willing to step outside their homes and make their way around to the many cities in the Bay Area, there are a ton of stuff to do and see from downtown Mountain View to National Parks and beaches all within a short driving distance.

The problem is traffic. I've done many of those drives you listed over the years, and they are great to experience. However, if you have a long ass commute (hour + each way), it saps any motivation to do longer drives on the weekend.

I love driving but I have no energy for it after spending 300 miles driving during the week.

I agree with this. Was hiking around on Tamalpais and ended up at Stinson Beach which I had never heard of but was uncrowded and pleasant.

Ha nice that's my area. It must not have been an especially warm day because Stinson gets absolutely packed if there's any semblance of nice weather.

If you ever go back you should check out Bolinas, Point Reyes, Muir Beach, and/or Tennessee Valley.

 

[PsychBat!]

Ayyy an earthquake

I was at the wal-mart on story road when I felt that.

 

[Rur0ni]

Ayyy an earthquake

Felt my house rock. Thought someone had ran into it with a car for a moment.

 

[Curler]

Ayyy an earthquake

Where/when was it? I felt nothing all day. I think I'm just more sensitive to them when I'm sleeping in bed.

 

[v1lla21]

I was at the wal-mart on story road when I felt that.

Felt my house rock. Thought someone had ran into it with a car for a moment.

Where/when was it? I felt nothing all day. I think I'm just more sensitive to them when I'm sleeping in bed.

I felt it move a bit and I told my family to stay still and they looked at me weird but they started feeling it as well. It was like 5 seconds long if I were to guess.

I'm in North San Jose and it happened around 6:15ish.

 

[Curler]

I felt it move a bit and I told my family to stay still and they looked at me weird but they started feeling it as well. It was like 5 seconds long if I were to guess.

I'm in North San Jose and it happened around 6:15ish.

I'm guessing PM by the time stamp. Ok that's weird, because I was told at work that there was one earlier today. I guess there were a few? Some people think that having small quakes every now and then helps relive pressure on the plates, which helps prevent anything too big. I'm not too educated on seismic activity, but I sure hope that it's true (sounds believable enough).

 

[v1lla21]

I'm guessing PM by the time stamp. Ok that's weird, because I was told at work that there was one earlier today. I guess there were a few? Some people think that having small quakes every now and then helps relive pressure on the plates, which helps prevent anything too big. I'm not too educated on seismic activity, but I sure hope that it's true (sounds believable enough).

Yeah there was one around 3 I believe but I didn't feel that one since I work in San Mateo.

 

[tryptobphan]

I felt it move a bit and I told my family to stay still and they looked at me weird but they started feeling it as well. It was like 5 seconds long if I were to guess.

I'm in North San Jose and it happened around 6:15ish.

South San Jose and same here. My family felt it, but I was driving home around that time so I didn't feel it while sitting in Bay Area traffic.

The top of Mount Tam is a great place for stargazing if the weather cooperates.

There's lots of great trails all over the Bay Area if you enjoy hiking.

I actually don't like hiking like most of the Bay Area citizens do, however, I love finding trails to hike and then passing by the entrance. The main reason is because I don't have many friends around the South Bay who like to hike, most of my friends who do live up in SF.

you also want to check out muir woods for the redwoods

here's some pics I took up on tamalpais

That's SF off in the distance.

Been meaning to do Mount Diablo for a couple years now.

Those look great. I haven't been to Muir Woods in a couple years but I don't think I went up as high as you did. I'll have to do it again sometime.

Mt. Diablo is great. I did that a few years ago, definitely a hike for sure. I think you'd like it if you're a hiking fan. I'm not a hiking fan at all and I think it's pretty good.

Is it? I've been bored out of my mind most of the time I've been here.

I think that's my biggest gripe. Everything is hours away, and I don't like to drive at all. And there's not immediate night life besides DTSJ which is abysmal.

I love LA in some regards (I'm from there), too, since I know when to go to places and to plan ahead. The only traffic that is of concern is weekday. However, it's like a woven blanket, where each city has something to offer, and at most you have to drive an hour. (I typically don't like to drive more than that.) Save me Model 3!

Yet, I am considering doing some roadtrips in the next few months, so I'll take some of the names you listed and ask some of my new friends here if they've been or want to go.

Hour+ drives here, I've gone to SF, Santa Cruz, Monterrey, and I've driven through Marin. But I still have a lot of other places to go to. It's just that I don't want to go by myself, and it's hard since I don't have many friends here.

So I visit LA regularly since I don't live there anymore, but whenever I think to myself how bad traffic is up here in the Bay Area, I am always humbled when I go down to visit LA whether it's the weekday or weekend. Traffic is literally always worse down there than up here. It really puts things into perspective. Like the worst of 101 traffic doesn't even compare to 405 traffic down in LA. For an hour drive, you can get farther in the Bay Area than you can in LA. So if you can stomach driving in LA, you can definitely drive even farther in the Bay Area.

However, if you don't like driving, then I can see why you wouldn't like the Bay Area or even LA for that matter. I think both areas require a lot of driving to get anymore. It's not like Tokyo in Japan or Seoul in Korea where public transportation are amazing and everything is relatively close by via subway or taxi. I think the description you provided about LA's cities being interwoven and each having something to offer can definitely be applied to the Bay Area as well. Every city has something to offer. When I first lived here I didn't care or think anything of certain cities like Saratoga or Los Gatos or San Bruno. But over the last few years, I realized that every city has something to offer whether it's a small downtown area that's quaint or nice to dine and explore (e.g. Downtown Palo Alto, San Bruno, San Mateo, Mountain View, Willow Glenn, Campbell, Redwood City, etc.) or outdoorsy stuff (e.g. Rengstorff House area with water activities near Mountain View, Half Moon Bay's beaches/water activities, Big Basin's hiking area and nearby Downtown Saratoga, etc.). So again, exploring any area, not just the Bay Area and LA, I think are key to enjoying any environment. I've lived in the Bay Area only for the last 6 years now, but it's only within the last 2 years I've really come to appreciate the Bay Area once I started driving and exploring more. I never thought I'd actually like the Bay Area more than SoCal, but years later, I just may actually like the Bay Area more (housing prices not withstanding, of course).

The problem is traffic. I've done many of those drives you listed over the years, and they are great to experience. However, if you have a long ass commute (hour + each way), it saps any motivation to do longer drives on the weekend.

I love driving but I have no energy for it after spending 300 miles driving during the week.

I feel you, I had a commute from San Jose to Redwood City and even San Francisco for years. That's like 1.5-2 or even 3 hours one way, every morning depending on accidents that occur. And you're right, aside from Los Angeles and sometimes New York, traffic in the Bay Area is the worst in the US from my experience. I never actually loved driving until a couple years back when I started getting into more fun cars than just the average commuting cars. Because of this, I started driving around and exploring more and it's been fun. Perhaps you can try it.

And in all honesty, if the Bay Area is bad for people, I can only imagine how they would feel is any city other than the big metropolitan areas like Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York, LA, etc. I think most towns/cities and even more metropolitan areas don't have as much to offer residents as much as the Bay Area and LA. There's a reason why so many people would love to be in California if they can afford it. However, the reality is that it's very expensive here and it's unfortunate hearing the news of socioeconomic gaps that have been developing for years here.

Working in tech, it doesn't seem like anyone around me cares much about this situation except sometimes talking about it. However, I know most people who live in the Bay Area aren't in the tech industry. Not everyone here are doctors, dentists, lawyers, or engineers. Some have other jobs that may not pay as much and it's just difficult for anyone to make a living and hold a reasonable lifestyle here.

 

[v1lla21]

I frequent the same routes as you do, trypto. Before I go on any kind of spirited drive I gotta get new tires.

There is quite a few BayGAF members who frequent AutoGAF so I think it'd be cool to set up a car meet.

 

[Giant Robot]

I frequent the same routes as you do, trypto. Before I go on any kind of spirited drive I gotta get new tires.

There is quite a few BayGAF members who frequent AutoGAF so I think it'd be cool to set up a car meet.

Yeah, Bay Area has a ton of amazing roads to drive. Aside from 9/35/84, there's a bunch of others off the beaten path too.

We should set up a cruise/lunch.

 

[tryptobphan]

I frequent the same routes as you do, trypto. Before I go on any kind of spirited drive I gotta get new tires.

There is quite a few BayGAF members who frequent AutoGAF so I think it'd be cool to set up a car meet.

Yeah, Bay Area has a ton of amazing roads to drive. Aside from 9/35/84, there's a bunch of others off the beaten path too.

We should set up a cruise/lunch.

I'd be down for that some weekend if people are free. I've only really noticed v1lla21 in the AutoGAF thread. Who else are Bay Area GAF members? We should totally set up a drive or a short road trip across the bay or something.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Yeah, Bay Area has a ton of amazing roads to drive. Aside from 9/35/84, there's a bunch of others off the beaten path too.

We should set up a cruise/lunch.

CA-152 starting from Highway 1, past 101, and ending at I-5 can be a fun drive in the right car. Once you pass I-5 it becomes mostly straight so don't bother.

 

[tryptobphan]

CA-152 starting from Highway 1, past 101, and ending at I-5 can be a fun drive in the right car. Once you pass I-5 it becomes mostly straight so don't bother.

That is indeed a very nice route. I haven't done that one in a while.

Do people here who like to drive like windy roads? Or more scenic roads?

 

[v1lla21]

Oh, I meant that there's quite a few guys in AutoGAF that live in the Bay Area and I've seen a couple more people around gaf that also live in the bay and drive nice cars.

 

[Giant Robot]

CA-152 starting from Highway 1, past 101, and ending at I-5 can be a fun drive in the right car. Once you pass I-5 it becomes mostly straight so don't bother.

Driving through Casa De Fruta on 152 is nice. It sucks when there's an accident or getting stuck behind a big semi truck once you past Gilroy & Casa De Fruta because of the one lane road.

That is indeed a very nice route. I haven't done that one in a while.

Do people here who like to drive like windy roads? Or more scenic roads?

I like both, but prefer tight windy roads like 9/84. If I'm doing scenic routes, I definitely head down south Hwy 1 all the way to Big Sur. Going north on Hwy 1 to Bodega Bay is nice, but a pain in the ass to get through SF in my car.

 

[tryptobphan]

Have any of you, who like to drive on windy roads, ever gone the North Mines Road in Livermore to Lick's Observatory on Mt. Hamilton route? It's very windy and a fun drive. It's a nice and windy route with some nice curves, elevation changes, scenery of mountains between East Bay Area and Silicon Valley. If starting from Livermore in the early morning, one can get to Lick's Observatory a couple hours later, and then drive down Mt. Hamilton to South San Jose within half an hour, where there are a lot of different restaurants to choose from for lunch.

If people are interested, we can get together with some people in SF Bay Area GAF and Auto GAF.

 

[Giant Robot]

Have any of you, who like to drive on windy roads, ever gone the North Mines Road in Livermore to Lick's Observatory on Mt. Hamilton route? It's very windy and a fun drive. It's a nice and windy route with some nice curves, elevation changes, scenery of mountains between East Bay Area and Silicon Valley. If starting from Livermore in the early morning, one can get to Lick's Observatory a couple hours later, and then drive down Mt. Hamilton to South San Jose within half an hour, where there are a lot of different restaurants to choose from for lunch.

If people are interested, we can get together with some people in SF Bay Area GAF and Auto GAF.

I've done that route, but starting from SJ. It took me about an hour from SJ to Lick Observatory. Very winding, lots of gravel, and cyclists. I'm down for whatever on the weekends.

 

[tryptobphan]

I've done that route, but starting from SJ. It took me about an hour from SJ to Lick Observatory. Very winding, lots of gravel, and cyclists. I'm down for whatever on the weekends.

Yeah, it's twice as long from Lick's Observatory to Livermore. So I think it's about 3 hours total either way.

 

[M52B28]

Have any of you, who like to drive on windy roads, ever gone the North Mines Road in Livermore to Lick's Observatory on Mt. Hamilton route? It's very windy and a fun drive. It's a nice and windy route with some nice curves, elevation changes, scenery of mountains between East Bay Area and Silicon Valley. If starting from Livermore in the early morning, one can get to Lick's Observatory a couple hours later, and then drive down Mt. Hamilton to South San Jose within half an hour, where there are a lot of different restaurants to choose from for lunch.

If people are interested, we can get together with some people in SF Bay Area GAF and Auto GAF.

I'd be interested, but my E34 is running rich. Should have it fixed in the coming week.

 

[tryptobphan]

I'd be interested, but my E34 is running rich. Should have it fixed in the coming week.

No worries, if it happens it'll have to be after next weekend. I'm actually driving down to SoCal next weekend. Just gauging interest. I think sometimes people express interest in threads like this and Auto GAF but I've never seen anything happen.

I know there are some of us who love the Bay Area and even love to drive whether it's a Corolla, Miata, all the way up to BMW's and nice cars, so it'll be fun to meet up with people here. I've only met GAF members for the PlayStation Experience show in the past.

I hope your car will be ok soon. Also, the E34 is a beautiful series of cars. That was my favorite era of BMW (as well as the E39, E36), thanks in no small part to Pierce Brosnan's James Bond movies (BMW's in general).

 

[AcridMeat]

I'd be interested, but my E34 is running rich. Should have it fixed in the coming week.

Ver niiice

I recently got my NB Miata serviced with a bunch of stuff and have relatively new tires, so I'd be up for this.

 

[hobz360]

I'd be down for some bay area cruise

 

[v1lla21]

Acrid you got a NB :O
I want one so bad lol.

 

[opticalmace]

Acrid you got a NB :O
I want one so bad lol.

me too.

 

[AcridMeat]

They shouldn't be too hard to find in the area! There's a few things I need to make decisions on, that will lead to whether I keep it and get a hard top for it finally, or sell it for something else.

 

[v1lla21]

There's quite a few but the thing is a lot of em are modded way beyond what I want. Plus I don't got the money and space for it right now.

 

[M52B28]

I thought about trading my E34 for a NA last night when I was trying to find parking, but I quickly said nope and remembered how my car gobbles up straight lines.

It burns a ton of gas, but the pull it gives on the highway is strange for '95 with south of 189 horsepower.

 

[Giant Robot]

I had an E34 M5 quite a few years ago. Missed the car, but not the inevitable motor replacement.

Btw, Mount Umunhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains is opening to the public next week for the first time in 60 years. Almost everyone in the South Bay probably seen this from afar. Might be cool to cruise up there at some point after the grand opening.

 

[tryptobphan]

I had an E34 M5 quite a few years ago. Missed the car, but not the inevitable motor replacement.

Btw, Mount Umunhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains is opening to the public next week for the first time in 60 years. Almost everyone in the South Bay probably seen this from afar. Might be cool to cruise up there at some point after the grand opening.

What is this place? I vaguely recall someone talking about it around the Bay Area before, but I don't remember what it's all about.

 

[PsychBat!]

Anyone at the san jose walk? alum rock to alameda is closed off to cyclists and walkers.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

Bay Area traffic has gotten 80% worse since 2010:

Drivers slogging through Bay Area freeways during the rush-hour commute are spending more time crawling along at speeds of less than 35 miles an hour, with traffic congestion up 80 percent since 2010, a new report released Monday by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) found.

The average driver in 2016 spent roughly 3.5 minutes per commute traveling less than 35 mph, a new record and a 9 percent increase over the previous year. It also marked the fourth consecutive year that weekday traffic congestion around the region reached a new high. Or new low, depending on how you view it.

Ask MTC spokesman John Goodwin, and it’s a good problem to have.

“As I look at the map and as I look at the data, so much of it is tied to the strength of the regional economy,” he said. “If you want meaningful congestion relief, a recession is a great way to do that.”

But the reality is a harsh one for those who suffer through it, and one that Netflix employee Andreas Schafhauser knows all too well. He makes the roughly three-hour roundtrip commute from Walnut Creek to Los Gatos and back each day.

“That’s on a good day,” he said, referring to the time-sucking traffic trudge. “It’s definitely gotten worse.”

Schafhauser has tried every combination of public transit possible, typically opting to take his employer-provided shuttle when its schedule aligns with his.

Evidence of booming growth — where people are finding new jobs and new homes — is written into the commute patterns, Goodwin said, pointing to new additions to the top 10 list. The evening commute on State Route 4 through Concord in Contra Costa County rose from 16th to 10th place, usurping the p.m. Highway 101 slog through San Mateo.

The report also showed increasing congestion along other Contra Costa County thoroughfares, with the State Route 24 evening commute toward Walnut Creek moving from 10th to ninth place and the northbound evening commute on Interstate 680 from Crow Canyon Road to Contra Costa Boulevard coming in at No. 8, up from No. 11 one year ago.

“There is comparatively less expensive housing to the east of (those locations),” Goodwin said, “which is an important factor.”

But the top three congested arteries remained the same: that’s the northbound evening commute over the Bay Bridge from San Francisco to the East Bay, when more than 14,000 drivers vie for space in line to cross the bridge. Trailing the evening Bay Bridge rush is the westbound Interstate 80 corridor, extending from the SR 4 interchange near Hercules to Fremont Street in San Francisco.

This year, however, the westbound I-80 squeeze earned the dubious distinction of becoming an unrelenting grind; it’s the only segment among the region’s top 10 congested corridors to involve a morning commute, and the only one to remain clogged for one stretch or another throughout the day — with no mid-day respite.

Here are the worst of them, ranked:

* U.S. Route 101, northbound/Interstate 80, eastbound, p.m. in San Francisco County: Interstate 280 to Treasure Island Tunnel

* Interstate 80, westbound, all day in Alameda, Contra Costa & San Francisco counties: SR-4 to Fremont Street

* U.S. Route 101, southbound, p.m. in Santa Clara County: Shoreline Boulevard to Oakland Road

* Interstate 680, northbound, p.m. in Alameda County: Mission Boulevard/SR-262 to Andrade Road

* Interstate 880, northbound, p.m. in Alameda County: Mowry Avenue to Winton Avenue

* Interstate 280, southbound, p.m. in Santa Clara County: Foothill Expressway to Seventh/10th/Virginia Street

* Interstate 80, eastbound, p.m. in Alameda County: West Grand Avenue to Gilman Street

* Interstate 680, northbound, p.m. in Contra Costa County: Crow Canyon Road to Contra Costa Boulevard

* State Route 24, eastbound, p.m. in Alameda and Contra Costa counties: Interstate 580/Interstate 980 to Interstate 680

* State Route 4, eastbound, p.m. in Contra Costa County: Morello Avenue to Port Chicago Highway

Still not as bad as SoCal!

 

[Curler]

Bay Area traffic has gotten 80% worse since 2010:





Still not as bad as SoCal!

It's still awful. In the several years I've lived here, things have been much worse. Levi's Stadium alone has created traffic SO MUCH WORSE on 237. It's ridiculous, and no one wants to spend money to fix it (need more long-term thinking that less time commuting = more productive workers etc.)

 

[midramble]

Bay Area traffic has gotten 80% worse since 2010:





Still not as bad as SoCal!

Well Socal is an unmitigated traffic disaster so that's not much of a prize.

I've got a killer idea for a monorail.