What are the people in San Fransisco like?

Question

Talking to a retiered friend today, he and his wife went there. They've had loads of holidays all over America and agree the people are friendly and really nice, well at least to tourists. But he said 'Frisco wasn't at all like that, it sounded seedy, and the people were really unfriendly and seemd quite rude. Not what I had imagined.

Answer 1

That's not true!

I've never ever had a bad experience with anbody  in SF. That's way i reply in all my answers that San Franciscan are friendly!!

Do you want to find really rude people? Come to LA. This is a big reason why i don't like here. I;va had many bad experiences!!

Answer 2

I was in San Francisco last month for a week and really enjoyed the city.  There was nothing negative about the city or its people.  I felt very safe.  I did see a few homeless men; they don't bother anyone - unfortunately I'm sure every city in the US has homeless.  The city is somewhat overwhelming at first, but once you travel around and enjoy all the interesting features, you start to love it.  A week was not long enough to really get to know the people and the city.

Answer 3

Spent years as a roadie going all over the US many many times.

If I was to move anywhere it would be New york or San francisco . Both cities have their 'own world' feel and the people in both are awesome as well.

I'm a Londoner by the way.

Answer 4

The people in New york are the same, but remembering that new york and san fransico are the big working cities. people dreams of a life in places like that for the job prospects and busy life. Its not florida or miami that are torist proud areas. there big cities and you have to expect a lot of busy business people rushing to get to the subway on time to be crammed into a busy train!

Answer 5

San Francisco is a busy city. It is the judicial capital of California, as well as the principal banking center of the West Coast. So, it does have that hurried "get on with it" attitude typical of many larger cities. Courtesy isn't equated with friendliness. Rather, courtesy means respecting other peoples' valuable time. Because time is money.

When it comes to service, for example, locals value efficiency and speed over friendliness. Waiters and hostesses want to get your meal out in the fastest time possible. They aren't necessarily interested in hearing about your life story. And I'm sure the other customers - who are waiting for the same worker to take their order - aren't interested either.

There are many other unwritten rules. For instance, you should not block access to a stairway / escalator by using both sides of it. You're supposed to queue to the right and let others pass on the left. If a couple stands next to each other, it is considered perfectly legitimate for somebody behind them to say "please move." For all you know, they might be late for an appearance in court (or a boardroom meeting).

So, if your friend is the talkative type, he might've gotten the cold shoulder in San Francisco. It is certainly possible that he inadvertently annoyed the natives as well. But I agree with the others. You'd find the same situation in Boston, Philadelphia, or New York.

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As for "seedy," nobody goes to any of San Francisco's sister cities (Cape Town, Sydney, Caracas, Shanghai, etc.) expecting a Disneyland style experience. So, why exactly do they have this unrealistic expectation about San Francisco? The safety meme has always baffled me.

San Francisco isn't a theme park or a beachfront resort. It is a real, working city. And that means there's crime and homelessness. Some of it is pretty horrific. However, most of it occurs far away from the tourist areas.

Answer 6

That's not true. There are a lot of tourists in San Fransisco, so maybe the people living there get a little annoyed every once in a while, but overall they are kind and friendly people.

Answer 7

i vistitd san fran a mnth ago n t wuz awsum! tz a city thts all tz own...  but ppl wr friendly n u see ppl from evry walk of life! u just hv 2 rember tht wn u see sum1 a lil unique, thr pry thinkn the same abt u:)  

Answer 8

I travelled to San Fran a few years back and absolutely loved it, I found most people friendly and like any big city did come across a few unfriendly people but on the whole I would say they are far friendlier than most people in London(Not all). There are beggars in the Wharf area, some scary, some not so bad. But don't let what you have heard put you off

Answer 9

Right purple pee,it's 1.30am and your the last one tonight.l am a londoner who lived in SF from 1984 to 89.Gorgeous place,the most european city in the west.People are educated and cultured and liberal left leaning.SF people are really pleasant and chatty and welcome everyone.The retired couple have been unlucky.The people there do not treat tourists with any extra politeness as it is jammed full of tourists 3 seasons per year.Seedy maybe,because unlike other cities in the US they do not move on vagrants and so the whole countries tramps go there as they are unmolested.If your a tourist and on Market at night you would be frightened at the volume of vagrants around,but all of them are peaceful in spite of appearances.Remember they are there because of the people's tolerance.g**s,lesbians,vagrants,hippies and business folk all rub shoulders in SF.So stick a flower in your hair,take plenty contraception and chill baby.A beautiful place.Sf is not a big city 49 sq miles against 635 sq miles for london.Building made of wood abound and coffee culture gives way to many small gigs at night.loads of late night book shop open and what views.NEVER call SF frisco you will be left chained naked outside city hall.It's uncool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jefBWhE6V...

Answer 10

Well your friends, the older tourist couple,  probably just got some tourist jaded clerks. I think once outside of the tourist area bubble, people in SF are friendly and helpful.  

Answer 11

We are great people! They must have had a few bad experiences, which would certainly taint their opinion of the people.

As for the "seediness", I think most of San Francisco is really quite lovely. There are places like the Tenderloin, but I doubt any tourist ever went there. The nicer areas are more residential. I've never really thought of us as a touristy city, except for Fisherman's Wharf and Girardelli (sp?) Square. I've been to New York, Athens, Rome, Florence, and other major cities, and I've noticed that the "touristy" areas are just places where people sell things to try and rip you off. To experience the True San Francisco, you would have to go to Bernal Hill, the Mission, or nicer places similar to that.  

Answer 12

Like most big cities, it depends on what neighborhoods you are in.

My guess is that they were in the very touristy area around Fisherman's Wharf, and my experience there is that there are a number of wanna-be punk-rock anarchists there, as well as some beggars.

I can see where that might put off an older couple.

In general, I don't think that San Fran is that different than any other large city in America - I think its pretty comparable to Boston, but with better weather and better natural scenery.

Answer 13

San Francisco has it all.  There are very wealthy,

cosmopolitan type people who dress in high fashion.

There are the average working class Joe's.  There are

the business people and the stock market people.

David G has it pretty much correct, except the hippie

days are over.  They all moved up here to the Redwood

Coast.

  Like another person said, there are the seamier set.

Some very poor, some very drunk, some hookers,

some beggars, some g**s.  It all depends on what any

tourist is looking for.  It is very expensive to stay in

a nice area and a nice hotel.

  I would recommend a first-time visitor to join a

Tour through their local travel agent.  There are tours in various price ranges and your tour-mates can be your age, or all single, or all high or low income.

  Every out-of-towner I've spoken to says they had a

wonderful time.  

P.S.-Never call the city "Frisco".  The local S.F. people

hate that name.