Bay Area broken windows and car break ins

[ohmman]

Thanks to the OP for the heads up. When in the city, I've probably been more careless than I should be with my belongings. I'll throw a jacket over an iPad, for instance. I'll stop doing that immediately - it's good advice no matter where you are.

I was driving down Market a few months ago and a disheveled man made a beeline for my MS while I was in motion. I was probably going about 20-25 miles per hour. He was able to intercept me and turned at the last minute, slamming his arm and shoulder into my side view mirror and the driver window of my car. It freaked me out pretty well. I was sure he was going to fall down and either scam me for insurance money, or jump me as soon as I got out of the car to check on him. Instead, he turned to face me, walking backwards as I drove on, and gave me the double bird.

I really love San Francisco, but this kind of thing is why, when I cross over the bridge and get onto 37 on my way home, I breathe a huge sigh of relief.

 

[K-MTG]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]In December, I went to San Francisco with my family and had dessert at Ghirardelli Square at Fisherman's Wharf. When we walked back to the car, the rear passenger window was missing and on the floor. My briefcase consisting of my gadgets (MacBook Pro, Apple Watch[/FONT] Link Bracelet, chargers etc...) was missing from the trunk.

I am positive someone was watching us as the camera bag wasn't stolen, when we parked we opened the trunk and took the DSLR out and they probably realized it was empty even though it contained my GoPro and other gear.

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Using Find my Mac, the MacBook Pro remained offline however the name of the computer changed from my name to "Max's MacBook Pro". I was not able to acquire a location, I had FireVault enabled so everything is encrypted but didn't create a firmware utility password. (If enabled, it would prevent the thief from formatting my laptop.)[/FONT]

 

[Blu Zap]

When in San Francisco it is worth it to pay for a staffed lot. The City staffed lots like St. Mary's Square Garage on Kearny St. are a good deal. Never a problem.

 

[ecarfan]

I regularly drive through the Tenderloin District in my orange Roadster on my way to work at a certain hospital. Now that car gets some looks. Some guys yell something nice and give a thumbs up or similar. Some just yell "rich *******". Life is an adventure. It is simply the most direct route for me to get to work.

I was driving down Market a few months ago and a disheveled man made a beeline for my MS while I was in motion. I was probably going about 20-25 miles per hour. He was able to intercept me and turned at the last minute, slamming his arm and shoulder into my side view mirror and the driver window of my car. It freaked me out pretty well. I was sure he was going to fall down and either scam me for insurance money, or jump me as soon as I got out of the car to check on him. Instead, he turned to face me, walking backwards as I drove on, and gave me the double bird.

 

[anxman]

I always pay for a staffed lot or valet when available but it isn't available everywhere. I'll probably just start using Uber for when that might be a problem.

 

[thecloud]

I've had first-hand experiences similar to those recounted in this thread, and as a rule, I never take the Model S when I know I will need to park in SF and leave the car unattended on the street or in a public garage like 5th & Mission. It's unfortunate, but better for my peace of mind.

 

[wk057]

I was driving down Market a few months ago and a disheveled man made a beeline for my MS while I was in motion. I was probably going about 20-25 miles per hour. He was able to intercept me and turned at the last minute, slamming his arm and shoulder into my side view mirror and the driver window of my car. It freaked me out pretty well. I was sure he was going to fall down and either scam me for insurance money, or jump me as soon as I got out of the car to check on him. Instead, he turned to face me, walking backwards as I drove on, and gave me the double bird.

Am I an a*****e because I wouldn't even have thought to stop and/or get out and check on such a person? heh. Like, that thought never would have entered my mind in this case.

Glad I'm on the other side of the county from CA. I quite literally could never see myself living even in an adjacent state to CA.

Ya'll are just too crazy over there.

 

[ohmman]

Glad I'm on the other side of the county from CA. I quite literally could never see myself living even in an adjacent state to CA.

Ya'll are just too crazy over there.

Well.. I'll say that the most scared I've ever been in this type of situation was in Raleigh, NC. I was downtown in a rental car and a homeless guy jumped into the passenger seat with me and started asking me to drive him to the police station. When I refused and tried to politely defuse the situation and get him out of the car, things escalated quickly. I wound up getting out of the car and hurrying into a restaurant, where he followed me. Long story short, the staff helped me ditch him and I barreled back to my hotel room in the RTP area and did NOT return to downtown Raleigh that trip.

California's a big place and you're painting it with a pretty broad brush.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Agreed that there is no justification for this, but understanding the context for the underlying frustration that is causing so much of this type of vandalism might help to put it in perspective. Things like this don't just happen in a vacuum. There is an underlying cause to this anger, but given the nature of our economic system, I don't see any solutions that would mollify those who are inappropriately expressing this anger.

Nothing to do with it. Likely just a spate of thefts by an semi-organized group. Might just need to remove one key player to bring the numbers back to normal.

 

[wk057]

Well.. I'll say that the most scared I've ever been in this type of situation was in Raleigh, NC. I was downtown in a rental car and a homeless guy jumped into the passenger seat with me and started asking me to drive him to the police station. When I refused and tried to politely defuse the situation and get him out of the car, things escalated quickly. I wound up getting out of the car and hurrying into a restaurant, where he followed me. Long story short, the staff helped me ditch him and I barreled back to my hotel room in the RTP area and did NOT return to downtown Raleigh that trip.

California's a big place and you're painting it with a pretty broad brush.

Without getting too political, pretty sure I consider California the most ridiculous state overall, up there with MI, NY, NJ, and TX. Sure, crazy stuff happens everywhere, but I'd take Raleigh, NC over SF, LA or basically any other moderately populated area in CA any day... not that I'd live in any of them by choice. I live on the outskirts of Hickory, NC kind of almost in the middle of no where. The population of 10 square miles here is probably still less than then some city blocks in LA or SF. lol.

If you're thinking what happened to you in Raleigh (or worse) wouldn't happen in CA... think again.

 

[ecarfan]

@ohmman clearly did not say that what he described in Raliegh would not happen in California. He simply described the scariest situation he has experienced in a car, to make the point that these sorts of incidents can happen just about anywhere.

 

[mspohr]

I always pay for a staffed lot or valet when available but it isn't available everywhere. I'll probably just start using Uber for when that might be a problem.

I had this problem (broken rear window and nothing stolen) in SF. Since then, I use the car valet service Luxe.com. They will send a valet to your location and park the car in a safe garage then return it to you wherever and whenever you want. It's very reasonably priced and the peace of mind is priceless.
You can use this discount code to get a $20 credit: MARK305
They operate in about six cities: LA, SF, NYC, Seattle, Chicago, Austin


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Unfortunately, much of the Bay Area is turning into urban tribes that promote class warfare ... very sad.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

* You can increase poverty by thieving from the poor.
* You can weaken the weak more by only giving to the strong.
* You can make small men smaller by making big men bigger.
* You can destroy the poor by only defending the rich.
* You can diminish the wage-earner by only giving benefits to the wage-payer.
* You cannot get out of debt without any income at all.
* You can divide the brotherhood of man by initiating wage slavery.
* You should not borrow money from social security to pay for illegal wars.
* You cannot build healthy homes and families by taking away a man's income and benefits.
* You can help men permanently by paying them a living wage with real benefits for a day's work.

 

[jeffro01]

Glad I'm on the other side of the county from CA. I quite literally could never see myself living even in an adjacent state to CA.

Ya'll are just too crazy over there.

As if bad stuff only happens here... Come on... You can't make a statement like that, then follow it up in a subsequent post regarding the political nature of your comment without someone, such as myself who lives in CA, from replying...

First things first, people are free to choose where they want to live in this country and I wouldn't ever suggest it should be any other way than that. Each state has it's own way of doing things that certainly alters the quality of life in it's own way state by state. Granted I tend to find this patch-work approach to civil liberties and such to be absurd but I'll save my rant on that for another time.

Either way, CA is a great place to live, a great place to raise a family, and at least for my region, outstanding weather nearly 365 days a year... It's amazing to me just how far off peoples perception of CA is from reality... Being a native Kansan, I deal with this on a constant basis with my family who thinks we've moved into the fires of hell, and I'm not joking. I don't really know what conservative people have against CA, I mean I do but in the interest of not further devolving my post into a political rant, I'll simply stop there.

I will say this in closing, I'd never, EVER, consider moving back to my home state so long as it's being run by the people it's being run by...

In the end, to each their own...

Jeff

 

[mspohr]

Glad I'm on the other side of the county from CA. I quite literally could never see myself living even in an adjacent state to CA.

Ya'll are just too crazy over there.

Actually, we are crazy here on the "left coast". Please spread the word (it helps to keep the riff raff out).

 

[Cyclone]

The only time I had a car broken into recently was in San Francisco right down from the convention center. I took my cell phone and put it into the trunk so it was not visible while outside of the car. Gone for about 1.5 hours while at dinner and returned to find the trunk forced open (not tesla at the time) and the cell phone missing. Someone watched me leave my belongings in the trunk and then broke into it. I was able to call the A** H*** and call him all sorts of names before I shut down the phone account.

One of our compliance courses of work talked about locking up such valuables prior to leaving for your destination (a cell phone would be difficult, they were talking laptops) so that people at the destination don't see you putting stuff in the trunk for this very reason.

 

[wk057]

In the end, to each their own

Pretty much says it all, and so it should be. Just as you'd never consider moving here, I'd never consider moving there. Sounds like a plan to me.

For the record, I don't affiliate myself with any political party or preference. I'm not conservative, I'm not liberal, or whatever other labels people put on such things. To quote Chris Rock, "Anyone who makes up their mind about an issue before they hear the issue is a ******' fool."

 

[FlatSix911]

SF is a beautiful location ... and a cesspool of humanity

 

[thecloud]

Relevant article in today's New York Times:

“This past year has been absolutely horrible,” Mr. Spinella said in an interview after the hearing. “It’s the worst that anyone can remember over the past 20 years.”

Like many San Franciscans, he faulted the way the authorities have handled the growing problem, which is highly visible and startles tourists and residents alike. “The city has allowed this to get so extreme,” Mr. Spinella said. “They are harboring criminals — it’s not just a homeless situation anymore.”

The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for data on property crimes, but many residents report a steep increase in car break-ins.

 

[anxman]

Relevant article in today's New York Times:

Didn't see that article. Thanks for sharing.

Also this quote in the article stuck out: "The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for data on property crimes, but many residents report a steep increase in car break-ins."

 

[GoTslaGo]

This is sad. Years ago, San Fran was the destination for a bike trip my friend and I took from Portland. After struggling through the headwinds and the climbs (with fully loaded bikes, I still remember a woman's sympathetic look as she passed me on her road-bike as I struggled up route 1) through Marin, I still remember the joys of crossing the Golden Gate and getting to the other side. We spend a week in SF and had a great time. Everyone was friendly and the vibe was wonderful. There was a grittiness to the city, but not the meanness of the east coast cities at the time.

Over time with each successive visit, the city just started feeling angrier and angrier. Finally I found the panhandlers had become some of the most aggressive and self-righteous/entitled I had ever encountered. Just short of mugging you. At that point, my wife and I decided we would never go back. I had hoped that things would get better. So sad.