Diane Zimmer
Jul 30, 2017 · 4 min read

Ten Reasons Why I’m Breaking Up With San Francisco

This is not the first time. But sadly, it will be the last. I left in 2008 for Denver, and SWORE I was done, only to return ( to my same building nonetheless) a mere 2 and a half years later. I hung my head hung in shame that I had left that time. But this time is different. Really. Here are 10 reasons in no particular order that my fiance and I are moving South with (little) regrets:

  1. The price of MUNI has gone from $2.25 to $2.75 in the last 6 months. The service on MUNI has gone so far south I no longer feel bad about not paying on the rare occasion I hop on or, much more likely, taking Uber Pool for $3.99 pretty much anywhere I need to go.
  2. That nail salon around the corner I’ve been getting my mani/pedi’s done at every 2–3 months (when I could afford it) the last 14 years for about $30? Yeah, they’ve been taken over and don’t even offer a combo special…it’s now close to $50 for both. Not happening.
  3. The dive bar behind my house that is basically the living room for my partner and I (since we cram into a tiny studio) raised their ridiculously cheap prices for happy hour from $3 wells to $4 and beyond for after happy hour. What used to be two rounds on happy hour for under $20 is now closer to $30. It sounds petty, but it’s symbolic…
  4. The laundromat across the street to our apartment closed (for good this time) apparently due to vandalism. Hauling our laundry up and down the hill to the very aptly named “Haight to Wash” that is much more expensive and more seedy has been a huge chore. So much so we have often driven to a better laundromat down the way (which means losing our precious parking spot).
  5. Parking. Parking with street cleaning. Parking with the never ending City construction, which means moving at 7 am whether they are working or not. Parking with the never ending construction from the neighbors, who never make any progress on their projects. Driving around for half an hour looking for parking. Not leaving our neighborhood on the weekend because we don’t want to lose our parking spot. Not wanting to go anywhere where we have to look for parking.
  6. Construction at the adjacent building that apparently is going to go on for another year. So loud. Starting at 7:25 am every morning. The pounding. When you work from home. Driving you slowly insane. With the building is literally adjoining yours. But you’ve looked up the regulations and it says construction is allowed from 7 am until 8 pm 7 days a week including holidays (Really?!?)
  7. Traffic. Not sure this one even needs to be explained, other than a recent article in the SF Chron said that there has been a dramatic (36%) increase in Bay Bridge traffic in the last two years starting at 4 a.m . How about we let that sink in. People are so desperate to avoid gridlock, they are commuting at 4 a.m. in the morning. And still hitting traffic. Personally, I can attest that I was driving some friends to the airport for a 5:30 a.m. flight at SFO about a year ago and I was SHOCKED at the amount of traffic on the road. Ten years ago, I frequently drove from SF to Oakland airport to catch the 6:30 a.m. to LA, and I assure you, it was basically me and the truckers and a few night workers. I went to visit a friend in the East Bay last week at 11 a.m on a Weds and it took me 30 mins to get onto the Octavia on ramp. Seriously? Rush hour pretty much just never ends any more.
  8. Uber and Lyft drivers (mostly those from out of the City). As parking has gotten worse and worse, MUNI has gotten less dependable, and car services have gotten cheaper and cheaper, I’ll be frank — I’ve taken advantage of these services when necessary. I understand many of you are not familiar with the City. But simple courtesies like blinkers, hazards, etc!?! Or pulling over when there is an easy spot at the curb??!!
  9. So hate to say it, but young techies. The ones who come into to my aforementioned dive bar waving their credit cards (haha, cash only!) who act so entitled. The ones for whom renting the studio I will vacate for $3,600 will be a steal. Even though when I moved in 6 years ago it was $1,300 and 12 years ago it was $1,000. The ones that will be outraged that the neighborhood protested against the Blue Bottle Coffee on the corner last year (but won’t understand why).
  10. Finally, we (my partner, fiance, soon to be husband) are leaving because we are so. tired. I love…loved…this City. I was an East Coast transplant 14 years ago. I remember the moment I made the decision in the parking lot next to the Mint in the Castro (which is now luxury condos) to take the leap and move to this amazing place. I am so very…sad… at what it’s become. I hope it can be saved. But I can’t save it. I can only save myself. Good bye friend. Good bye love.