How To Be A Better Neighbor, Customer, Resident In San Francisco; Etiquette
Unwritten rules San Francisco. Tips on being self-aware, courteous in SF. How to be a good pedestrian, cyclist, bus rider, dog owner in San Francisco. San Francisco etiquette guide.
San Francisco Etiquette Guide, Unwritten Rules Of San Francisco
Here are some tips on going about your day and life in San Francisco to make it better and easier for everyone here. Whether you are a couple, parent, own a dog, ride a bike/scooter, drive a car or are merely a customer or neighbor, there are lots of tips here for you.
Dining Etiquette, How To Be A Better Customer
Read menus, fees, and reservation policy info ahead of time
Don’t make multiple reservations only to cancel them
Don’t ask to split bills more than 2 (Venmo, Zelle, cash etc exist)
Arrive on time and call ahead if you are late
If your party size has been reduced, let the restaurant know ahead of time, asap
Not necessarily etiquette, but safety: dont’ leave your bags/valuables on the back of your chair, especially dining outside with your back to foot traffic.
Laptop/Cafe Etiquette
If alone, sit at bar seats or tables for two vs four if possible.
If you must sit at a table more than your party, leave space for others vs taking up space with books, notepads, bags etc.
Don’t put your bags on other seats, put them behind you.
Buy something every 90-120 minutes.
Disconnect your laptop/phone from chargers once devices are charged if not sooner.
Don’t talk louder than the 80% of people around you
If someone can record your conversation by placing their phone in front of themselves, you are talking too loud.
Don’t take video calls in person
Don’t include people in the background of your video calls
If you do this, be prepared to be photographed and blasted on Reddit/Twitter
If you are working from a cafe at a table and the place fills up, move to a solo seat/smaller table if larger is unable to find seats for their party
Unplug your laptop when fully charged if not sooner; don’t just squat at outlets
Bar Dining/Seating Etiquette
Don’t put your coats/bags on the seats next to you if you are alone; put them on the back of your chair or on the hooks underneath the bar
When in groups, try to order all at once vs one at a time.
Know if a bar is cash only ahead of time (read the signs)
Don’t block server areas where drinks/food are placed
Reserving Tables, Ordering At Counter Service
Order first, sit after
Don’t squat for tables
Don’t expect owners to enforce any implied/stated rules (they are busy trying to survive)
If someone is an a-hole and squats at a table, don’t make a stink about it unless there are specific rules stating how to approach
Walking/Sidewalk Etiquette (Pedestrian Etiquette)
Your party is entitled to half of the sidewalk so when oncoming crowds approach, stick to your side
Couples/throuples (break your arm lock, hand holding if this prevents you from adhering to space
Dog-owners, ditto above, tighten your leash.
Use crosswalks, look at lights - if you cross in the middle of the street or jump into a crosswalk/street with notice, you elevate your risk for an accident
If you want to cross at a crosswalk w/o a stop sign/light, look up at traffic, get off your phone.
Stay to the right (basically following driving laws - drive on right side of road)
Don’t enter crosswalks with flashing countdowns. Just because you can make it across with no time doesn’t mean you should.
Look behind you from time to time (not just for etiquette as much as it is safety)
Avoid being an umbrella-douche. Don’t use golf size umbrellas.
Hailing Cabs, Waiting For Rides
If you are not planning on crossing the street, don’t wait in the street/edge of the street as if you were.
Be aware when your ride is arriving, don’t be distracted, and be ready when they actually arrive.
Grocery Store/Cafe Ordering Etiquette
Take off you airpods/earphones in store
Be ready to order when you arrive
Don’t continue to take calls when ordering
Bicyclist/Scooter Etiquette
Slow down when approaching stop signs and blocked crosswalks
Use your bell with time vs waiting to cut off pedestrians
Don’t ride on sidewalks
Free urban bike riding lessons, etiquette…
https://sfbike.org/resources/urban-bicycling-workshops/
Bus/Muni/BART Public Transportation Etiquette
Wait for others to get off before getting on.
Take off your bag/backpack and keep it by your legs (keep a grip on it) so can fit more people (or at least move it in front of you)
Stand in the middle away from the doors if you are not getting off soon
Report crime/harassment if you see it on trains/buses
Don’t play loud music or videos (use earphones)
Be ready to get off before the bus stops unless you want to risk fighting people getting on because you took too long to get up
How To Be A Better Neighbor
If you see packages delivered to your building, bring them in. The more packages left outside, the more people notice and the more likely they will be stolen (and yours, too, when those arrive).
Clear drains in advance of storms (more tips here)
During big storms, they can get clogged up again in a matter of hours
If you see power lines being blocked/covered by tree branches, report them to PG&E
Adhere to carpeting rules for coverage on wooden floors
Lock doors behind you (don’t be the reason your building is broken into)
Filing Police Reports For Crimes, Assaults, Theft
Often, police make it difficult to file a report for a crime; some even discourage people from doing so. I get it feels like it’s a waste of time and nothing will happen but depressing actual crime figures does not help the situation for your neighbors, community.
Collect the data, make cops look bad for the issue to get more visibility from politicians, state/federal government, news etc.
In your report, include the dispatch response/instructions.
Get receipts, signatures, of said reports and photography completed/signed reports.
If a violence report, fill out a victim of violence compensation form.
If you feel comfortable, contact local journalists, newscasters, papers etc. to tell your story of how you were dismissed by cops.
311 App San Francisco - What Can You Report?
Blocked stop signs (trees)
Trees planted in the middle of roundabouts - who does this?
Overgrown brush in center divides, narrow sidewalks
Cars parked in crosswalks
Illegal dumping
Dog Owner Etiquette
Don’t place dog bags in other people’s empty bins especially after it was picked up that day
Don’t leave dog bags on trails expecting to pick up later, take with you or go back and empty it.
Keep your dog leashed in places that require leashes
Don’t bring your dog to farmers’ markets, restaurants, grocery stores and other places they are not required to be
Tighten the leash length when walking on the sidewalk or hiking trails when approaching others, stay on your half of the space (especially true in crosswalks/intersections). Not everyone wants to pet your dog and lots of people don’t want your dog’s nose/face all on their clothes especially considering where it’s likely been.
Don’t put your dogs in shopping cart baskets or on chairs at restaurants
Don’t let your dogs pee on poles (see story here).
*unless allowed by seeing eye dogs, service animals etc.
Lastly, keep your dogs on leashes, especially if small one. Coyotes are around us and come out more often around dawn and dusk. Google attacks as they happen regularly.
Coyote pupping season typically runs from March through September. Coyotes mate in mid-February and are ready to give birth by mid-April. During this time, both when nearing birthing time and once the pups are born, coyote parents are more protective of their denning areas and more active in hunting food. -Presidio
If attacked by a dog, call the police! File a police report! Read this!
Driving Etiquette
Slow down
Use signals and hazards appropriately
Use turn signals in advance, not last minute nor after stopping to turn
Get off your phone
Come to complete stops
If there is not clearance to pass through the intersection completely, don’t enter the intersection.
Check windows, behind you when opening doors (for bicyclists)
Pull over to the side completely (especially if there is plenty of space) rather than double-parking
Parking Etiquette
Don’t block driveways
Don’t block trains in the Inner Sunset by double-parking
Sign up for text to tow program: https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/drive-park/towed-vehicles/text-tow-program
Park efficiently (don’t take up two spaces nor leave excess space from your bumper to dip in the curb/start of red tips ~1 foot is fine/max)
If you see someone forget to curb their wheels on a hill, give them a friendly heads up to do so to avoid tickets
Don’t paint fake red curb tips or else they can be reported by neighbors.
Remove outdated no parking signs or someone else may do it for you.
Don’t park within 20 feet of intersections (you will get warnings and tickets starting on 1/1/2025)
Request Traffic Calming On A Street
https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/walk/residential-traffic-calming-program
Be An Ambassador For San Francisco, Bay Area
Help out tourists who look lost
Given recommendations for people who are visiting out of town
Let someone know they may get a ticket for not curbing wheels
More tips? Suggestions?
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I would add stay to the right is escalator etiquette (like getting into or out of BART) and holding hands prevents people from passing you at the roller rink too- church of the 8 wheels won’t enforce it, but it makes it awfully hard for those of us who aren’t Bambi-ing around the rink and would like to glide at a leisurely pace.
Now… how do I inject this into the mainstream conscious ?