2 years ago 4 of my friends at Sega got mugged the day they arrived in San Francisco for the Game Devlepers Conference. One of them got a broken tooth and a concussion.
I don’t know San Francisco that well but in the interest of trying to prevent something like that happening again here’s a map.
Consider the red areas places my best guess at places you should not go. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful everywhere but those areas in particular seem more dangerous.
Unfortunately all the ads and giant billboards tell the muggers that it’s that time of the the year for mugging so they tend to look for folks who “don’t fit in”.
Generally, I recommend taking a taxi between the hotel one is staying at and the convention center and not walking around at night, taking one of those leisurely after dinner strolls.
The “lost tourist with the backpack and a map” is also a bad way to broadcast oneself as a potential victim. It’s generally a good idea to try to get one’s bearing’s at the hotel (or the convention center). At worst, just get a cab to take you to where you need to go.
It’s not that it’s actually *that* dangerous, but one definitely has to be cautious.
I live in the city and its an unfortunate fact that you have to watch out for people who look dangerous.
You know for championing itself as a left wing liberal city it seems like the people here really really just dont care about eachother… In fact its kinda like that in berkeley too. hmmm…
Anyways I hope you had fun at the GDC this year, I know I did, and that it was a safe and enjoyable trip for you and all your friends.
Having lived in San Fran – I understand the economic disparity of the haves and have nots. Most of the violence I’ve seen involves homeless beating up other homeless. Still, my car has been broken in a few times on Van Ness + Market (the edge of Tenderloin).
Yah San Francisco is pretty weird…. I was riding on the bus with my guitar and after i got off..the bus driving started talkin shit about me as soon as i got out the door…my friend said he heard”im glad you didnt play that faggit ass guitar” sumthin like that i thought it was kinda funny hahaa what a real tuff bus driver to say something when i get off