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San Francisco Car Rentals : Driving Tips

The Golden Gate Bridge

• When using San Francisco car rentals, avoid crossing the Golden Gate Bridge from north to south in the morning rush hour and in the afternoon traveling north to Sausalito.

Parking Car Rentals in San Francisco

• If your park by a parking meter that says "2 Hour Parking" you must obey this rule even if you put more money in. Police secretly mark car tires with chalk and then give vehicles tickets if they have been parked over the time limit, regardless if there is money left in the meter or not.
• If you are parking downhill, turn your tires towards the curb, or else run the risk of receiving a ticket.
• If you are parking uphill, turn the wheels away from the curb, or else run the risk of receiving a ticket.
• If you park uphill on a street with no curb, turn your wheels to the right.

Specific San Francisco Car Rentals

• Because of the extremely steep city streets, you should keep the landscape in mind when choosing between car rentals in San Francisco.
• If you are not certain that you can start up a steep hill without rolling back down with standard transmission, it is a wise idea to reserve a car rental with automatic transmission.
• If you get stuck with standard transmission, try putting on the emergency brake and easing off it as the car moves forward.
• As a general rule, try avoiding steep hills whenever possible to ensure your safety when using car rentals in San Francisco.

Streets vs. Avenues

• The numbered STREETS are on the East Side of San Francisco.
• The numbered AVENUES are on the West Side of San Francisco and run north to south in the Richmond and Sunset districts.
• Remembering this difference can make driving car rentals in San Francisco much simpler!

Traffic Light Cameras

• Cameras have recently been installed on traffic lights to catch vehicles running red lights even when police are not present to enforce the rules.
• If the cameras catch your license plate you will be subject to a $271 fine, which will be forwarded to you by the car rental company.
• Cameras are currently installed on the following streets:
• 5th and Howard Streets
• 7th and Mission Streets
• 9th and Howard Streets
• 19th Avenue and Sloat Blvd.
• Pine Street and Presidio Blvd.

Bridge Fees

• All of the bridges in the San Francisco Bay area have tolls that you must pay in order to cross them.
• It is $3 to go southbound on the Golden Gate Bridge.
• It is $2 to go westbound on the Bay Bridge, San Mateo, Dumbarton, and San Rafael Bridges.
• Remember to keep some extra dollar bills or change handy when driving car rentals in the San Francisco area!

Curb Colors

• Green Curb - Limited time parking - 10 minutes from 9am - 6pm Monday thru Saturday
• Yellow Curb - Commercial loading and unloading - restricted to trucks with commercial plates only. Violators will be towed!
• Blue Curb - Parking for vehicle with special disabled person plates. Violators receive a ticket for $275.
• Red Curb - No parking at all times. Violators will be towed and may receive an additional $250 fine.
• White Curb - Passenger loading zone (usually located in front of churches, restaurants, hotels, etc.). Vehicles can not be left unattended and may sit for up to five minutes in the loading zone.

Common Fines in San Francisco - Make sure to avoid these!

• Parking in a Handicapped Zone - $275
• Running a red light - $271
• Parking in a Bus Zone - $250
• Double Parking - $50
• Parking in a No Stopping Zone (including rush hour tow-away zones) - $43
• Residential Permit Parking Violation - $33
• Interrupting Street Cleaning - $30
• Parking On Sidewalk - $25
• Meter Violation (Expired, Broken, or Overstay) - $25
• Parking in a Yellow Zone - $25