Tag: francisco

Last domestic car dealership in San Francisco shuts its doors

Filed under: Etc., Ford, Earnings/Financials

San Francisco Chrysler closed sign

According to The San Francisco Chronicle, the very last domestic dealership in the greater San Francisco area closed its doors a little over 10 days ago. Previously, San Francisco Ford, Lincoln, Mercury was the only dealership selling new products with an American badge on the grille in all of the 47.6 square miles of the city (the Chrysler-Jeep dealer shown above went bust in 2008). Ford took over operations at that dealer almost three years ago after the original owners walked away. After talks with various other local franchise owners fell through, Ford has finally cut off the lights for good.

But domestic dealers have faced a tough climate in San Francisco for years thanks to a much larger share of import sales compared to the rest of the country. According to one source quoted by the San Francisco Chronicle, import vehicles outsell their domestic counterparts 4:1 in the Bay area.

Those rare San Francisco domestic owners will now have to travel outside of the city for their factory maintenance and repair, which likely won’t do anything to help American manufacturers better their outlook in the near future.

Last domestic car dealership in San Francisco shuts its doors originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 May 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: San Francisco garage is a hidden gem

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Videos

Unique hidden garage door
San Francisco hidden garage – Click above to view video after the jump

The only thing separating this urban San Francisco garage from true brilliance might be the gaudy “No Parking” sign plastered to it. While the sign is definitely useful for keeping pesky commuters from parking in front of your well-disguised garage, it kills just a little of the structure’s mystique.

That said, the garage door/facade arrangement’s double-hinge operation is nothing short of masterful, and we shudder to think how much time, money and blood sweat and tears the setup took to pull off. Once the door has swung out of the way, it reveals a surprisingly large amount of space, for any number of automotive shenanigans, without the threat of passerby getting a peak at your toys.

For privacy, a drool-worthy D.I.Y. ethic, and not scarring the street with another ugly garage door, this workspace is is right up there near the top of the heap. True, its practical purposes may be somewhat limited, but to those who appreciate this kind of engineering, that should be of little concern. See the garage in action after the jump. Thanks to all for the tips!

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: San Francisco garage is a hidden gem originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr?

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal

curb appall

Have you ever found yourself cursing at a parking meter because it wants $2.00 of your hard earned change? Residents of San Francisco do not feel your pain. A new demand-based system is getting ready to be tested, which, during certain special events, could drive the hourly parking rate up to $18.

That (insane) $18 charge will only occur when demand for parking is at a fevered pitch, such as it is during Fleet Week when the Navy’s in town. Normal charges, however, will range from a low of $0.25 per hour up to $6.

Sensors in the parking meters will monitor parking space availability, and hourly pricing will then be dictated according to the perceived demand. The project is called SF Park, and it’s currently funded to run for two years. Perhaps the name SF Gouge is more appropriate.

[Source: KTVU.com | Image: OrinRobertJohn/Flickr, CC 2.0]

San Francisco adopting demand-based parking system with pricing up to $18/hr? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Apr 2011 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: San Francisco’s 1989 Earthquake from the CHP’s point of view

Filed under: Etc., Videos

1989 San Francisco Earthquake

CHP responds to the ’89 San Francisco Earthquake – Click above to watch video after the jump

On October 17, 1989 at approximately 5:04 pm Pacific Standard Time, the San Andreas Fault shifted and a massive earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area. Called the Loma Prieta Earthquake, it was the largest seismic event for this fault-line since 1906. Sixty-three people lost their lives and nearly 4,000 were injured. The physical damage caused by the quake was estimated to cost around $11 billion, but of course the mental and emotional toll could never be tallied.

Shortly after the earthquake struck, the California Highway Patrol sprung into action. The efforts of the CHP, as well as the devastation caused by the quake, were captured in a 22 minute, 58 second video that is part of the public record. It’s an intriguing look back at an extremely difficult moment in California’s history that will never be forgotten by those who witnessed it firsthand. Click past the jump to view the clip.

[Source: YouTube]

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Video: San Francisco’s 1989 Earthquake from the CHP’s point of view originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sounds About Right: San Francisco spending $25M to determine how much parking should cost

Filed under: Government/Legal

If you reside or frequent a large metropolitan area, you’re probably all too aware of the cost to park your vehicle. In cities like New York or Chicago, you can pay upwards of $30 or more for a full day of parking. To make matters worse, even with astronomical costs many drivers can’t even find an open spot.

San Francisco is looking for a permanent solution to its parking problems by going high tech and paying big bucks to do it. Frisco is investing $25 million on a new electronic parking system that will constantly gauge demand for spots and raise or lower pricing accordingly. So why go to all this expense and trouble to set parking prices?

Parking that’s too cheap may lead to spots getting filled too quickly, which will lead to cars circling around waiting for spots, clogging streets with unnecessary congestion. The goal of the $25 million project is to make parking cheap enough for people to afford it while at the same time expensive enough to ensure spots are always available.

The electronic parking system will work as a network, setting prices between a quarter and $6 per hour depending on demand. The high-tech solution will start with 190 new meters in the Hayes Valley area of San Francisco and in two years end with 6,000 metered spaces and 12,250 spots at the city’s 15 parking garages. The system will eventually make it possible for advanced planners to go online to find where the most spots are located. Distracted driving aficionados will be able to search for spots on their smartphone, making it easier for multi-taskers to park and harder for pedestrians and other drivers to avoid getting hit.

[Source: NPR | Image: Ingrid Taylar – C.C. License 2.0]

Sounds About Right: San Francisco spending $25M to determine how much parking should cost originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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