San Francisco road trip, a local driving adventure part one

January 7, 12:57 PMSF Driver's Education ExaminerTim Karo

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Twin peaks here in the city is a tourist stop that offers a stunning view of the bay area. This location is easy to access if you live in the City; however for someone like me or others who maybe coming from the peninsula, I will provide easy directions to follow.

 If you are coming from the East Bay, it would be easier to map quest it. Heading north from the peninsula take the 19^th avenue exit from highway 280 for 4-5 miles, then you will make a right turn on Lincoln,  within the next 0.2-0.3 miles you will make a slight left turn on Fredrick St. Continue to head east on Lincoln until you reach the stop light which is Stanyan St., now make a right turn on Stanyan St, be careful at the intersections, because you will most likely experience the local drivers who double park, jaywalk and who pull away from the intersection corners without even looking.

This is obvious at the corner of Stanyan and Parnassus, as you are proceeding up the hill. Pay close attention to both sides of the street, pedestrians will cross in the cross walk on the opposite side of Stanyan St., the driver’s left side as you are headed up the hill, they won’t wait for the light, they just cross oblivious to traffic, just like the double parked cars on the driver’s right side, they don’t look either, they just pull away from the curb.

Continue up the hill until you reach the stop sign which is17th street, make a left and you will encounter another stop sign, a slight grade and a hill until you reach the stop light at Clayton, make sure you stop and then turn right. Stay in the right lane so you will be able to make a right turn onto twin peaks boulevard,  for the next 0.2-0.3 miles, then you will need to turn left, you will see the signs to twin peaks, the road will soon fork, stay in the right lane and go up the winding road until you reach the visitors parking lot.

Hopefully you brought your camera and jacket it’s breezy on the top of the hill, the view is stunning, and soon you will be headed down hill, back to the city or home in general, this is where you experience the angry, impatient neighborhood drivers. They will “ride you bumper” honk their horns, rev their engines on their over priced import vehicles as if they are trying to say something or be intimidating. Those neighborhood drivers seem to be impatient and can’t wait to be the first ones at the stop light or stop sign while you the driver are carefully navigating through narrow residential streets near the top of Twin Peaks Boulevard.

Make sure you don’t honk your horn at any of these drivers, they have been known to throw water bottles at any vehicle who honks at them while they pull in front of you without looking or signaling. 
If you are lucky you might see a driver or two who prefers to read their newspaper while they are driving, they actually place it on their steering wheel, and of course you will see the occasional shaving or mascara applying driver as well.