Parking in SF

This guy wrote an entire book on parking in SF called Finding the Sweet Spot (check out his handy flow chart). I believe it. Parking in SF is a disaster. Here are some of my frustrating moments parking in this wonderful city of mine, I'm sure you can relate.

• I have made everyone in my car (front and back seats) stop their conversation to keep their eyes peeled.
• I have spent 45 minutes looking for parking in North Beach, only to finish eating dinner in 40 minutes.
• I have heard the same Rihanna song play 5 times before finding a spot.
• I have passed an open spot on the left side, turned into a driveway to turn around, only to have another car right behind me do the exact same thing and beat me to the spot.
• I have parked, turned off the car, walked to the curb only to find that yes, it is too small, but oh well. Thought about it for 10 steps, turned back around, got back in, turned the engine on, and continued to look.
• I have successfully fit into a parallel parking spot with 4 inches on either side, without tapping either (to my knowledge).
• I have tapped the car in front of me. And behind.
• I have rolled down the window yelling, "EX-CUSE ME ARE YOU GUYS LEAV-ING?!"
• I have often parked on a hill with a 20+% grade
• I have backed up for 1/2 a long block and turned a corner (still in reverse) to get a spot. Downtown.
• I have parallel parked in one try. Didn't even need to pull forward.
• I have had to park in 5 tries.
• I have found the perfect spot, only to find that the owner has painted the edges of the space red so that only a mini Cooper or smart car could fit.
• I have thought about parking illegally and just risking it.
• I have thought about trading my car for a moped.

When my roommate had a car, sometimes she would call me out of pure frustration. Not that there was anything I could do, she just needed someone to comfort her and tell her that it would all be ok. The car has since been brought back down to LA, the land of traffic... that's a whole 'nother car-related anger.