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SAN FRANCISCO: Any free 24 hour parking for a fully insured rental car?

SAN FRANCISCO: Any free 24 hour parking for a fully insured rental car?

Old May 15th, 2013, 08:04 PM
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DAX
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SAN FRANCISCO: Any free 24 hour parking for a fully insured rental car?

Just wondering if anyone knows where one can park a rental car for 24 hours in San Francisco or nearby for free. The car is fully covered for theft or vandalism damage. Any info is appreciated.
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Old May 15th, 2013, 08:49 PM
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Why exactly does being fully insured matter? If your rental is stolen or vandelized, the cost of parking it for free is mute, compared to the hassle and paperwork and lost time and headaches.
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Old May 15th, 2013, 09:19 PM
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L_G - it's actually moot. My wife says mute all the time.
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Old May 15th, 2013, 09:24 PM
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This is for a visiting guest who bought car insurance but is trying to avoid paying the sky high parking rates in the city. I told her that street parking carries the risk of vandalism and even theft.

Anyone has an answer?
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Old May 15th, 2013, 10:35 PM
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You can park in some areas after 6pm until 7am or 9am (read all signs carefully regarding street sweeping days etc) ....but for 24 hours? Nope. Looks like there is a $20 rate at 721 Filbert Street between Powell and Mason.

http://sanfrancisco.bestparking.com/
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Old May 16th, 2013, 06:12 AM
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There are thousands of places where you can park your car free for days at a time. None that I know of that are downtown, however. When we lived in the Noe Valley, I parked my cars in front of our house all the time. Just look for "restricted" parking that says a letter in the alphabet like K or J - and don't park there. Then keep an eye out for once-a-week street cleaning days and don't leave it there on that day. Try the Noe Valley west of Sanchez and between about 22nd & 30th Streets. About 60% of that area does not have the restricted parking - but has street cleaning. If you want to get to/from there to downtown or anyplace along Market street - hop on the J-Church Muni Metro.

Actually, head out to the Noe Valley and explore that neighborhood, leave the car there, have dinner or lunch along 24th St or Church St, and then return to wherever you are staying.

BTW, in the 7 years we lived in the Noe Valley, I never had my VW, Jaguar, or Toyota broken into or stolen. None of our neighbors did either.

Stu Dudley
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Old May 16th, 2013, 06:44 AM
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Rastaguytoday ---- Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Old May 16th, 2013, 06:46 AM
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Doubtful you will find free parking, but check out gottapark.com for reasonable prepaid parking near various attractions, hotels, etc.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 11:10 AM
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Why not just park at a convenient parking garage that allows overnight parking? Here's a list of possibilities from yelp.

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc...rancisco%2C+CA

Otherwise, I agree with Stu. There are thousands of places where she can park "free". I used to be able to park in the Mission District for free. Watch out for those street cleaning signs and those residents only signs.

Or a third suggestion is just to park in a BART station, like the Millbrae Station ($2 a day) and take BART back into SF.

http://www.bart.gov/stations/mlbr/index.aspx#parking

The Millbrae BART station services SF Airport, so there will be plenty of other people parking their cars there overnight.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 12:33 PM
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>>

I don't think you can do this, because you have to pay for your parking EACH DAY. As I recall, there is no way to pay for multiple days.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 12:39 PM
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I've heard a fair number of people in the broadcast media say mute for moot. Also, most people now think that moot means settled, whereas the original definition was debatable. It something is settled, why would law students have moot courts?
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Old May 16th, 2013, 03:42 PM
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Where is she staying? Yes there is free on-street parking in lots of neighborhoods. However most likely not anywhere near her accommodations.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 04:21 PM
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sf7307: I think there's a way to park for multiple days at the Millbrae BART station. You just have to go through a more complicated process of printing out the exact number of days you want to park (@$6 a day) and put that receipt on your dash. Red sarah d's comments on Yelp on March 10, 2011.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/millbrae-bart-station-millbrae

That entire thread might be worth reading in its warnings to familiarize yourself with the station and where to park, especially if one wants to exit or access the car at night.

Apparently now you can purchase a maximum of 10 single day parking permits:

https://www.select-a-spot.com/bart/

If there's any confusion (the BART webpage is contradictory) just call or email them.

The thing is that if your friend wants to use this method she would have to reserve the necessary days in advance as it seems that space is at a premium.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 06:08 PM
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Thanks all for the good helpful info. She'll be staying in Pac Heights but she wants to leave her car in the city for 24 hrs when she goes overnight in a friends car to Yosemite.
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Old May 16th, 2013, 08:49 PM
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Here's a resource to look up EVERY parking location, not all of them are for the public and not all of them are open 24 hours:

http://en.parkopedia.com/parking/gar...san_francisco/

I would say that the Lombard Street Garage with a maximum of $22 would be your best bet. It's almost the same as parking at Millbrae without all the hassle

http://www.sfmta.com/cms/pgar/httpww...mbardrates.htm

It looks like the actual entrance to the garage is not on Lombard St but behind it on Moulton Street.

The other possibility is the Japantown Parking Garage on Geary Street, with a $23 daily maximum.

I'm looking at safety, price and location (close to Pacific Heights).

Good luck to your friend!
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Old May 16th, 2013, 09:23 PM
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Park in the Noe Valley and take the 24 Divisadero bus to Pacific Heights. Total cost is the cost of a RT bus ride - or zero dollars if the "friend" can shuttle her.

BART doesn't go anywhere close to Pacific Heights.

Stu Dudley
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Old May 29th, 2013, 11:57 AM
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Stu, isn't most of Noe Valley to 28th covered by Z permit parking?

Anyway, DAX as you may gather the only places your friend can park for free in SF are way from downtown, and definitely not in PacHeights.
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Old May 29th, 2013, 03:54 PM
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Bookmarking for the parking advice although the vocabulary debate is pretty great.
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Old May 30th, 2013, 01:24 PM
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As long as we are talking vocab - what is with people who say they will never "step foot" someplace again? It's SET FOOT people, SET FOOT!!

Ok, I feel better now. Thanks
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Old May 30th, 2013, 01:55 PM
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Then there's "downfall" for what should be "downside." We need a different thread!
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