Google employee Sam Padilla described walking through San Francisco as reminiscent of “The Walking Dead,” drawing a stark comparison between the city’s streets and the fictional zombie apocalypse.
His words paint a vivid picture of a city that feels more desolate than vibrant, underlining a sense of urban decay.
Comparing Safety: SF vs. South America
Hailing from Brazil and Colombia, Padilla found San Francisco to be uniquely ‘sketchy’, even when compared to some of South America’s notorious spots.
His experience left him stunned, describing his walk from Soma to Hayes Valley as the “sketchiest walk of my life.”
A City in Crisis
San Francisco’s crisis deepens with escalating homelessness and addiction.
Last year marked the deadliest year for drug deaths in the city, with fentanyl largely to blame.
Comparing Crisis Zones
The areas of San Francisco Padilla explored felt as dangerous—if not more so—than Bogota’s infamous “calle del cartucho,” a hub for poverty and drug trafficking.
His words capture the gravity of the situation: “Felt close if not worse than the freaking calle del cartucho in Bogota.”
The Blame Game
San Francisco’s progressive ‘harm reduction’ policies, which avoid penalizing hard drug use, have come under fire.
Critics argue these policies only exacerbate the city’s crisis, allowing the situation to spiral further out of control.
Corporate Flight
Rising crime has forced businesses to flee, with American Eagle shutting down its store due to over 100 significant security incidents in three years.
The retail landscape is transforming as lawlessness takes its toll on the business community.
Mall Becomes Ghost Town
The once-thriving Westfield San Francisco Centre now stands at a mere 25 percent occupancy.
A stark decline from its bustling past, it’s been largely taken over by the homeless, with drug use and crime surging.
Tech Dystopia Realized
Amidst his eerie city walk, Padilla encountered an unoccupied self-driving car, adding to the dystopian feel of his experience.
“Right then, an unoccupied FSD Waymo car drove by… San Francisco is the epitome of a tech dystopia,” he observed.
Safety Concerns with Autonomous Vehicles
The sighting of the driverless car wasn’t just a surreal experience but a reminder of the ongoing safety debates.
Waymo’s recent incidents, including a collision with a tow truck, highlight the growing concerns around autonomous vehicle safety.
Mayor’s Defensive Stance
Despite the chaos, San Francisco Mayor London Breed insists the city doesn’t deserve its bad rap.
Yet, even she has started to back more aggressive measures to handle the crisis, indicating a shift towards stricter policies.
Welfare and Drug Testing
In a bold move, Breed supports proposals for drug screening before dispensing welfare benefits to single adults.
This controversial step aims to address the rampant fentanyl crisis more aggressively, affecting roughly 9,000 individuals on welfare.
Surveillance and Safety
As crime rates soar, Breed is also advocating for increased police powers, including the use of drones and surveillance cameras.
This push for heightened security measures has sparked debate, with opponents arguing for more ethical solutions to the city’s issues.
