Very good vlog for 7 years ago. I am going to watch again to learn from it. It is good that you allowed that man to become the main character in this vlog. It shows you how to adapt to the situation in making a good story. It also shows how gimbels today help stabilize the video vs to 7 years ago. Outside of that, this is top notch vlog. Thank you.
If the skag connection is still on Leavenworth St. between Eddy and Ellis you will see Jaguars, Land Rovers and Lexus' stopped to get a bag and head back to Mill Valley. I once saw a gang of Chinese diplomats from the Chinese Embassy walking around like tourists examining the TL as in a anthropological field trip.
The Tenderloin was my home for many years. I've seen everything you can think of happen on and off of these streets. Alot of good people, alot of families, alot of walking dead, alot of desperate souls. Over twenty years there...and the things that go on have never really changed (maybe moved a block or two over...but never changed). My prayers go out to those who are stuck in that vicious circle. Peace.
I had to walk through here from union square with my mom to go see a play(Pippin), and there were two fights full of the n word, a mentally challenged homeless man screaming and punching his own dog, and a full catheter just laying in the middle of the street. It was disgusting. Also, some man stopped my mom and asked her where she was going, and she just walked around him and never made eye contact. It's nice to know there are people like Reggie who have some common sense. He seems really nice.
lol wtf that crazy huh?? A mental guy punching his dog and a catheter? I live in San Diego I've only seen one person ever shoot up heroine in downtown lol the only thing about san diego is that tijuana(mexico) is near by and there is alot of ghetto neighborhoods who pick up drugs at the border. I say 50% of san diego is complete ghetto. I've always wanted to visit san francisco just for that black tar heroine documentary
I just moved to SF about two months ago and my girl and I like to take strolls to get to know every corner of the city. Yesterday was the Tenderloin and oh my… besides being crowded with homeless and individuals looking like zombies because of how high they were in drugs, it was so disgusting. Full of human feces and people doing and dealing drugs in public. I felt sad and unsafe at the same time. Those people lost their self worth long time ago.
Fun to watch, I was a Police Officer in a large city on the west coast of the USA. Worked an area like this. Getting rid of the drugs was like trying to dig a hole in the ocean. Endless paper work and the bad guy would be back out on the street before the papers were done.
Should have left. There's no reason to do anything for any of them. Leave, and in the city you end up in, learn your lesson. Degenerates need to be severely punished.
Great Video. I used to walk to the streets of the Tenderloin for many years during my annual visit to San Francisco for a banking conference. It's my favorite city in the country. Thank you so much......brought back lots of memories. It hasn't changed. Your guide was a very kind man too.....thanks again.
The first day I was in San Francisco I was looking for my hotel which was in Sutter st and I went in the Tenderloin by mistake and I couldn't wait to get out! But beside that San Francisco is one of the best places in the world! and can't wait to go back!
I live in sf and walk through the TL all the time. Quite frankly, the TL is considerably safe compared to other metro's dives. Try taking a walk through east oakland's 90th and bancroft. Let me know i'll have one of my boys give you a tour.
saw Pennywise in Tenderloin in 99, was very quiet after show. Tourists, and we got taxi out no worries back to twin peaks. Tenderloin for me good memory!
I lived in the Tenderloin for a bit. I definitely spent a great deal of time in a lot of these places that you filmed. You had a great guide with you! There was not one thing he said that I disagreed with!
Fantastic walk thru the TL !! Reggie was great, funny and knows his stuff! I left SF in 1995 and see it's gotten worse -- I lived and WORKED in the TL, working for a non-profit housing agency ---- I never tried crack, meth or any of that crap but was robbed more than few times and even mugged thru a set-up .... some of these loafers could take a bus to the ocean ..... Sydney must be heaven compared to this shit !!!!
Born and raised in the south of market area and moved out in 2008 due to the astronomical rent cost..Not much has changed in the area,,community centers,cool restaurants,diversity and of course it not the the TL better known as the L’s without the drug and homeless situation.At the same rate almost anyone can walk through without any problems as long as you mind your business..Thanks for the tour on memory lane buddy 👍🏽 !
Your guide was very knowledgeable and wise. He has figured out much of the "drug" game and who runs and facilitates it on his own. That is a very smart man.
SF native here, live across Van Ness and walk to my job in the Financial Dist thru the Loin every weekday. Maker of this video is a complete idiot, slum tourist from abroad who knows nothing of the City or its neighborhoods.
Tom Lodi um yeah, the maker of the video didn't grow up there, so he had no.familiarity with area. So he's taking a walk through a city in a country in which he is a tourist. Is there anything else you want to complain about or do you need to take your meds before you make even more amazing genius observations? -oh wise one...
those crackheads will surround you and try to intimidate you. some will try to put their hands in your pockets and at that point youre in a less than favorable situation. he made himself obvious. that is the worst thing he could have done. this dude helped him by coming up to him like that.
True I've gone through all the time and as long as you act like you know what you're doing and where your going you will be fine but if you ask someone for directions then your a mark
About a year ago my wife and I on the way to a restaurant ( John's Grill), found ourselves walking through the Tenderloin district at night. We kept our heads up and found the restaurant . Coming back, we couldn't get to where our car was parked because the cops started to tape off a murder scene, I think it was O'Farrell street some guy got knifed. Apart from that I loved San Francisco .
I was a courier in SF in 1978 , I was 17 and it was a interesting and beautiful city, even the tenderloin wasn’t close to being as bad as it is now. You could see it changing over the years but I never dreamed it would get as bad as it is today in 2018. I’m now 57.
Great video Matt! I made a similar mistake when I wandered too far into downtown Chicago after dark. You're so lucky you ran into Reggie. Looking forward to seeing some final photos from the visit.
Seems to be a misconception about what is ghetto, usually West vs. East too. West coasters will often say a place is ghetto if there are a lot of junkies and some petty theft. East coasters won't call it ghetto unless you are physically in danger of getting mugged/assaulted/murdered ect. They will even refer to the previous definition as "middle class suburb" lol
I'm currently in San Fran. And we drove through tenderloin as our hotel was Argonaut which is by the bay. When we drove through, I was very scared and creeped out. There was also a car crash when we were driving through. I don't like that too much.
Matt I enjoyed watching this and glad you ran into someone to guide you. I've not been to SF, but where I live we have a city nearby called Camden(right over the bridge from Philly) that is similar. If you want a tour guide I'll be more than happy to assist .
I remember living in the tenderloin for a year, sharing a single studio apartment no kitchen, bad food, plumbing, and getting dragged into drugs…..still one of the best and most diverse places I’ve ever lived. I don’t regret it, but wouldn’t do it again. It’s the people and real life interactions that make it special
I haven't watched this video yet but the fact it's in black and white to make seem the area grimey and squalid is silly. The tenderloin is actually a pretty lively and colorful place. Of course there are poor people and addicts but it's not as dangerous as it can look from this video.
+Francesco De Paoli just moved to SF, it is very Colorful and smelly and can seem scary, but that's all part of any large World class city ! Even though there is crime there, think it adds Character to the city !
i went through turk st. it was me (17 at the time), my cousin and her fiancé and my 12 year old brother. My cousin just wanted to go to philz coffee and gps told us to walk through turk st. at the time we didnt know about the tenderloin neighborhood. we realized we were not in a bad place. so we picked up pace. lol.
Just walked down Turk from Hyde last weekend. Not a place a cowboy would go if he wasn't lost but I made it! Didn't meander but just kept up a good pace back to the Westin Hotel. Don't think I'll take the same stroll next time I visit!
The first time I visited SAN Fran 12 years ago I stayed at the Renoir hotel on McAllister St and it was fine, no one bothered us at any time of day or night
I was told this part of San Francisco is called the Tenderloin because in the old days the police patrolling the area got extra pay and thus could purchase better cuts of meat.
I never realized how bad it was in SF. I thought I seen it all, but I guess I haven't. Time to take my camera to the TL and get some good footage and pics.
I stayed in a nice hotel on the edge of Tenderloin recently. Being told to avoid the area just made me more curious. It was like the 9 circles of hell, each time I turned a corner it got progressively worse, told myself "I've made it this far I may as well go on". I was too scared to take out my camera so I just walked briskly on through. San Fran is still a great city and I'm glad I got to experience the Tenderloin but it did impact on my whole enjoyment on what was an unforgettable vacation.
I lived in or near the TL off and on for about 5 years and its really not as dangerous as lots of people think it is. Used to walk around there at all hours of the night and nothing ever happened to me although i did see some crazy things. There are lots of homeless folks and there is lots of drug use but you also have places and organizations like Glide and St. Anthonys Dining Room where i used to volunteer and many other soup kitchens that are really doing their best to help the community and those on the street. Its not without its problems although there are some folks out there trying to make a difference and the neighborhood does have lots of good stuff: awesome old school buildings, cool little thrift shops and specialty stores, and bomb vietnamese, thai and indian restaurants. Used to live in Sydney too (potts point/kings cross) and a scottish girl i went out with lived near Red Fern (surrey hills) and i didnt really feel like that place was very dangerous either, although like the TL, not without its problems.
You sound like you think that because nothing ever happened to you personally, that it never happens to anyone else. Of course it's not like the TL is a 24/7 reenactment of Thunderdome (no high crime area really is). Most people who live in a high crime area like the TL, and aren't involved in drugs/gangs, won't be a victim of serious crime...but don't forget that messed up shit happens daily in the tenderloin. It has the highest robbery rate in SF and is one of the most impressive open air drug markets in the country. It's the kind of place where you can see some cool architecture, get some good cheap food, and not get bothered...and then one day you step in a pile of human shit, see someone smoking crack (haha more like every day), get robbed, or witness a shooting. It's full of families, immigrants, hard working poor people, lost tourists, etc...and it's also full of drug dealers, addicts, hustlers, prostitutes, etc. It's a rough place that can be dangerous at times, though at least it does have good things going for it too, unlike many other high crime areas. And for the record, SF has a much higher crime rate than Sydney. There's nothing as violent as the Tenderloin over there. People are good at seeing what they want to see, as your post proves.
I waltzed right through these streets alone at night without any fear whatsoever. I was on a mission. No one bothered me at all. One homeless guy said I gave him the creeps. No repulsive human behavior shocks me. Humans are an abomination. It is expected.
Makes me love living in an awesome small city and being from the country! Thanks for the video Matt! Great job! Would love to see more videos like this!
San Francisco is a small city, believe it or not. Most of the people that populate it do not live there but, they drive really far to work there. I’m born and raised there, so I know.
This video was great. The tour guy was nice most ppl in SF are as nice as him. I got a chance to visit SF the TL is something else but thats what makes SF San Fran!
Yep, been in San Francisco too but the receptionist marked the blocks, where we definitely don't want to go, except if we wanted to get crack, heroine and stuff like that.
Welcome to the real Bruh. Matt what happen to the venice beach video was unexpectedly in the hospital and miss out. Had the meet-up on my planner for a month ...really hate I miss out. But your videos are cheering me up a little.Thanx!
Just google commercial vs. informational use of image and you'll find lots of good pages, including some with case law, and many specific examples. I believe there was a case where an image was used on the cover of a book or catalog of images, and the use on the cover was found to be informational (no requiring release). Yeah, there are always gray areas of the law, and the line between commercial and informational is not always so clear, but I think this sort of video is pretty safe.
My best friend lived on Turk adjacent to Hyde. This area is far from 'safe', but for the most part as long as you're minding your own and look like you know where you're going, you'll be fine. The area is mainly homeless and drug addicts with people passing through on their commute, but there's also many little clicks and loosely affiliated groups in the area - people saying there's no gangs have not the slightest clue. There isn't the whole blood & crip thing, but don't get it twisted thinking there's no gangs. Some of the commenters are correct, though, in the sense that many of the 'gangsters' or whatever are from East Bay and come over at all hours just to push to passerby. My friend was a part of a group when he was younger called the gblock boys (Golden Gate Boys). It was a small little click of about 10-15 dudes (Arab/black/hispanic - he's Yemenis by birth) that weren't exactly a gang, per se, but several in the group posed much of the same threat if they were having a down week/month (robbery, selling, blah blah). My friend got shot in the shoulder from behind while sitting in his car on 6th and Market right across the way by a guy from a rival group - so please don't tell me there's no gangs (it was two blocks away from the TL - but the point remains the same). That's an absolute lie. The gangs though are more so just small subsets of people from different blocks that rep their turf or block. Some groups like each other, many don't. Most of them will mind their own business. Just do you and look like you know where you're going, don't be flashy, and you should be alright. Safety is a tough thing to measure there. Shit just kind of happens at random. That's the truth. Just cause you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I can only image the amount of crime that happens that doesn't get reported. I was sitting in a car in one of the cities pay to park areas with said friend on Turk and Taylor around 1:00 am at the end of 2015, and we saw a guy walk up to a group trying to cop something in the wee hours. They stripped him down to his t-shirt and boxers at gunpoint and sent him on his way. We were about 60 ft away and saw the whole thing. Obviously we weren't trying to get involved. So posters, please don't post like it's exactly safe. The area is full of awesome culture and food, though, and long as you mind your own, there's a high percentage chance you'll be more than fine. Twitter hq sits right there on Market. It's an interesting area to say the least. My friend was a heroin addict when he was younger and told me that on two occasions he got pulled over with a small amount and the cops not only let him go - THEY GAVE IT BACK TO HIM. That should say plenty about the neighborhood in itself... They probably didn't want him committing some petty crime to get high, that was his reasoning. Many cops in the TL look at the drug issue as mainly a lost cause (as in if you're an addict you're an addict and most likely prob not trying to help yourself at that point in time), though they do grab people and bust them at random every now and then, they do little day sweeps here and there, especially around Turk and Leavenworth. Several small markets have been shut down due to being caught in drug activity and money laundering. With all that said, it's one of my favorite neighborhoods in SF due to all of the diversity and legit food spots. If you can see through some of the blight, you'll notice that the area is actually rather small and many in the neighborhood know each other. I became somewhat of a regular in the area on Turk. It's not don't walk through here dangerous like some spots in Oakland etc, but it's far from what I'd call safe. The person that commented about having to dodge feces was spot on with his remark on that lol. My friend and I used to play a game where we'd contemplate whether random dooks were human shit or dog shit. More often than not, it was the former. Love the TL though, special place if you get to know it well.
This would really look awful if it was in color. Shooting it in black and white, with all the hard shadows gives it an arty look. But trust me, there is nothing romantic about the Tenderloin. It's a gray landscape of misery and hopelessness.
Fuck u. I hate people who tried to dis the tl like that. There's a lot of people going to school doing their thang same things as you white people out there.
don't even try and excuse it away...san francisco is a cesspool of liberal degeneracy...if there was any justice that city would've been burned down to the last brick and REBUILT into a newer better version...MINUS the vermin welfare/drug addict cases!
Someone told me he knew a karate teacher who went to tenderloin and thought he was going to tell them some stuff. They sliced on him with a knife and he was out of work for 3 weeks.
I was in the Tenderloin back in May of 2007, and stayed at the Red Coach Motor Lodge on Polk and Eddy. A really nice Asian lady was working the front desk, and she had her little dog with her. All I remember is seeing liquor stores on practically every street corner, people smoking weed and crack, with bums, hobos, druggies, junkies, and prostitutes everywhere.
Walked through here last week with a buddy on his 21st birthday, neither of us from San Francisco. It was the quickest google route through to get to the Polk Street bars, and it was by far and wide out of my fucking league. Witnessed two different people breaking into cars, gave 50 bucks to the homeless out of fear for getting mugged, and somehow didn't get jumped. A bartender at the Hemlock bar on Polk was our saving grace, we went through it around 11 and were walking back hammered right after two, she sketched us out a napkin map on how to get back to our hostel safely and how to avoid the absolute sketchiest of san Francisco. I've never seen so many cop cars parked right outside their station in a huge metropolis.
That was a great accidental documentary of American inner-cities. They ALL have these areas. You're guide is a prince - street wise but with a big heart and a good foundation. Unfortunately, this is the result of politicians picking up an easy paycheck with all of the graft and corruption that goes with it. It's lucky that you stumbled into this area and you wound up with such a good guide. It made for a great documentary.
Made this same mistake last year walking through Tenderloin. Was followed by some crazy guy for about 3 blocks before we made it back to the financial district.
Dude, that you did was incredibly dangerous. Taking pics and videos of folks in the Tenderloin? You should be glad you did not get stabbed, beaten or shot.
glad you found Reggie, Matt used to hang out in the TL years ago glad you found a good honest man to walk you around ! not the place to be with camera by yourself :)
There may be a lot of people down on their luck in the tenderloin and open drug taking as well as dealing is rampant but by all means it strangely is not a dangerous neighborhood. .hhow do I know thiss? I've worked in this neighborhood for the past 2 years..have walked it's streets all times of the day and night and have never felt threatened. .If you're looking for some exciting drama to report on take your little video camera to east oakland and leave the TL it's a fascinating incredible neighborhood rich in cultural and architectural history.
Diana Bik Your experience isn't representative of everyone though...i'd honestly say you're lucky or lying, or maybe just oblivious if you never saw anything threatening in the TL when walking through day and night for two years. It's definitely not all bad and has good aspects to it too, but don't sugarcoat the bad side. There's lots of poverty, and the crime rate speaks for itself. High property and violent crime rates, including the highest robbery rate in SF, and drugs getting sold and used in the open 24/7. There's no shortage of fights, shootings, stabbings, etc.
Jones / Turk area: The TL is a "containment zone" for petty crime. Lots of drugs, quality of life issues (yes, it is dirty). But it is rarely dangerous precisely because of the sheer volume of people around. If you aren't there to buy drugs, you should be just fine (I have lived in the area for 13 years). People leave you alone if you just "walk with a purpose" and avoid eye contact. Just like any urban blight zone. And it has GREAT restaurants.
Hello Nikon Guy! sorry about the off topic but i have question foi you, i have nikon d7000 with 18-105mm, but i want a better lens, to have better quality image. should i go to the new sigma 17-70 2,8-4 C or the sigma 17-50mm 2.8? later i would buy telephoto lens 50-150 or 70-200mm ;) On topic: I Skip some parts off the video and i saw some parts of it, you could taken some good damn pictures. Keep bring the good stuff! :D (sorry if my english is bad... :S)
What gangs do you think are in the Tenderloin? I’ve lived here 40 years and know of none. Also, you said “everyone” was taking drugs. Do you mean to say every person takes drugs? That doesn’t make sense. It is nIce you found an acquaintance who was somewhat friendly to you. He seems nice.
He says in the description "I don't suggest you do this without a local guide.... I was lucky." I'm like thinking to myself I am always in the TL and I am just fine. Tourists are always around the TL and they are just fine too. Not saying it is good.. just say it is mostly an eye sore then any thing
QuietlyInsane I think he means going around filming and making a documentary. People generally don't have issues because they mind there own businesses and don't linger. Without a native, who said himself has to use comedy just to walk through sometimes, might not go so well. People would definitely harass and possibly attack a loan guy going out doing this, instead he bought Reggie a beer in exchange for his stories and experiences plus he's someone who could easily de-escalate a bad situation.
