A few hours ago our parking guru David LaBua, author of Finding the Sweet Spot, provided you with a little parking quiz about the secret to easy downtown parking. Here's the solution to a new era of stress-free commuting to work!

What percentage of moving traffic in the SF business districts are drivers searching for curbside parking?

A) 5%

B) 15%

C) 30%

D) 75%

E) 100%

Answer: C) 30%

Says David: Nearly a third of moving traffic in downtown areas are people just circling and circling looking for parking. The funny thing is that these drivers are passing by many available spaces without realizing it. We somehow are programmed to think that parking is so incredibly difficult, and that it should take us a long time to find a legal place to park. Not true. I’m not sure how it has happened, but most SF drivers make many assumptions about parking rules that simply aren’t true.

One of the largest incorrect assumptions that most drivers make is: Loading Zones or Yellow Zones are only for commercial trucks from 9 am to 6 pm.

Yellow zones are one of my favorite places to park.  Why?  Many yellow zones are indeed in effect from 9am-6pm, however, many yellow zones are only in effect until 11am or 1pm.

On Steuart Street for example, across from Boulevard and Ozumo there are typically always places to park after 11 am. The same is true on Grant in North Beach. When you see a yellow zone, take a few seconds and check out the informational sign on the post or curb and read the time limits.  The more you become familiar with the restrictions of yellow zones in your frequented spots, the more parking spaces will become available to you that you never even knew were there, like magic. 

For more info and a video where I was put to the test and demonstrated this, click here!