>>>What about when you let go of the break on a "manual" car, it could start rolling down a hill. Ever go to San Fransisco and stop at a stop light/sign and try to start up again without backing into the car behind you? It takes some getting used to. ;-)
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>>The same is true of an automatic transmission on a San Francisco hill. I have always thought that if you learned how to drive in San Francisco, you would have little trouble driving just about anywhere! :)
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>>By the way when I do drive an automatic on a San Francisco hill, I use my left foot for the break and my right for the gas. With a manual transmission you use the handbreak and then a bit of gas and clutch as you let out on the handbreak. Also, never get close to anyones rear bumper on a hill. You might be sitting together before you know it! ?)
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>In the Uk a hill start is one thing you get taught by instructors. Having driven automatic cars for years I had to drive a manual recently. I was fine till I came to my first hill where I had to stop halfway up. The I had to remeber how you do a hill start.
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>Nick MAson

Nick;

They say that we have 32 hills in San Francisco. Trying to drive across the city on level streets is not an easy task for those that do not know the area. Many of the hills average 30 degrees. When someone from out of town is in front of you it can be a problem!

The real fun of hills is parking! Well, parking in San Francisco is next to impossible these days but hills present an added element! You have to “curb your wheels”, that is you turn your front wheels into the curb so if the break fails you will simply roll in a semi circle and not all the way down the hill. :)

Tom