Reddit customers break down the San Francisco rites of passage

A recent thread on Reddit evolved into a lively discussion about the rites of passage that one must experience to become a true San Franciscan.

“Seeing a tree full of parrots,” “being bought a shot of Fernet,” “having your car towed and never forgetting it,” the thread starts.

The post sparked more than 700 comments, and a good portion focused on frustrations with the city’s public transit system, from watching the bus drive right past you while you’re waiting at the stop to a bus driver suddenly telling everyone to get off and giving no reason why.

But there are just as many comments pointing to the city’s delights, such as “day drinking at Dolores Park on a Sunday,” “eating crab with garlic noodles,” “watching the fog roll in in summer” and “walking on the beach in February in shorts.”

During a time when the city is struggling to revive itself and grapple with its biggest problems (a lack of affordable housing chief among them), the post spurs locals to consider the city’s positive traits and reasons people choose to stay — mainly, the open- minded culture, the natural beauty and the quirky charms.

A common thread was San Francisco’s food scene. The city is known for its cuisine, which honors the fresh produce grown in nearby valleys and, even more so, the people from all over the world who’ve settled here, bringing along with them their family recipes. Part of becoming a San Franciscan is exposing yourself to a United Nations of cuisine, and the Reddit thread has some specific things you must try, such as avocado ice cream at Mitchell’s, dim sum for breakfast and tortas at 2 am at El Farolito, a Burrito spot in the Mission District.

There are also many smells that you need to learn to recognize, like the putrid aroma of urine on BART and the smell of Muni brakes in a tunnel, as well as appreciate, like the musty smell of vintage houses.

Becoming an official member of the city also requires attending certain events such as Hunky Jesus on Easter at Dolores Park, a Giants game (“getting sloshed in the bleachers”), movies in the park (a “fave” was “Mrs. Doubtfire” on the big screen outside at Alamo Square), Bike Party/Critical Mass, “a free day” at California Academy of Sciences and Exploratorium (even better, just become a member) and, of course, Bay to Breakers, though you have to get drunk and nap in the panhandle on the way.

Many of the posts suggest that in order to become a local, you have to adopt a certain mindset, coming to terms with the high cost of housing, developing patience with public transit delays and thinking any destination that requires you to cross a bridge is far .

While the thread doesn’t spell this out exactly, it implies that anyone who moves to San Francisco must go through a certain set of experiences — both celebrating certain joys and enduring certain struggles — to fully understand the city. You must get a ticket for not turning your wheels while parked on a hill, cry on Muni, experience “intestinal grief” from downing a giant burrito, have your bike stolen, have your car windows smashed. Other suggestions included:

– “Wandering into a random show and having a great time.”
– “Having a great conversation with someone who’s completely different than you on the surface.”
– “Reading/watching’ Tales [of] the City’”
– “Bacon-wrapped hot dogs in the Mission after leaving a bar at 2 am”
– “Walking through Castro and walking by a completely naked dude with his pecker wrapped in foil.”
– “Taking a visitor to the pirate store [826 Valencia] to support local teachers and student writers.”
– “Trying to decipher Frank Chu’s sign.”
– “Posters from the Fillmore.”
– “The organ player at the Castro.”
– “Sitting on your stoop and saying hello to a regular passerby.”
– “Watching a sunset in the Sunset.”

What rites of passages do you think someone must experience to become a San Franciscan? Email agraff@sfgate.com.