On the world’s most crooked lane

Rameshinder Singh Sandhu

There are famous cities. And then, there are famous streets that no tourist can afford to miss. There’s the Champs Elysees Avenue in Paris, the Yonge Street in Toronto, the Fifth Avenue in New York City and so on. When it comes to San Francisco, all roads lead to the Lombard Street, the most crooked block located in the Russian Hill neighbourhood between Hyde and Leavenworth streets.

Known as the ‘crookedest’ and the most unique street of the world, it sits like a perfect postcard picture on a steep hill, which takes eight hairpin turns within 600 feet that seem to play the game of puzzles. 

Entertaining only one-way traffic from top at a speed limit of 8 km/hour, there are also stairs on both sides of these sharp turns that are usually inundated with tourists trying to capture the best shots of the passing traffic, of course with focus on turn points that stand dotted with beautiful gardens. It’s amusing to catch how even those passing in cars are busy taking pictures and making videos of the whimsical route. Many riders try to jump out of the car for a quick selfie although it is discouraged by the traffic police on duty. These cops are also at the start and end of this popular block but they also remain busy in controlling the tourists who keep coming in between the passing traffic — to click pictures. Interestingly, the traffic is not only of cars, tourist vans but also toy cars and many unimaginable vehicles.

Coming to climbing the stairs that stunningly run along the snake styled street, the more one climbs them, the more enthralling the views one can get of the city and once on the zenith, the eyes get treated with captivating bird’s eye-view showcasing the skyscrapers of the city on one side and the very popular Fisherman’s Wharf located right on the Pacific Ocean, also making it clear why San Francisco is also known as ‘City by the Bay.’ Certainly, this is also a point where all the ‘turns’ of this street can be flawlessly captured. It is also a spot to catch the historic cable cars of the city as they make a stop after every few minutes right here.

Beautiful houses line along the stairs on both sides of the street. Many also offer ‘bed and breakfast’ services on nominal charges. Some residents also open their homes for those who wish to take pictures from their higher floors. 

Lastly, there are eye-catching notices, mainly addressed to the residents of upcoming films or television shows shootings outside the homes. These notices announce the timings of the shoot and the noise it can cause or any street closure. And, when it comes to time spent by majority of the tourists, they end up being here for hours or coming again and again during days in San Francisco.