Two cars collided at 16th and Valencia streets Thursday night, causing one of the drivers to crash into a parklet outside of Manny’s Cafe. According to police spokeswoman Officer Kathryn Winters, the initial investigation determined that one driver had made a u-turn and struck the other vehicle, causing it to collide with the parklet at Manny’s.
The driver of the car launched into the parklet was transported to the hospital for a non-life threatening injury. The driver who made the u-turn fled the scene before officers arrived. No arrests have been made.
Winters did not specify what caused the driver who made the u-turn to crash. A person who works across the street at Food Hall and saw the crash said that the driver operating the car appeared to be drunk. This information remains unclear.
This is at least the third time a driver has crashed into a Mission District parklet this year. Two months earlier, a car destroyed a parklet outside a sushi restaurant on 20th Street. Last fall, a car also smashed a parklet at Bender’s on South Van Ness.
This remains an open and active investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
This story is breaking and may be updated with more information.
I am constantly concerned nay frightened by the regularity with which cars make U-turns in the Mission especially on Valencia Street. Very dangerous to bicyclists especially.
Valencia needs to go car-free, or at least ban through traffic. Its dual status as a busy shopping/dining area and as a car highway isn’t working.
We need to get rid of those hideous “parklets” and noxious strings of LED lights up and down the street and bring back the Valencia Street bus that our arrogant and ignorant MUNI head honcho axed years ago!
Any bets Manny is egocentric enough to rebuild?
The SFPD could fund an 18 story statue of their favorite Peanuts character built entirely out of GOLD if they simply issued tickets for illegal U-turns in the Mission District.
Buuuut since the SFPD is not interested in patrolling the streets much less ticketing moving violations the neighborhood will never have an 18 story Peppermint Patty looking down upon us. (also people will continue to be injured and maimed by selfish and dangerous drivers)
Society went crazy in 2020 and dining literally in the street, with 5,000 pounds of metal wizzing by, inches away from diners was just one one of the craziest ideas of all.
Gutter cafes need to go away forever.
Another parklet crash fresh today 8/12 around 3pm. 22nd st and Capp, the El Trebol parklet took a hit. I walked by as police were investigating it and banged up cars were getting hauled away.
Shees, it seems parklets are getting mistaken as guard rails for bumper cars 🙁
I think the Irish bar on 24th near south van ness also had its parklet crashed into too, no? Googling … yes, it was the napper Tandy Irish bar, april 2021.
Julian —
Thanks. That was last year, but warrants a mention. We will add.
JE
Oh, well. SFMTA has deemed these things are safe and no one could possibly get hurt by having a giant structure like that in the street. I’m glad no one was in it when it happened, but Manny is on the SFMTA Board and maybe should help SFMTA rethink this whole thing.