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Either say it all – “San Francisco” – or call it simply “The City.” It’s the name of a saint, after all, of whom San Franciscans are every bit as proud as they are of their city.

When you parallel park pointing up the hill, turn your wheels toward the center of the street; when pointing downhill, turn your wheels toward the sidewalk. That’s the way to prevent runaway cars. If you are driving a manual shift rather than an automatic car, use your emergency brake when trying to start from a dead stop going up a steep hill – your mastery of the clutch under these extreme conditions may not be up to the job. The speed limit everywhere is 25mph (40kmph) or less, and all passengers must wear seat belts.

No matter how sunny it is when you go out in the morning, always take a jacket or a windbreaker. City weather is very variable and it will doubtless be cool, if not cold, damp or wet, by the time you return in the evening.

For all its true sexual liberation, unsafe sex is always a no-no in this city that has seen all too clearly what can happen. AIDS and other STDs have been epidemic here. Use a condom.

San Francisco is a city where diversity is embraced whole-heartedly, and supporting it is public policy. San Franciscans generally applaud differences of ethnicity, race, age, belief, gender, sexual orientation, and ability. Anyone who mocks or denigrates anyone else for any of these reasons has not understood what makes this city tick.

California law makes smoking in any enclosed public place illegal – and that includes bars. Smelling cigarette smoke or even seeing someone smoking here is so rare as to be almost non-existent. If you must light up, there are back patios at some clubs where smoking is allowed, and some hotels offer smoking rooms.

San Francisco does have more than its share of homeless people, and many of them do resort to begging. For the most part, they are merely annoying, not dangerous. However, pick-pocketing and purse- and camera-snatching do exist, and it’s also true that certain areas should be avoided after dark. However, normal attentiveness should be sufficient.

Even the seediest neighborhoods are pretty safe in broad daylight, but they, and parks, should be sidestepped at night, when muggings are most likely. That said, there are very few areas that are really perilous within the city, and virtually none in areas that a tourist is likely to frequent.

Restaurant waiting staff depend on their tips to make a living – the salary paid is barely a tenth of what is needed to make ends meet. The usual gratuity is 15 percent, though you can reduce it to 10 percent if the service was not to your liking. Taxi drivers should be tipped about 15 percent, and hotel staff should receive $1 whenever they provide any sort of service.

If you’re over 21 but look younger, carry an ID with you showing your age if you want to try out some of the bars and clubs in town or want to drink alcohol in a restaurant or a shop. You must be over 18 to buy cigarettes.