$4 Gas Driving San Franciscans From Cars

The Bay Area is used to being on the cutting edge, but becoming the first to pay $4 for a gallon of gas is a milestone San Francisco could do without, the Chronicle reports. Prices are expected to nudge past the mark next week—but many Bay Area residents have already fled their cars to dodge ever-growing fuel costs.

The area has some of the country's best mass transit and rider numbers have soared with the doubling of gas prices over the last four years. Telecommuting and car-sharing are up and some people have ditched their cars altogether. "It was more painful in the beginning, but we're getting used to it," one woman said. (More California stories.)