Love it. When i lived in the Richmond district they were loud and clear and soothing, all night. Now even from Bernal Heights I can hear them once the neighborhood goes quiet.

Something else somewhat unique, as far as I know, to SF is our Outdoor Public Warning System downtown. Once the THX1138 vibe wears off, it has a similar homey charm to it as the fog horns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3u0_PYpC…

I love this a lot. I also miss living in a place where you hear train whistles. The urban soundscape may leave a lot to be desired compared to the rural place I live now, but I will always miss the train whistles.

Thank you so much for posting! The lost sounds of my childhood in the City.

Awesome.

I say I say I say this is some fine ambient listenin'.

This is a nice comedown after listening to DJ Mustard strip club anthems for the past hour and a half, so cheers.

@6 your day sounds horrifying and possibly awesome.

What a wonderful reminder of my years in the City.

This week on This American Life, things in the Background, please. stay. with us.

One of my favorite field listening experiences was sleeping out on the point of Friday Harbor and hearing the the WSDOT ferries as they came up the channels. You could hear them through the water first, a deep aquatic thrum, then higher and crisper through the air as they passed the point and came into sight. They would cruise on and the bells on the floating buoys would ring out through the night, struck by the wake.

On a good quiet, foggy night I can hear a foghorn from my house, the barking of sea lions, ferry boats, and the surf. Punctuated by the occasional car driving by or announcement over the loudspeakers of a naval vessel. I do not spend as much time appreciating it as I should.

I hear spring peepers right now- so loud you can hear them inside. they're a mile away from the house!

but other than that, the soothing sounds of far off 520, 405, and jets on approach to SeaTac

One of my first apartments was in the Dover on 6th and Marion. The room I slept in (the living room) was directly above I-5, and on rainy days the cars made the best sound—wooooooooooshhhhhhhhh.