the street has cars sharing portions of the street with buses and trolly's it can be a nightmare for a first time visiter, its a hub to many other parts of the city due to all the mass transit access theres trolly stops and bus stops all over the street. theres also tons of shops and places to eat on the street, this is probably one of the best places to visit if you're headed to S.F. and not looking for touristy locations.