{"id":7149,"date":"2023-09-04T15:34:49","date_gmt":"2023-09-04T15:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/?p=7149"},"modified":"2023-09-01T15:35:37","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T15:35:37","slug":"driving-in-los-angeles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/driving-in-los-angeles\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating the Concrete Jungle: A Transplant\u2019s Guide to Driving in Los Angeles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
You\u2019ve seen the movie – every<\/em> movie set in Los Angeles in which the main character must get from one place to another by car. The flicks feature congested highways where traffic travels at speeds you could beat by hopping on one foot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, you need affordable auto insurance<\/a> for the fender bumpers and other unique risks driving in Los Angeles if you decide to move here or spend a lot of time in the City of Angels. But you also need a few L.A. traffic tips for navigating these city streets and highways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re welcome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re coming here from just about anywhere else in America and you see that your destination is ten miles away by mostly highway, you give yourself ten minutes. After all, at 60 miles an hour, your car does a mile a minute. Right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not even close. In Los Angeles, your ten-mile drive might well take you an hour. More than that, if you make the questionable decision to drive L.A. highways during rush hour. More on that later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The main point is you need to always count on the trip taking you more time than you planned. And isn\u2019t it better to show up where you need to be with too much waiting time rather than getting there late? <\/p>\n\n\n\n Never just get in the car and head off to parts unknown. Not in L.A. Freeway driving is an adventure here. Always know where you\u2019re headed and the smartest way to get there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Apps such as Google Maps and Waze offer real-time data that takes into consideration traffic accidents<\/a> and even more congestion than expected to show you the best alternative routes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Just keep in mind others have the same apps, so they\u2019ll be changing course at about the time you are. It\u2019s possible that you\u2019ll be exchanging one crowded route for another, but at least you\u2019ll outsmart the motorists who don\u2019t have the most relevant travel apps on their phones. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Freeway driving is different here. For instance, there are high-occupancy vehicle lane laws. If you\u2019re used to less traveled highways, you might think of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes as merely the fast lanes. But in Los Angeles, you can\u2019t use them unless you have at least one passenger or two. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And no, being pregnant or using blowup dolls don\u2019t count as passengers. Others have tried. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea behind HOV lanes is to reduce congestion by encouraging commuters to carpool whenever possible. The highways move the same human volume but in fewer vehicles. Makes sense, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re arriving here from elsewhere in California, you think you know all about HOV lanes. But in those \u201celsewhere\u201d places, the special designation is generally only during rush hour. In L.A. it\u2019s 24\/7. So, avoid those lanes marked with a 2 or a 3 that regulate the minimum number of humans your car must contain to earn passage if you\u2019re traveling solo. Otherwise, it could get expensive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n L.A. also forbids all but hands-free cellphone use while driving. Tell your under-eighteen driver<\/a> that they<\/em> can\u2019t even use hands-free mode while navigating city streets and highways here. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And regardless of your age, smoking is forbidden even in your own vehicle if you\u2019re traveling with minors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Learn all of that, and your trip is less likely to be further prolonged by the flashing lights<\/a> of a city or county cop.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\nGive Yourself Time\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Plan Your Route Around Los Angeles<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Know the Weird Laws<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n