Southern California

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Southern California
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<p>Upoh - Interesting that you would ask about driving in SoCal. I have definite opinions about driving and drivers, since I drive a lot. I have driven as far as 75 miles each way in commute traffic (in the CA Bay Area). </p>

<p>In a nutshell, I think people drive very well in SoCal. That does not mean every single driver (there are crazies everywhere). But in general, people in LA "know how to drive" - especially the freeways. Let me explain. I believe that for freeways to work best, and most efficiently, people who want to drive faster should be in the fast lane (or over one lane from the fast lane). People who wish to drive a bit slower should move over a lane (or more) to the right. In Los Angeles, people do this as a rule. In, LA, you do not normally come up behind someone in the fast lane who is driving 5-15 mpg slower than the flow of traffic. So, if you want to go a bit faster, or need to go a bit faster, than the fast lane will allow you to do that. (Realize also, during the worst of commute hours, if you are not in a carpool lane, then all lanes move slowly. I am primarily referring to during regular drive hours). In general, in LA, people who wish to drive slower tend to stay in the slower lanes. Also, people in LA, in general, are not lane-change-fanatics. People, for the most part, stay in their lane. It is truly amazing (when compared to where i live now).</p>

<p>In my current county (not Los Angeles), it is almost the reverse. You routinely find people going 55 (or slower) in the fast lane - with a long line of cars behind them, or a line of cars passing them on the right. I think, in some cases, that people are obvlivious and do not realize that they have a long line of cars behind them. However, there are people (for whatever reasons) who choose to go 55 just to spite other people. Why do i say this? Because when you try to pass them by moving over to the right one lane, and speeding up to get around them, then they speed up so that you can not pass them. (and they think this is safe?). Also, in my county, lane changing is the craze. It is totally insane. People, in their cars, will cut right in front of you - even if there is LESS than 2 cars lengths of space between you and the car in front of you. This is very dangerous. </p>

<p>I am not currently, but in the past I have been a vanpool driver. It was not my profession. A group of us who commuted together, and who worked for the same corporation, leased a vanpool and we shared the driving responsibilities. I was always considered a very safe driver by the other passengers (in case you think that i am a speeder by nature). </p>

<p>To encapsulate my driving. I believe in driving with the flow of traffic (at whatever fast or slow speed that happens to be). In general, I am not a lane changer. The only times that i change lanes (apart from when getting off the freeway) is (1) when there is a faster car behind me, then i will move over to the right and let him/her pass me, then I move back into my original lane when it is safe. (2) if I am behind a slow car (in the fast lane) for a while and see a huge gap (4 or more car lengths) developing in front of the car that is in front of me. Then i will move to the right (when it is safe) and pass the slow car, and move back over to the left to get back into my original lane.</p>

<p>I think that the main driving areas where you will notice differences (from one county to another) is on freeways. Once you get on surface streets, with traffic signals and/or stop signs, then driving is mostly dictated by the volume of cars (how busy it is), and the timing of the signals. In case it is not already obvious to you, there are millions of people who live in Los Angeles County, so you WILL encounter lots of cars. Things can really back up on surface streets. If you drive the freeways and surface streets long enough (in LA), you will learn of alternate routes. These can be very helpful during busy traffic times.</p>

<p>SoCal freeways have been designed for people to drive and get to where they need to get to. There are lots of lanes. In addition, there a lots of carpool lanes. In SoCal, the carpool lanes are 7x24. (Where i live the carpool lanes are restricted to carpools ONLY during commutue hours (ex: 3 hours in morning, 3 hours in the evening). In, Los Angeles, on the 110 freeway, going out to USC, there are about 5 lanes in each direction. I have a relative who i stay with when i go to LA. When I take my son to USC (from my relative's house) we literally do not get out of a carpool lane the entire drive. (In certain stretches along the way, there are even two commute lanes - side by side on the far left. From the point where we get on the freeway, we enter in a carpool lane. And, once you get to USC, the carpool lane continues all the way to Adams/Figuoura. It is approx 15-20 miles from my relatives house to USC, and it takes less than 20 minutes to get there (and this is on a weekday morning during commute hours). I have done this about 12-15 times in the past year. (during ExploreUSC Interview session, during Orientation Week, during Move-In week, during Christmas break, etc.).</p>

<p>I realize that single drivers hate carpool lanes. I know this from when i drive by myself. However, if you have 2 or more in your car, you can make great time on the freeways in LA. </p>

<p>You also asked about the roads. The roads, in general, are in good condition. In general, there a lots of lanes (both on freeways and on surface streets). You DO have to think ahead of time when going somewhere. What time of day is it? (commute hours, or non-commute hours) Is it a weekday or weekend? If you check <a href="http://www.sigalert.com%5B/url%5D"&gt;www.sigalert.com&lt;/a>, the website has a GUI map with every freeway. It will list the commute times on every freeway. Along each freeway, it lists each offramp, and the speed (on the freeway) at that offramp. It allows you (ahead of time) to see what the flow of traffic is. You can choose an alternate freeway if need be. I encourage you to visit sigalert.com, and select "Los Angeles and Orange County" on the right side of the homepage. You will find the speeds at each offramp, as i described. UCLAri - they have a separate link for the San Diego area (give it a try). If you click on the map, in an area of interest, it will bring up a new display that shows a linear listing of all the offramps. It is very useful.</p>

<p>I think that you will find LA easy to drive in (assuming that you are used to driving freeways and surface streets, and that you are comfortable with a bit of traffic). I prefer LA driving to where I currently live.</p>

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<p>lovetocamp,</p>

<p>I've been using sigalert for a long time now. You need it more in San Diego than LA, at any rate. SD has far less well-planned roads and highways than LA in my opinion.</p>

<p>Oh, and I noticed you avoided talking about the 405, 5, and 101. C'mon, if you're going to talk about LA driving, at least talk about the worst parts. The 405-101 interchange at rush hour? That's the real stuff. Or the 101 downtown? There's the gold. </p>

<p><a href="UCLAri%20-%20in%20answer%20to%20your%20correction%20about%20times%20to%20Magic%20Mountain,%20if%20you%20drive%20in%20the%20carpool%20lanes,%20you%20can%20make%20it%20in%20the%20time%20that%20i%20mentioned.%20I%20go%20past%20Magic%20Mountain%20every%20time%20that%20i%20go%20home%20-%20after%20taking%20my%20son%20to%20USC,%20or%20after%20visiting%20folks%20in%20SoCal">quote</a>.

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<p>Ah. You're a cheater. ;)</p>

<p>Enjoy Six Flags while you can. The news so far about its future has been rather dire. Only in Santa Clarita would they plan on making such a fantastic location into track homes. :rolleyes:</p>

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<p>UCLAri - </p>

<p>Last time i checked 101 does not go through downtown Los Angeles. :-) </p>

<p>You probably meant 110, which does go through dowtown. </p>

<p>Since you mistook 101 for 110 (in downtown), I am not sure if you meant the intersection 101/405 up in the San Fernando valley, or the intersection of 110/405 in the South Bay. In either case, both can get backed up. But, both have carpool lanes which make the passage (relatively) quick and easy. Specifically, the 110/405 interchange is one of the locations that i go past any day that i have had to drive out to USC, and even during rush hour, the speeds are 55 or faster. </p>

<p>It sounds like (maybe) you have been in San Diego too long. How long since you have driven in Los Angeles? In the last two years (and even currently), they have been adding/extending carpool lanes all over Los Angeles. I drove in Los Angeles less than two weeks ago (when taking my son back to USC after the Christmas holidays). They are currently adding more carpool lanes to several sections of 405 (which is the freeway that UCLA students use far more than USC students). Try driving into Los Angeles from the north (from I-5 and the Grapevine), merge onto 405 South (as you mentioned), and head towards the 110 interchange. The carpool lanes extends almost the entire length (minus a short stretch near the LA airport). Any travel in the carpool lanes is almost always at 55 (and usually faster), even during rush hour commute times.</p>

<p>As for downtown LA, yes, it can be bad. However, it is far better than it was 10, 20, even 30 years ago (when there were no commute lanes, and when there were far fewer lanes in each direction). I think others would probably attest to the fact that traffic "in the downtown" area of any major city is not going to be a pretty sight. I figured that was a given. But since you mentioned it specifically, yes it is bad in downtown LA. Have you ever approched San Francisco from the south on 101 or 280? Have you ever approached San Francisco from the east on 80/24 during rush hour? Have your ever approached San Francisco from the north on 101 in Marin County? You don't know what traffic is, till you try any one of those routes. </p>

<p>I guess i have to allow for the possibility that you are a single driver (no passengers). If that is the case, you are not going to have a fun time in any major city (during rush hour). I am rarely alone in my car, and therefore I am able to almost always make use of carpool lanes. When my family travels to SoCal, there are 4 of us. With my commutes to USC with my son, there are two of us, which satisfies the SoCal carpool requirement. For work, I typically drive in a carpool or vanpool. I encourage you to seek out others to drive with. I do realize that it is not always possible. The bottomline, unfortunately, is that single drivers in any major city will find traffic unpleasant (during rush hour traffic). With that said, driving in Los Angeles is far far better than it used to be. (Carpool lanes have taken some people out of the normal lanes. Also, most LA freeways have added one (or more) lanes, which have provided some relief. </p>

<p>UPoh - since you are the one asked about driving in SoCal, I still think that you wll find driving in SoCal very doable - primarily because people in SoCal know how to drive. Los Angeles is constantly adding new freeways (providing alternate routes) or new lanes (and new carpool lanes) therein providing relief to drivers. Realize that during rush hour, things will be busy. During off hours, with the many lanes, and experienced drivers, you will be fine.</p>

<p>Too bad about Magic Mountain. Fun place. Personally, I have always preferrred the magic of Disneyland over the speed of the Magic Mountain rides.</p>

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<p>101 goes through downtown. Last summer, I took the 5 to 101 to get to my internship at the Hahn Hall of Administration (Temple St, in the heart of downtown). Wikipedia says downtown LA is generally thought to be bound on the north by the 101.</p>

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<p>
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Since you mistook 101 for 110 (in downtown)

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<p>Right, because typing 101 instead of 110 is such an uncommon typo. :rolleyes: I used to commute downtown from the Valley almost every day for a month.</p>

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I guess i have to allow for the possibility that you are a single driver (no passengers).

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<p>Diamond lanes are great except when you have to commute alone. In which case, you're screwed anyway. Then you also have to watch the jerks go at least a little faster than you.</p>

<p>
[quote]
But since you mentioned it specifically, yes it is bad in downtown LA. Have you ever approched San Francisco from the south on 101 or 280? Have you ever approached San Francisco from the east on 80/24 during rush hour? Have your ever approached San Francisco from the north on 101 in Marin County? You don't know what traffic is, till you try any one of those routes.

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<p>I've driven California from head to toe, and I've actually got to say that the worst traffic I've ever experienced is on the 15 going past Riverside. But I still contend that the interchanges in LA are worse than SF. C'mon, the 405/101 is a nightmare. I've had the trip to UCLA from Van Nuys take an hour. </p>

<p>Actually the worst commute I have is from San Diego to LA. It's always a crapshoot: 5 or 405? Take the toll road? And even with a passenger, I've had the damn drive take upwards of 3 1/2 hours or more.</p>

<p>Had a nice 4 1/2 commute once, too. Ugh.</p>

<p>Not that SoCal isn't better than most, but you make it sound like some well-oiled machine. My experiences are a bit different.</p>

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It sounds like (maybe) you have been in San Diego too long. How long since you have driven in Los Angeles?

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<p>Oh, this makes me laugh, for the record. I commute back almost twice a month. Trust me, I'm only in San Diego because I have to be.</p>

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<p>Maybe it's only in California that people actually argue about who knows more about roads and freeways? :)</p>

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<p>The latest I've read on it is that Six Flags decided not to sell Magic Mountain off, although they got rid of other properties:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sixflags12jan12,1,7764343.story?coll=la-headlines-business%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-sixflags12jan12,1,7764343.story?coll=la-headlines-business&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>The big question is whether they will now invest in making the park nicer, other than roller coasters -- it's not a very well-kept or family-friendly park these days -- or just keep it barely alive.</p>

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<p>Thanks for all the insight into driving guys. I have never driven in a big city before so I appreciate the caveats and tips. Thankfully, I am rarely alone in a car alone, and the fact that two people meets the carpool requirement is comforting - that's the way to go.</p>

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<p>Good luck to you Upoh.</p>

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<p>just make sure you watch the road at all times. you'll probably panic at first but don't give in to road rage haha.</p>

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<p>Hi everyone. glad I stumbled into this thread. I need advice re: lodging in LA for an upcoming college tour/family vacation visit. Instead of repeating what I put in the thread I started in the parents forum (asking for help), I'll post the link. It lists what we are looking for. THANKS!! <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=2****6%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/showthread.php?t=2****6&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>
[quote]
Hi everyone. glad I stumbled into this thread. I need advice re: lodging in LA for an upcoming college tour/family vacation visit. Instead of repeating what I put in the thread I started in the parents forum (asking for help), I'll post the link. It lists what we are looking for. THANKS!! <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...d.php?t=2****6%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/...d.php?t=2****6&lt;/a>

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<p>The link is censored. lol</p>

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<p>No link for you! and you! and you!</p>

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<p>That's wild! I can't get the link to work- How about the old fashioned way-- go to the parents forum and look for the thread: "Need travel/lodging/visit advice for LA college tour/spring vacation".</p>

<p>UCLAri-
Why won't the link work??Help! I've tried a few times to link it, to no avail.....</p>