I’m not much of a driver, never really have been. When I got a job back in 2016 that necessitated a car, I got one of those too. Driving is not my favorite activity. People in LA think they are fantastic drivers… but no….Driving here sucks.
Here are few things I’ve learned in my year of daily driving in LA rush hour traffic (yes, I’m subtracting the time I was in the hospital and after when I wasn’t driving):
- If someone leaves a big gap between their car and the one in front, they are looking down at their lap. They are *literally* on the phone and not looking at the road.
- Don’t be an asshole – there is a good chance the cars around you will be close by for your entire commute. Stop the fancy, tight lane changes.
- There are a minimum of three wrecks on the 101 in any rush hour period – breathe and keep inching through the stupidity surrounding it
- Yelling at the cars around you doesn’t help the situation but sometimes it makes you feel better
- Singing along with the radio helps pass the time more quickly
The time it takes to navigate my way across Los Angeles every day. In 2016, the drive lasted 45 minutes but it 2017 the length of time has exploded. It can take up to 2 hours to get home. I’m not sure what has made the traffic worse, but it definitely is getting worse by the day. KPCC has a great list of the worst bottle necks in LA – you should check it out if you drive here or plan to drive here.
There is not anything that can be done about the traffic but you learn to be Zen about the situation. It is tough and hour or more to go less than 30 miles makes my head hurt.