How has the traffic in L.A. affected your life? (San Francisco: house, transfer)

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by cjmfg888

Thanks. Can you suggest the best route (time-wise) to travel from say hawthorne/pch to westwood starting at 6:00 or 6:30am? I know I can mapquest it but, a real person's experience will always be better than software-driven route.

Also, if possible, is there any reasonable public transportation means to get there? Metro, train, ?

i think you're stuck driving the 405.

[LASam]

The biggest impact traffic has on me is that I avoid going to any events downtown on weeknights because it isn't worth the hassle. On the weekends I don't find traffic to be too bad if you plan your day out well.

[FinnishAmerican]

Originally Posted by LALady

I live as close to work as I can afford. Traffic affects my life by taking away approximately 2 hours per work day.

Me2, I can easily walk / bike to work. so not a problem.
i dont like dtriving anywaywy.

[fastfilm]

People who have children, need to cart supplies and have various physical limitations do not have the biking option espoused by the young. What is a person who is ailing supposed to do? Bike over the hill on Mulholland?

cjmfg, I think you should take and time various routes from South Bay to Westwood. For one, you can cut over to Sepulveda to avoid LAX-related jam-ups, etc. then cut back ( I find myself doing this when I have to cart people to LAX during the worst of commuting traffic.)

Part of living and driving in L.A. is developing a savvy sense of route alternatives, necessary even beyond commuting preferences when there are freeway shut-downs due to police actions or severe accidents (keep your radio tuned to a news station for such alerts.) I once used a now-outdated volume called "L.A. Shortcuts" in the pre-GPS era, but the book made a valid point for commuters: it's better to pick a route that moves constantly, even if you arrive at the same time as a congested freeway route would, because you'll arrive in better mental fettle. This is important for longterm mental health. Its author noted he had trouble convincing out-of-towners that a winding mountain route could be a faster alternative to an 8-lane freeway in L.A.!

Personal addenda. ALL L.A. travel is affected by our notorious congestion, and we learn to plann accordingly. My parents live 10 miles away from me. It takes 25 minutes to reach them sometimes, and an hour + at other times (which I attempt to avoid.) We locals always report directions in minutes to reach a destination, not miles. Miles is "void."

[BRinSM]

Originally Posted by LASam

The biggest impact traffic has on me is that I avoid going to any events downtown on weeknights because it isn't worth the hassle. On the weekends I don't find traffic to be too bad if you plan your day out well.

i got downtown in less than 30 minutes last night from century city to catch a hockey game. of course i wasn't in a car, but on my traffic splitting vespa. i think it's funny how people just blow off 2 wheel transportation as stupid and dangerous, but it is so much more efficient on so many different levels compared to the car. sure, there is some inherent danger, but a good rider can avoid nearly all dangerous situations. if you go to any country outside of north america you'll scooters and motorcycles everywhere, one because they are cheaper to buy and operate and two because they get you around a big, dense city much faster. with the year round riding weather we have here in socal, i'm surprised that 2 wheeled vehicles aren't more of the norm. people really need to get past the stigma that you're going to die if you ride a motorcycle.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BRinSM

i think it's funny how people just blow off 2 wheel transportation as stupid and dangerous,

people really need to get past the stigma that you're going to die if you ride a motorcycle.

It's no guarantee you are going to die, its just 37 times more likely.

(Warning: Extremely graphic. I was eating lunch when I clicked on this. Mistake.)
Live to Ride - Ride to DIE (http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm - broken link)

[ZenMaster2008]

Well, I live 3 miles from my work because of traffic. We keep to about a 10 mile radius for the most part for all our shopping and entertainment. I really dread having to drive far away here because of the traffic and the parking problems everywhere.

[denverian]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

Maybe I'm dense, but:

1. I don't see how an improving job situation will help the traffic problems.

2. I don't see how falling housing prices will help the traffic problems.

3. I'm lucky, but most people can't limit themselves only to jobs available near their homes. Sometimes people lose their jobs, or want a better job.

I guess if you limit your life to a 5- or 10-mile radius around where you live, it helps, but what's the point of living in a giant metropolis when you do that? You may as well live in a small city.

I'm not whining. I'm just putting up some arguments for debate - although I do believe in what I've said.

Feel free to attack me.

We left Orange County due to the traffic. And you're right - we had stopped taking advantage of all SoCal has to offer, because the thought of sitting in a car half the day just made us stay home. In the last several years we lived there, I rarely strayed more than a couple miles from home on weekends. Work was 10 miles away, but still horrible traffic and could take over an hour.

[maja]

I'm moving.

[AnUnidentifiedMale]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

it's better to pick a route that moves constantly, even if you arrive at the same time as a congested freeway route would, because you'll arrive in better mental fettle. This is important for longterm mental health. Its author noted he had trouble convincing out-of-towners that a winding mountain route could be a faster alternative to an 8-lane freeway in L.A.!

Personal addenda. ALL L.A. travel is affected by our notorious congestion, and we learn to plann accordingly.

I was reading something about this too. People don't realize how much limited mobility affects their well-being. It seems that life for many in L.A. would be so much better if it weren't for the traffic/transportation problems. When I hear people say, "Oh, every city has traffic." I think, "Well, yeah, but not like this!"