Santa Cruz - highway 17 commute (Santa Clara, Monterey: home, landlord, living)

[seventrees]

well when it comes to hwy 17 . the best thing to do anytime you drive it . make sure to be a great defensive driver. and enjoy the view. it always worked well for me , as i was born and raised in los gatos myself back in 59.

[coyoteskye]

yeah, that first view of the bay especially although i'd rather not be driving around folks who are taking in the view on HWY17.

[Cherie8426]

I drove the 17 everyday for a year to work from Aptos to San Jose, if you stay in the slow lane and drive at your own comfortable pace, it shouldn't be a problem. Don't allow anyone to rush you, let me drive around you. The times you are leaving to and from work are are perfect, your missing the heavy traffic, the only problem I ever had last year, was when a accident would occur (one time a semi tipped over), we were backed up for a hour or so heading South. In the winter trees and poles sometimes fall in the road but they are good about slowing the traffic down and removing them in a decent amount of time. Also, make sure your boss knows you are driving 'over the hill' in case you are ever running behind and need to call to let them know.

[milnivlek]

I personally hate driving on the 17 through the mountains, though I suppose it's something that one can get used to after a while. Depending on exactly where you plan to live within Santa Cruz, you may want to explore the feasibility of taking alternative routes into the valley.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by milnivlek

I personally hate driving on the 17 through the mountains, though I suppose it's something that one can get used to after a while. Depending on exactly where you plan to live within Santa Cruz, you may want to explore the feasibility of taking alternative routes into the valley.

I've driven some of those alternates.. they're worse. Some of those Los Gatos Mountains roads are just vicious.. I still remember the time I was coming back from La Honda, and I thought, oh, I'll take Alpine Road.. that will take me to Portola Valley! WRONG! That was the one and only time I've ever gotten carsick while driving... and then Page Mill Road was equally as bad.

[jbunniii]

OP here - I ended up finding a nice place a mile from where I live now, so no Hwy 17 commute for me. The thread that someone linked to that talked about night fog and horrific accidents was sobering enough that I rejected the idea outright. Maybe in the future if I can work out a telecommuting arrangement. Thanks to all who responded.

[Deezus]

Both my parents used to commute over the hill every day...In fact my dad drove from Santa Cruz to Silicon Valley on 17 for close to 25 years--often leaving at 6:30 am and returning after 6:00 pm to avoid the worst of the commuter traffic. It can be tough road, but if there isn't much traffic, you get used to it...On the hand you might also have to worry about irrate drivers driven mad with road rage, the occasional winter rainstorm and mudslide(possible closures), dense fog, and CHP speed traps.

I used to drive it myself pretty regularly for meetings or to see friends in family in the Bay Area when I lived in Santa Cruz--eventually you just kind of get used to nuances of that road...there are few turns that are infamous though--you can identify those by the scuff marks from all the cars that have hit the center divider.

I remember one time right after I got my driver's license when I was driving my dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee with my younger brother and couple of his friends to Los Gatos. Took some turns way too fast, speeding and sliding down the highway from the summit, looked in the backseat and saw my brother friend puking, either from roadsickness or out pure fear(or both)...

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by Deezus

Both my parents used to commute over the hill every day...In fact my dad drove from Santa Cruz to Silicon Valley on 17 for close to 25 years--often leaving at 6:30 am and returning after 6:00 pm to avoid the worst of the commuter traffic. It can be tough road, but if there isn't much traffic, you get used to it...On the hand you might also have to worry about irrate drivers driven mad with road rage, the occasional winter rainstorm and mudslide(possible closures), dense fog, and CHP speed traps.

I used to drive it myself pretty regularly for meetings or to see friends in family in the Bay Area when I lived in Santa Cruz--eventually you just kind of get used to nuances of that road...there are few turns that are infamous though--you can identify those by the scuff marks from all the cars that have hit the center divider.

I remember one time right after I got my driver's license when I was driving my dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee with my younger brother and couple of his friends to Los Gatos. Took some turns way too fast, speeding and sliding down the highway from the summit, looked in the backseat and saw my brother friend puking, either from roadsickness or out pure fear(or both)...

Yeah, I think many in Santa Cruz have done it out of necessity for work and gotten somewhat used to it. Not much going on in SC with regards to high tech jobs especially in comparison to the SV. But regardless it is still a crazy highway and people tend to drive nuts on it. Your example with your brother and friends is just one example which other tend to do more regularly.

Just out of curiousity I noticed you moved to Portland. Do you miss SC and have you become accustomed to the different weather, etc...?

Derek

[seventrees]

good day after reading from you guys it seems clear to me that you guys need to use the ols hwy 17 trick. the way to do the drive with less hastle. is.......... you must find a way to change your leave time to hours with less commuters. so don.t ask your boss ... tell your boss to have somebody open work early and make a internet relax room for smart , now happy workers..

[csuefry]

I am commuting from santa cruz to stanford mon thru friday,have to be at work at 7 am. what time should I leave SC to avoid the rush hr traffic in hwy 17? I left at 5:45 am and did not get to work until 8:40 am due to 3 wrecks.