Anatomy of a traffic jam and why the LA driving style has a lot to blame (Los Angeles: live, cost)

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by AnUnidentifiedMale

It's not the "driving style" that causes the majority of problems. It's the fact that there aren't enough freeways and freeway lanes. Too many people are trying to use an inadequate system. The original freeway plans for L.A. were much more extensive and comprehensive. Only about 50% of the freeways were completed. It's a terrible transportation system, and I think it's the worst aspect of Los Angeles.

I'm not trying to be snarky, but what is it that widening, say, the 405 to 20, 22 or 24 lanes will do that the current 18 lanes cannot? Remember the out of pocket cost, now at a time of tight budgets -- $2 million per lane per mile. Then add to that the cost of kicking homeowners and businesses out of their locations, knocking down those buildings to make way for the added lanes. Does not sound like a workable solution to me.

[TheRickShawMan]

Originally Posted by davidt1

I read somewhere that CA is one of the states with the lowest traffic fatalities. The reason is that slow speed allows for better driver response in emergencies. Collisions at slow speed cause less damages and fatalities. There is at least one good thing that comes out of traffic congestions.

I think CLQ is talking specifically about the smell-A (L.A.) area. I used to live there, and people just barrell down the freeways, streets, etc at high speed. They don't even slow down to let you merge into their lane. A lot of drivers in L.A. tend to have this jerk/a-hole mentality of not wanting to let driver's into their lane. Hence L.A. has one of the highest road rage incidents in the nation.

if you turn on your signal, the car in the adjacent lane just speeds up to not let your merge.

I already posted a thread about the SoCal driving experience a while back.

new York City and Boston are worse. But L.A. takes the cake for having speeders, jerk/a-hole drivers and a lot of road rage incidents.

[intelfan11315]

Originally Posted by TheRickShawMan

I think CLQ is talking specifically about the smell-A (L.A.) area. I used to live there, and people just barrell down the freeways, streets, etc at high speed. They don't even slow down to let you merge into their lane. A lot of drivers in L.A. tend to have this jerk/a-hole mentality of not wanting to let driver's into their lane. Hence L.A. has one of the highest road rage incidents in the nation.

if you turn on your signal, the car in the adjacent lane just speeds up to not let your merge.

I already posted a thread about the SoCal driving experience a while back.

new York City and Boston are worse. But L.A. takes the cake for having speeders, jerk/a-hole drivers and a lot of road rage incidents.

You just gotta learn how to look someone down and say with your eyes "that spot is mine" and pull right in.

[SoCal35]

Originally Posted by TheRickShawMan

I think CLQ is talking specifically about the smell-A (L.A.) area. I used to live there, and people just barrell down the freeways, streets, etc at high speed. They don't even slow down to let you merge into their lane. A lot of drivers in L.A. tend to have this jerk/a-hole mentality of not wanting to let driver's into their lane. Hence L.A. has one of the highest road rage incidents in the nation.

if you turn on your signal, the car in the adjacent lane just speeds up to not let your merge.

I already posted a thread about the SoCal driving experience a while back.

new York City and Boston are worse. But L.A. takes the cake for having speeders, jerk/a-hole drivers and a lot of road rage incidents.

To each their own, I've lived in LA and the east coast (NYC). In my experience, So.Californians are MORE willing to let people into their lane than on the east coast. Granted there are plenty of jerks in any big city...but on balance the west coast attitude of live and let live seems more greatly practiced on the roads/freeways here than in the northeast (in my experience).

[Mr Floyd]

Drive too fast. Drive too close. Drive distracted. A common result? Accidents? What slows down traffic more than closing a lane or two or more? Add to that the fact that looky loos need to watch from the other direction and it's a wonder traffic moves at all.

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia

A freeway system trying to support twice the population it was designed for has a lot more to do with the traffic jams than how people drive.

I totally agree .... We need better public transit to get all these cars off the road!!

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by junkman18

Waiting on trains slows up traffic

Commuter trains do not clog up traffic ... It's the freight trains that slows down traffic. Besides, if the folks commuting via train all decided to forego the train, you would have to contend with hundreds of extra cars at rush hour. Woohoo!

[Chatteress]

Originally Posted by Charles

Three rights equals one left.

Also, the carpool law should be rewritten from "two occupants" to "two licensed occupants". A mom and her baby isn't carpooling and not taking a car off the road.

[BJfrmNYATLSOCAL]

Originally Posted by matt345

Or try driving on the East Coast. When I visit LA, the drivers seem much more courteous when it comes to letting you merge in traffic when compared to the drivers in DC, Baltimore, Philly, etc.

Yes, i agree, LA drivers are much nicer than any of the east coast cities. Anyone ever tried driving in Boston at ANY time?
Thats what you cll a bunch of *******s, all of em driving at 90mph!

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I love driving on the freeway system here, but then I only contend with true LA traffic on weekends. LOL My work is 6.5 miles from where I live. Hop on the 101 and hop off 4 exits later.