The 405: Lament of a Commuter (neighborhood, safety, light rail)

[Rats]

If separate lanes or roads were made for trucks (which I define as vehicles with more than 4 wheel wells), the roads would be much faster and safer. On the 15 freeway between Barstow and Vegas, there's a separate truck lane and cops WILL ticket truck drivers who don't use it.
Furthermore, it should be illegal for trucks to drive in the #1 and #2 lanes on a 4-lane road. There's absolutely no reason for them to be there unless they have just merged into them.

[greggd]

Originally Posted by KnoxTown

That is already the way it is. The fact that people don't obey them is their fault. LA is a big place, do you want the cops on the highway or stopping serious crime.

This isnt really at all the way it is, unfortunately. There is always someone in the far left lane going 60 mph talking on the cell phone. everyone is weaving around the person but they still sit there. The people that do actually follow the theory of slower traffic to the right lanes are, in some cases, going below the speed limit.

I specifically noted on sunday that two people driving those new toyota land cruisers were in the far right lane driving 50 & 55 mph. That must be a very slow vehicle or have some type of draw to a certain type of driver.

Sometimes the big rigs are further to the left because they are passing the slower/clueless traffic to the right.

[JackSparrow]

Originally Posted by KnoxTown

That is already the way it is. The fact that people don't obey them is their fault. LA is a big place, do you want the cops on the highway or stopping serious crime.

Cops write speeding tickets.

Cops do not enforce relational driving.

Stop deluding yourself.

[Rats]

Originally Posted by greggd

Sometimes the big rigs are further to the left because they are passing the slower/clueless traffic to the right.

They shouldn't need to pass anyone. The truck speed limit is 55mph. They are driving a potential death machine and have absolutely no good reason to use the left lanes.

[katenik]

[quote=greggd;2100076]Rather than another lane down the 405, I would rather see a light rail line with stops at major cross streets all the way down such as roscoe, sherman way, ventura blvd, sunset, wilshire, santa monica etc.

After a rail line is built, I would also like to see the 405 northbound entrance ramps at sunset blvd and moraga closed.[/QUOTE]

why?

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by Greenlight711

Last December, I had the good fortune of graduating college ahead of schedule before getting my first "real" job out there in the real world.

That would have probably been my last hurrah at accomplishing anything early.

To put it simply, I have a daily commute from Valencia to Santa Monica every morning. I'll let you have a second to register that. 5 south (which hasn't been too hot lately due to the tunnel closure), 101/405 pass, 405.

To say the least, my commute is nothing short of hellish. 40 minutes is a phenomenal rarity while the average tends to run anywhere between an hour to two depending on the roll of the dice. Moving closer to Santa Monica is currently out of the question due to lack of funds, so bearing with the traffic seems to be my only option right now. To help wrap my head around this predicament, I ask you, my fellow Californians, for advice:

1. Do you ever "truly" get used to it? This has been my first real taste of driving to work on the highway, and it has been debilitating so far. Sometimes I worry about my health. I think "soul scraping" would be a good analogy for what it's like.

2. Is it really just this bad for everyone, or just the 5/405 commuters? I suppose I wouldn't feel so bad if my commute was everyone's commute as well

3. Have any secret Zen tips to mellow out? I always have an urge to go on a murderous rampage whenever I find out rubberneckers are what's been causing my 3 hour delay on the way home

I know I'm crying a river here, but I appreciate any input you guys have to give. Thanks very much.

my god. i really feel for you. i once had a west hlwd to huntington beach commute for 4 grueling months. each way was 1 1/2 hrs. i was lucky that it was fall of 2000. there was lots of political events going on before and after as we all know. i enjoyed NPR (89.3) and KFI (640 AM) for entertainment. good luck

[greggd]

[quote=katenik;2104384]

Originally Posted by greggd

Rather than another lane down the 405, I would rather see a light rail line with stops at major cross streets all the way down such as roscoe, sherman way, ventura blvd, sunset, wilshire, santa monica etc.

After a rail line is built, I would also like to see the 405 northbound entrance ramps at sunset blvd and moraga closed.[/QUOTE]

why?

Its a sore point for me because a couple of times a week I am subject to the
valley commuters cutting through residential areas....

Commuters from the SF valley have deteriorated the quality of life for residents of brentwood. palisades, malibu, & some parts of santa monica. Traveling from either city to westwood or west la takes up to 1 hour rather than 10 minutes strictly because commuters cut through the residential street/sunset blvd to access the 405 north at one of its most northern entry points.

I'd like to see all the commuters enter at wilshire and santa monica where they originate. If it becomes so unbearable, a light rail to transport them to & from their poorly chosen northern/cheaper locations will become feasible.

Sunset east and all the northbound cross street leading to sunset are backed up for miles due to the entry ramp to the 405 north. Closing this entry will force them to enter the freeway in a business district rather than a residential district.

[KnoxTown]

Originally Posted by JackSparrow

Cops write speeding tickets.

Cops do not enforce relational driving.

Stop deluding yourself.

Cops write tickets.... What do you want from them? Throw people in jail for not signaling.

[JesusisLord]

Jack it sounds like your not to happy with how people drive and how cops/CHP use their authority on the road.

[kissed_by_fire]

I had the commute from hell in college AND later on when I started working. In college, I was coming from SCV going into downtown LA. On an average day I was on the road for about 2-3 hours when it should have only taken 45 minutes. Work, I was rather all over the place since I'm freelance and I tend to go from job to job (hoping to halt that annoying pattern).

I never got use to it, it drove me crazy. By the time I got home I was so uptight and exhausted that I didn't want to do anything. Listening to lots of music helps, moving closer to work, or finding a job near by helps as well. Books on tape I've heard helps but I've never tried it, I'd rather read at home. I also tried varying my route a lot. Different freeways, city streets, etc. If the freeway turned into a giant parking lot as it does so often, I'd put on my headset and call someone, probably not the best idea but it helped keep me sane and amused the individual on the other end due to my traffic jam inspired rants.

Soul scraping is a great description of what the commute does to you. LA really needs to work in an efficient public transportation system but I doubt that will happen any time soon, living in that city requires people have cars. A few years back I saw a report that claimed there are 1.5 or 2 cars to every person, can't remember the exact numbers.

How did I fix it? I moved to NY. Well, I'm working on that. I spent the past 6 months driving across country and let me tell you, it is ODD driving outside of LA. In the mid west people are actually nice on the road and instead of doing everything in their power to make your life a living hell, they actually help you.