Transportation/cars (car rental, rentals, insurance)

[watermelonpig]

Thanks to everyone who answered my earlier questions about LA! I now have some questions concerning transportation/cars there:

#1 How would you say the public transportation is? Do you think I could get by with it? Or, do I need a car?

#2 If applicable, any tips on driving in LA?

#3 How is taxi service there? Anything anyone would recommend?

#4 How is car rental service there? Anything anyone would recommend?

Thank you so much!
WP

[uptown_urbanist]

You can get by with public transportation if you don't have a job that requires driving and if you choose to live in the right neighborhood. I lived in LA (in two different locations) without driving and had no problems, but my job was fixed in one location and was accessible by public transportation. There are a lot of neighborhoods that are very walkable (so you can walk to get your groceries, etc.) and have good public transportation options. Public transportation isn't up to, say, NYC quality, but it's far better than many people give it credit for.

Taxis are expensive in LA. For me it I justified paying for an expensive cab ride once in awhile because it was still cheaper than to buying/maintaining a car and insurance. We rented cars sometimes, too, for things like trips to IKEA, etc. There are a few car sharing program spots in LA (I think just by USC and UCLA for now, but am not sure of the details); these programs make a lot of sense for cities like LA where it is possible to easily live without a car yet also nice to have easy and short-term access to a car without the hassle and expensive of owning one on a daily basis. It might be worth looking into those (Zip Car was at USC and UCLA) to see what's currently available in LA, and what will be available in the near future. That could be the best of both worlds.

[BRinSM]

taxis are expensive in LA, i wouldn't use them as everyday transportation. car rentals can be reasonable (starting at $20/day) and they even have some hourly rentals available near USC and UCLA.