Travel Tips for Navigating Los Angeles Roadways
Los Angeles is a popular destination for vacations and business trips due to its attractions, its multiple services for conventions, and its unique businesses and culture. However, an unprepared tourist can lose time and money dealing with travelling around the city. Tourists visiting Los Angeles are strongly advised to familiarize themselves with the laws, facilities, and drawbacks of navigating through the city, especially when tourists either rent a car in Los Angeles or drive their car into the city.
Schedule Travel During Off-Peak Times
For tourists seeking to minimize exposure to crowds and traffic, the best time to plan a Los Angeles trip are between the months of March and May or between the Months of September and November. Tourists using a car to travel through Los Angeles should avoid driving during peak hours, which are for 7:30am to 9:30am and from 3:30pm to 7:30pm. Even during off-peak hours, tourists should attempt to avoid driving on the 405 Highway as much as possible, as the highway suffers from frequent delays and gridlock.
Consider Using Public Transportation
Travelling on the Metro lines – Los Angeles’s transportation system – costs $2 for a rechargeable TAP card and $7 for 24 hours of unlimited access. Other options for tourists include paying $1.75 for a one-way trip or $25 for a week of unlimited access. Tourists can reload TAP cards online, at transit stations, and at participating vendors.
Studying the metro lines can save tourists time and frustration, though navigation apps can guide tourists to the correct route as well; Los Angeles provides a Metro Transit app that specializes in guiding public transportation users. Tourists with few time restrictions and easy access to bus stops can save a significant amount of money by taking buses instead of renting a car or using rideshare services.
Travel in Groups of At Least Two People
Many freeways and highways in Los Angeles have dedicated carpool lanes for use by cars with two or more people. These lanes are frequently less congested than the rest of the freeway or highway, reducing travel times. Also, toll roads will either offer reduced rates or waive the toll for carpoolers. There are caveats and restrictions, however. Motorists can only enter and exit by crossing striped, white lanes; crossing a double-yellow line is a crime. Some carpool lanes require three or more drivers. And no vehicle that tows a trailer or similar device is permitted to use carpool lanes.
Keep Hands Off of the Cell Phone
California is a hands-free state. Motorists who attempt to handle a cell phone without a hands-free device can be ticketed by the LAPD. Plus, distracted driving is one of the leading causes of traffic accidents in Los Angeles.
Avoid the Most Dangerous Intersections
Those people that are not from Los Angeles can find it very overwhelming to drive in the city. The traffic, the roadways, freeways, and let’s not get started on rush hour. So, if you plan a trip to Los Angeles, the lawyers at The Accident Guys have put together a list of intersections you should avoid. The most dangerous ones are:
Hollywood Boulevard & Highland Avenue
Normandie Avenue & Wilshire Boulevard
31st Street & Figueroa Street
Don’t Drive and Drink... or Smoke
Los Angeles has multiple sobriety checkpoints, significantly increasing the chances of an inebriated driver being caught by the LAPD. Any open alcohol container that is anywhere in the car other than the trunk also carries penalties. Smoking in a car with a minor is also a crime in Los Angeles, so motorists will either need to pull over for a smoke break or ensure that there are no minors in the car when the motorist lights up the cigarette.
Littering Is a Costly Mistake
Motorists who are caught littering in Los Angeles can be fined up to $1,000. The loss of time and convenience of disposing of trash at the destination is far less than a four-figure fine.
Consider Alternates to Freeways
For tourists heading west or east, taking the Santa Monica Boulevard or Sunset Boulevard can be quicker, less-congested options than freeways. Alternates to the 405 Highway include Sepulveda Boulevard, Crenshaw Boulevard, and La Cienega.
Be Mindful of Curb Colors
Tourists who want to save money by parking on streets will need to pay attention to the painted colors of curbs before they pull into what appears to be a parking spots. Parking on a red curb is illegal for all vehicles except emergency vehicles. Yellow curbs are designated for commercial loading and have a 30-minute maximum, though cars can generally park on a yellow curb on Sunday, before 7am, or after 6pm.
Cars stopped on a white curb can only pick up or drop off passengers, and the maximum time limit is 5 minutes. Green curbs indicate short-term parking; nearby signs indicate the maximum parking times and the off-peak hours when the time restrictions do not apply.
Blue curbs indicate spaces exclusively for use by handicapped motorists; vehicles must have a visible placard or license plate marking to legally park on a blue curb. Note that, with the exception of red curbs, official signs posted by transit authorities or emergency responders override the standard curb rules.
Transportation issues such as traffic jams and fines can quickly ruin a vacation or business trip. Thankfully, a bit of foresight and preparation can save tourists time, money, and frustration. A combination of plotting travel paths, timing travel, and utilizing the transportation laws and services that Los Angeles provides can give tourists an increased chance of having a successful, enjoyable trip.