Day 4 into my West Coast Winter expedition, I figured it would be good to start recapping things for your enjoyment. That, and I’ll probably begin to forget them soon. Usually when I travel I do a day-by-day breakdown, but this time I think I’ll go topical. Or maybe both. We’ll just have to see how the plot unfolds.
I think I shall begin with the California traffic. All I heard coming out here is that LA traffic is horrible. After driving in and around Southern California for a few days, I began to disagree. Sure there were tons of people, but there are also tons of lanes. Leaving LAX down the 405 South, there were seriously 5 or more lanes heading in my direction. Lots of cars, but plenty of place to put them.
As I toured the Southern Beaches, there were still plenty of cars, but traffic moved and I often thought, “This isn’t too bad.” That is, until our Southern Descent from Malibu into Beverly Hills. I was once again warned, “Don’t drive anywhere in LA after 3PM.” I did not heed that warning and saw LA traffic in all of its might. To those who warn of LA traffic, touché.
Out here though there is a new driving style to which I believe I’ve acclimated well. Some people drive 20 over, some 5 under, yet they are all in a hurry. (Have you ever seen a car going under the speed limit while still furiously changing lanes? I hadn’t either, until now.) They just all go where they’re going. OK, perhaps that is a tad over-simplified, but it’s true. If they are getting off at this exit, that’s exactly what they’re going to do. Speed, distance, cars in their way, and other trivial elements of physics are no object.
This also applies to city driving. If you’re turning right and there’s no right-turn-lane, just make one. There’s 4 feet and a bicycle lanes, good enough! The sad part is, as I said, I’ve acclimated to this and made some fantastic maneuvers on my own thus far. If only I had a GoPro and a highlight reel.
That reminds me, I need to look up motorcycle fatalities in California. Talk about people making their own path! As a motorcycle enthusiast myself, I am always mindful of the two-wheelers around me. But this brought it to new heights. When they say motorcycles are everywhere, heed that warning. Lest you be startled when a CBR 1000 comes in between you and the car in the lane to your left. All week I have seen lane splitting, excessive speed, and very little acknowledgement for the rules of the road. That would in theory be fun, if it wasn’t for the above-mentioned dangers of Cali drivers.
The conclusion? Rules matter very little on the road here. Drive where you want, how you want, as fast (or slow) as you want, generally in a high dollar sports car, but that’s for another post.
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