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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 21, 2019 - 06:46am PT
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Sure income matters but what about the quality of life? Last Friday it took me 3.5 hours to go from the Harbor/UCLA medical center to Fontana and this was before the so called rush hour. Every one of the several freeways I used was absolutely chocked with traffic.
I know that I’m spoiled, the county I live in has one traffic light, but, seriously, what strategies do people employ to endure daily, horrific commutes? I want to try the drugs you’re using.
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Bad Climber
Trad climber
The Lawless Border Regions
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Apr 21, 2019 - 06:54am PT
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Easy. Just kill your soul, one stop-and-go minute at a time. It's a horror show.
BAd
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:20am PT
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Jim, you drove right by my house, I’m about 15 min from Fontana.
I don’t know how people do it. As you know, I’m retired, so I plan my excursions around the traffic patterns. That route - from UCLA to Fontana is clicking in right now at 63 miles in 1 hr 6 min. It’s a Sunday AM. But it’s the commute direction and on a Friday, any time after noon, 3 hrs doesn’t surprise me.
Happy Easter! Phyl
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seano
Mountain climber
none
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:23am PT
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Buses (a whole other nightmare), music, books, and patience. UCLA to Fontana could be hard, but if you're driving in LA while you can see the sun, you're doing it wrong. Get an alpine start.
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:31am PT
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Just see big badass climbers end up in LA and cry like girls ......
:-)
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:34am PT
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San Francisco is worse IMO. LA ... it's about timing and knowing the many alternate freeways- but sometimes you are just screwed. It's the most annoying and striking difference coming from Bishop. I don't miss it a bit.
I work I both cities seasonally- I have to make a Zen mental adjustment to the fact Im just going to be sitting in traffic. Nothing I can do but put on the radio and think happy thoughts. When I do shopping trips to Stanton - I'll leave 2 hours earlier than necessary just to NOT be sitting in traffic- even if it means having to sit in a crappy diner for a couple hours waiting for the wholesaler to open.
I do not understand all those people who commit to that mass traffic commute every day to work. I couldn't do it. My dad did though. We lived in the Santa Monica's north of the Ventura county line and he worked at Elizabeth Learning Center in Cuttahay (hellhole middle of the city) 3 hours each way every day. He built our house before he got transferred to that school- we lived in a beautiful remote place and he didn't want to move so he dealt with the drive. It wasn't great for his quality of life though. His health got bad, I never saw him on weekdays - his marriage blew up and the house he worked so hard on was lost in a forced sale during the divorce
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:44am PT
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The American Dream
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jeff constine
Trad climber
Ao Namao
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:47am PT
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So we can have cool jobs Don dude!
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WBraun
climber
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:55am PT
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And how many people here actually know about the "green screen".
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Flip Flop
climber
Earth Planet, Universe
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Apr 21, 2019 - 07:58am PT
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I like my 5 mile quiet commute along the lake to my job
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Apr 21, 2019 - 08:00am PT
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3.5 hrs from Harbor/UCLA to Fontana? What were YOU on?
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Apr 21, 2019 - 08:04am PT
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If you measure it - as most modern cars do - they have timers since last fill-up or some-such, commuting is a huge chunk of your life.
Mine’s 20 mins through mostly horse farms - still works out to average 6-8 hours per week including lunch and errands - and I don’t like that - I’d like to reduce it to 5-10 mins - on a bike.
Yeah - I don’t understand 1+ hour commutes through traffic - I’d move and/or find another job.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
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Apr 21, 2019 - 08:17am PT
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At 3.5 hrs. You could have taken the Durango to Silverton bullet train....
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August West
Trad climber
Where the wind blows strange
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:16am PT
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It's a shame this country can't do urban transportation better. It's been a while since I've been there, but I remember liking the Paris train and Metro system a whole lot more than LA freeways.
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fear
Ice climber
hartford, ct
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:27am PT
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My first real job was in sw CT near the NYC mess... 1 hour and 50 minutes each way in bumper to bumper nonstop inching.
Drove me f'ing nuts.
That lasted about a year before a similar job but a 5 minute commute that could be done on a bike in 30. The difference in my quality of life and stress level was immeasurably better.
Unless it's f'you money and you can make a fortune in 5 years or less... it ain't worth it.
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Marlow
Sport climber
OSLO
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:37am PT
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This is a LA traffic politics thread...
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apogee
climber
Technically expert, safe belayer, can lead if easy
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:39am PT
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I was born in LA, and spent virtually all of my life in this corner of the country- dealt with LA traffic a lot. As mentioned, it's about timing, knowing alternate routes, and watching your traffic app.
The most effective strategy, however, is simple: stay the hell out of LA.
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phylp
Trad climber
Upland, CA
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:48am PT
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LOL, Marlow!
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Apr 21, 2019 - 09:51am PT
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Well, for one thing, stay the F out of Fontana! What were you thinking?
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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Apr 21, 2019 - 10:25am PT
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Jim, Gary is right. Man, you picked the worst route.
Los Angeles is a place to learn to deal with. If you come here without a guide it's a real jungle. The Uber & Lyft drivers know the way.
I LOVE LA and could live just about anywhere at this point. After being here over 40 years it is dear to me. The smog has been long gone for decades and now it just smells like California.
As others have said there is a strategy to when you go where.
Some tips:
Never try to go anywhere on a Friday afternoon or evening. 20 minute drives will take 2 hours.
Use Burbank airport not LAX
Go to Point Dume, NOT Redondo Beach
If you have to go across Hollywood use Fountain Ave
If you have to go to LAX take La Brea to Stocker.
Always use the 2 freeway. It's faster by far.
People who live in Long Beach, San Pedro and Torrance are completely cut off from the rest of So Cal by heavy traffic.
If you want to get to the mountains take the 10 to the 110 to the 5 to the 2 to the 210.
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