How do you folks even begin to endure LA traffic?

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ron gomez

Trad climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 10:30am PT
Damn Jim, wish I knew you were in the neighborhood, would have made an effort to see you. Next time here, let me know,I’ll see if I can call in some favors and have the Marines send in a chopper to lift you and car to any destination you please!
Peace and Happy Easter to you and Angela
Ken M

Mountain climber
Los Angeles, Ca
Apr 21, 2019 - 10:59am PT
First, it requires planning. You did not drive from Harbor/UCLA to Fontana......I say that because you presumably don't live at Harbor UCLA.

Somehow, you got there, first.

My point is that we do have rather reasonable mass transit options, but you have to plan them out.

For example, if you were staying in Fontana, you could drive to the Metro station in Azuza, and park your car, take the subway all the way to Harbor/UCLA, about 2 hours, costs about a dollar. Return the same way, same time frame. BUT you can read, listen to music, engage in interesting conversations.

Second, timing. It is hard to imagine a worse time to do this than friday afternoon.....commute goes on for the entire afternoon. Better to go have an interesting ethnic dinner, do some reading in the library, and let things settle down......or even better, plan your trip so you are not travelling these hours.

Third, Google Maps. When you are stuck having to fight through the traffic, find the best route. It makes a huge difference.

On Wed, I had to drive to San Diego, right through downtown LA. Thurs, return. on both, I had no more than about 5-10 extra minutes due to traffic, over my non-traffic 2-1/2 hour drive each way. But that is because I timed it right.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Apr 21, 2019 - 11:15am PT
The people who take a beating are commuters. I don't know how someone can spend four or more hours a day driving in traffic. It's really criminal that Jerry Brown pushed the state to spend billions on his failed train project when the $ could have been spent usefully on functional transit in L.A. The pro high speed rail folks will tell you that every other advanced country has it. I will tell you that every city of any size worth living in has functional mass transit. "Worth living in" is subjective, but you see my point. When it comes to moving people around without cars, L.A is in the stone age.

For the rest of us who don't commute, but have to get around, Spider and Ken have it right. I'd add that I look at sigalert.com before I drive anywhere. There are almost always alternate routes.

Long Beach to Fontana on a Friday afternoon? Fergeddaboutit. Sorry you had to go through that.

One last thing. If you like to get out of town on a regular basis to climb, do not live in the center of the city. Live on the perimeter, if you can.
WBraun

climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:04pm PT
Marlow says -- This is a LA traffic politics thread

What's wrong with you? Are you a narc/brown noser .....
L

climber
Just livin' the dream
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:26pm PT
Spidey: The smog has been long gone for decades and now it just smells like California.


Friend, I lived in West LA & Santa Monica for over 25 years. There was/is always smog. That close to the ocean and still you could see it when you got up high enough, or smell it on a summer day, or clean you windshield and see the black gunk.

I think perhaps your olfactory & visual senses have been disabled by it.

Thankfully I left 5 years ago. The stress of so much & so many in one place almost did me in.
Marlow

Sport climber
OSLO
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:43pm PT

WBraun: Not to my knowledge...
rottingjohnny

Sport climber
Sands Motel , Las Vegas
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:47pm PT
Never had traffic issues when I was on the USC rowing team and flunked all my classes....
Minerals

Social climber
The Deli
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:53pm PT

What's wrong with you? Are you a narc/brown noser .....

WBraun: Not to my knowledge...

He’s obviously in poor fund of knowledge, eh Werner? ; )

Psilocyborg

climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 12:57pm PT
I take acid. I drop 30 minute before I leave, then 8 hours later I am coming down and pulling up to my destination. It works perfectly
Trump

climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 02:02pm PT
Topos. Not for the first traverse, but after that, avail yourself of others’ knowledge. Google maps is a good navigation tool for that kind of thing. Try not to travel in the worst traffic. Get an alpine start.

Push comes to shove though, you know, some folks think a bivy below freezing is suffering. But we know better. Or maybe just different.

Try not to suffer unless you enjoy it.

Or if you do find yourself suffering, try to reframe it in your head as a task that you’ve chosen for yourself to do in service to something you want for yourself, to have some discretionary resources, or better health, or feel like you’re a good person, or whatever. And if you find that it’s not that, then don’t do it.

Know yourself. If you don’t like the cold, don’t set yourself up for an alpine bivy. A lot of other people get really good at that kind of thing by just not taking the risk. If you don’t like traffic, don’t set yourself up to be stuck in traffic.

Best of luck all!
Sierra Ledge Rat

Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
Apr 21, 2019 - 02:12pm PT
After I finished my residency, I tried to move back home to LA. I had been away for 15 years. I interviewed at various hospitals in the city.

I remember getting grid-locked at an intersection for 4 hours.

I remember being on a 10-lane freeway at 2:00 a.m., and it was a parking lot in both directions as far as the eye could see.

Fuk dat chit.

Instead I moved to West Virginia. Kinda reminded me of NorCal in the 70s. The only traffic delays are waiting for snapping turtles or turkeys to cross the road. Got me a mountain girl and never looked back.
throwpie

Trad climber
Berkeley
Apr 21, 2019 - 02:12pm PT
Yup. Get a midsize motorcycle. Lane splitting is legal and safe if approached as art. Thousands upon thousands of Bay Area miles and nary a clip.
skywalker1

Trad climber
co
Apr 21, 2019 - 03:41pm PT
Ditto to the motorcycle! I wish everyone rode one and we would have fewer problems. I have a capable 650. I live in SD but its a game changer with lane splitting. A bit hair raising some times but I'm my own traffic pattern. Mostly folks move out of your way. I feel very bad for all those people in cars as I just ride through the I 805 parking lot and get home in 15 minutes. I get 60 mpg to boot.

S....

VVV I always have a tail wind...flatulence...
fear

Ice climber
hartford, ct
Apr 21, 2019 - 04:13pm PT
You get 60mpg on a 650? Downhill both ways with a tailwind?
johntp

Trad climber
Punter
Apr 21, 2019 - 04:37pm PT
Like anything else, one just gets used to it.

For 15+ years had a 45 mile commute each way from far north OC to far south OC on the 57 and 5 freeways. Spent about 2.5 - 3 hours/day on those blasted freeways. When gas was running around $5/gallon my monthly fuel cost was around $600/month. It got worse when they decided to convert lanes to HOV and toll lanes.
Bargainhunter

climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 04:44pm PT
Sierra Ledge Rat gets it.
yanqui

climber
Balcarce, Argentina
Apr 21, 2019 - 04:48pm PT
You think LA is bad, you should try driving in the city of Buenos Aires.
Lynne Leichtfuss

Sport climber
moving thru
Apr 21, 2019 - 05:03pm PT
Hear you klaus.

One of many reasons I miss Dan. He foresaw the mess and 30+ years ago moved us and our 4 kiddos to rural north San Diego County. Our area here is still pretty good. I-15 can be tough for commuters like my son, but he moved closer to his job.

I've done a real time life evaluation in the past 11+ years.

Results: Keep life simple, no need for expensive homes or toys. This sets a great example for your kids and friends.

Never work at a job you don't love.

Every day when you open your eyes:

+Thank God for this fresh new day.
+For your loved ones, family and friends.
+For the fact (at least a few of these will apply) that you can move, smell, see, taste and hear.
+For the fact that you have hot water, a roof, a mode of transportation, clothing.

Well you get the point. I could go on and on. But the rat race is lost from the time you leave the starting line.
zBrown

Ice climber
Apr 21, 2019 - 05:14pm PT


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.

That is pretty good time Jim

But why go to Fontana

Oh you weren't running

Sorry




Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Apr 21, 2019 - 05:16pm PT
you should try driving in the city of Buenos Aires.

Boy, howdy! One cab ride there with Juan Fangio was memorable!
“We don’t need no steenking lanes aqui!”

My sources tell me Beijing trumps ‘em all.
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