One of the more glamorous places I often visit on my travels is Los Angeles. Even as we begin boarding the plane in London there's excitement in the air, as celebrities are often flying between the two major world cities. It's quite a surreal moment once a familiar face steps on board.
The weather is nearly always balmy, and as we arrive at our hotel it's customary for the crew to head down to the beach and relax after the long flight, drinking a few gin and tonics and basking in the glow of sunset. At this point we discuss 'The Plan' for the next day. Some like to simply rest and sunbathe, others like to take advantage of the exchange rate and shop at the bargain stores. However, most of the time, I like to experience LA like a local. And by that, I mean renting a car.
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| Sunset at Redondo Beach |
With an area spanning 469 square miles, Los Angeles County was designed with cars in mind, with an extensive network of highways and freeways connecting the cities within it. A metro and bus network exists, but despite the cheap day passes it is slow, shabby and highly restrictive. A friend and I hopped on once from Long Beach to Hollywood Highland. We were advised by the concierge of the hotel to never travel alone, keep all valuables hidden from view and to keep inconspicuous. She recommended that we sit in the front carriage closest to the driver to discourage attacks.
Nevertheless, although never once directly threatened it was definitely an 'experience' to say the least. We were subjected to travellers arguing with each other on board as the train rumbled on, unwarranted death stares from fellow passengers, a homeless man constantly begging for money, police cars and gunshots as we pulled up at the notorious Compton - something literally out of an episode of COPS. An experience, but not one I'd like to repeat! It quickly occurred to me that, although a cruel and unfair truth, it seemed as if the general population riding the metro were the poor or marginalised of LA society. We did end up seeing Hollywood Boulevard and it is possible to see the sights via metro, but not worth it.
When you consider the length of individual streets (for example, Sunset Boulevard is 35km; Hollywood Boulevard 26km), it makes sense to hire a car and drive. I was terrified of driving at first - those huge cars, the notorious LA traffic, the crazy road rules... But in all honesty, with automatic cars, virtually straight roads and no roundabouts it's a good deal easier than British roads. If I can do it, so can you.
Key points to driving on American roads:
1. Drive on the right side of the road
2. At a crossroad junction you can turn right on a red light, as long as there is no sign forbidding it. Make sure there are no cars coming from the left before turning at the junction, and remember that pedestrians have right of way.
3. When turning left, get into the left lane (if it exists) and indicate. You may have to wait for cars to pass on the other side of the road before turning at the junction.
4. When you see a STOP sign you MUST stop, even if there are clearly no cars. Cars proceed in the order that they arrived and stopped at the junction. If you forget, tentatively ease forward when you think it is your turn until it is clear you are OK to pass. Take it easy!
5. On the freeway:
a) exits can arise in any of the lanes. Most of the time they are on the right. Unlike British motorways there are no designated exits with countdown markers and they can come up quickly, so keep your wits about you. A GPS system will help.
b) There is no designated 'inside' or 'outside' lane, and hence overtaking can occur in any lane. Be careful.
c) Take care not to drive in the carpool lane if you are alone in the car, especially during rush hour. Usually the sign will indicate which times the carpool lane is in operation.
Car hire services are cheap, especially if you book in advance and car share. For a ballpark figure, we hired a 7-seater minivan from Avis (pictured below). Split between 7 of us the price was $15 each for 24 hours. Petrol, or 'gas' is ridiculously cheap and most cars have fantastic fuel economy. I doubt you will spend more than $20 for a day of sight seeing (say, about four hours driving).
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| A very comfortable 7 person minivan |
Armed with a city map, a GPS system and a full tank of gas, you're ready to take on the open road. I'll be posting about my road trip around LA next, and recommend the best places to go! Happy driving.
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| Cruising along Mulholland Drive |
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