We made the trip out to Cali twice in hotrods from here in Maryland. The worse traffic (not including roadway construction) was here, in the East, northern Virginia, around DC, Maryland RT50....and in Cali once you clear the desert. A lot of it has to do with population. My observation is that here and around LA there is a considerable disrespect for other drivers. I drove down from Ventura to LA last fall in rush hour and thought it was pretty funny how the traffice seemed to go like hell for a 1/4 mile and slam on the brakes, repeat over and over. BTW, the worse roads are in Alabama, but the drivers are very nice.
Im new to SoCal as of last year (from New England where theres not shit for traffic!) and knew what I was gettin into when movin to CA, I plan for traffic and enjoy surface roads an PCH when the freeways are packed because I love it here! When I get stuck in traffic...I just think of all the great things there are to do here. The car culture and events are unlike anywhere else.....whoops, ive said to much already, retract that last part...yeah traffic sucks here! Hotroddon.....well said!!!!
almost forgot.... when the Amish decide to raise a barn where i live,,you can BET on being late to work!! they roll 6 or 7 DEEP YO!
Hmm, some nights it's 15 minutes. Thats between vehicles on our S.H1 - THE main route north and south through our town. During the day-time it's a fair bit busier but still no traffic jams, grid-lock or tail-backs Of course the down side is there's less hot-rods, classics and old cars to look at. The plus and minus of living in a low population area of a smallish country
Born in Long Bch, 54, moved to in OC in 62, lived there until 73 when I joined the Navy, in 62 I could walk 7 miles from my house to Huntington Bch, from McFadden and Brookhurst, pickup pop bottles, cash em in, eat lunch, have a blast then collect pop bottles on the other side of Brookhurst, cash em in, have a snack before goin home. But that was when their was dirt,, not like today all asphalt and concrete, somebody said that's progress,, oh well. Used to jump off the PCH bridge over the santa ana river too,, try it today you will probably get arrested, if you can get over the fence.. I miss the way it was,
well, sure, and I've got four years on you, but...it's still a great place to live if you love cars. I still don't know what the purpose of this thread is, but that never stopped a thread before...
I still wish I had extra money to go to LA and drive around. Could someone start another thread on the history of the LA Freeway System? Reading some of these replies makes me wonder what the landscape was like PRE Freeway, was it farmland, open space or were neighborhoods dozed over?
Does anybody remember the old guy that would show up at various freeway offramps and whenever a Cadillac would go past,he'd raise his arms like Moses parting the red sea and call out "Heeeey Cadillaaac...!"
Reality is, I'll likely never live in So Cal, and I'm not sure I'd like living there regardless, but... Basically no rust, no road salt/snow, no freezing cold weather, and the car capital of the US? Sounds good to me. Chardonnay? My girl drinks that and I give her shit for it!
The freeway system here pretty much follows the roads that were already there. There were major and minor roads between towns. When I was a kid, I'm 65, there was farm land and dairies all over. Factories in the south and east sides of LA. We had a light rail system that we called the Red Cars that took you to Tin Can Beach, now called Bolsa Chica and all over the LA basin. It's crowded and fast paced here now. Not nearly as cool as when I was a pup. Still, it's home. If you come here, Kid, I'll tell you where the short cuts are and where to see the neat stuff.
Oh, and it wouldn't surprise me, in the least, to find that the people making fun of Chardonnay are consumers of Pabst Blue Ribbon. he he he
When I lived there I pretty much stuck to the city I lived in, Burbank. I would never dare to drive my hot rod on the 405! That freeway is tough with a modern car! LA does need to add another freeway North & South. Since they can't get rid of more drivers, they can add more road.
My daughter has lived in LA for 4-5 years now, and adapted well to Freeway driving. Riding shotgun with her is what they once called an E ticket at Disneyland.
Dan, I felt really bad when Jerry told me your car broke down on the way to the show! You were making such a great effort just to get all the way to El Segundo, and what happened just wasn't fair. I was a good show, but we could have used another car there --yours. I was looking forward to talking to you in person, maybe another time then.
Badshifter, your quote: "...dude, your car overheats and it's got nothing to do with anyone but the builder." Stuck thermostat - you may have heard of it! I, myself fixed it, runs great now. Turns out that there was an accident on the opposite side of the freeway that stopped traffic in both directions. For those that suggested I take alternate routes, please offer your suggestion here. BTW, I had my fair share of Jack Daniels today - straight, no ice. Take that you Chardonney haters. DW
Badshifter, I just noticed that you are in my neighborhood. Want to caravan to the roadster show tomorrow morning? DW
Can always rely on Don to tell it like it is! I either get into the slow lane with some good tunes, just cruise and not let it get to me, or drive like a fuckin' maniac and beat 'em at their own game! It's worth putting up with a few extra cars on the road to live here.
Havin said that, I'm planning on not leaving the house (near the 405) at all during the weekend of the closure. Growing up in New Zealand bad traffic was getting stuck behind a herd of sheep...
Joanie and I are going North for the closure weekend. Leaving Fri AM, return on Tuesday. Heard on the radio that there is no backup plan in case the work is not done by Monday AM. THe city council's suggestion is to stay home from work. Ah - Los Angeles. DW
We currently have HAMB members losing their homes to tornadoes, fires, and floods all across the United States, and here we're concerned about too many cars sharing the road with us....
YES SIR, My job has me traveling the country. WaRshington is probly THE last place I would want to relocate!!!
There are plenty of good driving roads in LA County north of the Newhall pass (I5 / SR14). There's a few hundred miles of canyon roads in the hills and tons of (empty) flat roads in Antelope Valley. I drove my 55 out to El Mirage & back last weekend from Santa Clarita and never used a freeway. I drive the canyon roads all the time and have never overheated with the original, never rebuilt 6cyl in a heavy car. New brakes & steering are recommended however.
Well I would have never touched that route in a daily let alone my ride. Back streets and alleys is the way to go.
The Jalopy Journal
