You want to feel 100 percent comfortable in the city you live in, so if you’re new to L.A., don’t do what I did!
My first five years in the city were spent getting a bunch of really expensive parking tickets and having my car impounded twice.
Dumb.
It’s not like I was some kind of criminal. I wasn’t careless and cocky. I was just ignorant of the rules of the Hollywood roads. We want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, so here are 10 tips to get you up to speed on driving (and parking) in L.A.:
1. Parking on a hill
When parking facing downhill, turn your front wheels toward the curb. If you are parked facing uphill, turn your front wheels toward the road. You will get a ticket if your wheels are facing the wrong way. For reals.
2. Broken meters
Don’t quote me on this, but in 25 years of living in L.A., I have never gotten a ticket when parking at a broken meter. Leave a note on your windshield that says “broken meter.”
3. Don’t keep valuables in your car
Whether on a hike, at the beach, or staying somewhere overnight, don’t leave valuables in your car! This is a city, even though it doesn’t always feel like it. Unfortunately, things get stolen out of cars all the time in L.A.
4. Take surface streets
If you’re comfortable driving on our major freeways, go for it! But surface streets can often be much more pleasant and help you not feel like you are stuck in a giant parking lot.
5. Careful of pedestrians
Los Angeles is not a popular walking city (unfortunately) and people get hit all the time. Be careful when you’re walking. Look to see if the driver is looking at you before you step off that sidewalk. And if you’re driving, pedestrians always have the right of way!
6. Freeways have numbers and names
Try to familiarize yourself with the name and the number of the freeways in L.A. The reason we put a “the” in front of all our freeways (“the 405”) is that “the 405” is also “the San Diego Freeway.” It will help you acclimate faster if you know both.
7. Allow extra time
Three miles in L.A. can mean 30 minutes. (An L.A. joke is that everthing is a 45-minute drive.) We have a little traffic here, people. Only rookies use it as an excuse for being late.
8. Wear sunglasses
It’s not called sunny California for nothing! Protect your eyes and protect yourself from dangerous, blinding glare. Bring sunglasses with you everywhere you go in L.A..
9. Don’t run yellow lights
Almost all the accidents in Los Angeles happen at intersections. Slow down and don’t run the yellows. These accidents can be fatal. Nowhere you’re going is that important.
10. Two cars can turn left.
This is one of the most important things to learn as a driver in the City of Angels: If you’re at an intersection and waiting to turn left, you can turn on the yellow if you’re already in the intersection. Typically, that means two cars turn left for every light change.
The good news is that this city is new enough that it was built for cars. The on-ramps are wide, the streets are well-marked and not too narrow—it’s a driving city! Once you learn it, you’ll navigate this town like a pro.
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This post comes from our partner Speak L.A.
