LA Daily News - Reader Reaction

To go to work from Reseda to down town, LA; I'd be on the Frway. by 6 am. for breakfast colse to work before reporting by 7:30. It took us an hour and a half to Holy Cross Cemetery for a rosary on a rainny evening, we were late. For the funeral the next morning it was necessary to stay at a near-by motel.

Posted by: John Curti | August 15, 2007 6:28 AM

I couldn't agree more that that article! I also plan my activities around the traffic patterns in and around Los Angeles. I'll only venture into LA on Sunday mornings. The rest of the time I'll head away from the city to the various cities in Ventura County.

Posted by: Ron Russell | August 15, 2007 6:33 AM

My wife and I visit close friends in West LA once a month. That is the only time we now venture "over the hill." I am retired and I feel sorry for those young people who have to commute in this traffic mess every day.

Posted by: Mike Wiener | August 15, 2007 7:02 AM

I recently received a better job offer in Downey, however I live in Valley Village. I turned down the promotion after taking a few trips out to Downey and spending time in traffic. It just made me realize how good it is to have a 4 mile commute to work everyday. I also feel sorry for those who commute in heavy traffic everyday.

Posted by: Valley Resident | August 15, 2007 7:41 AM

I too am stuck in traffic almost 4 hours a day (1.5 hrs. in the morning and 2 hrs. at night) My 35 mile drive from Santa Clarita to Santa Monica is a nightmare and I catch myself not going anywhere when I get home. (to get back into a car us a dreadful thought) I have turned into a "hermit" - which I don't like. I do my food shopping and chores in the early morning hours on Saturday just so I don't get stuck in traffic. It's very stressfull.

Posted by: Judy Jenson | August 15, 2007 8:49 AM

I feel like these people do. Might just as well stay home and visit the world on TV and the Internet. The alternative (let's say to visit Disneyland) is to fill up your gas tank at $3 per gallon, risk your life on the road with insane foreign driver or fools in monster trucks, then find yourself barely moving in traffic because all the rubberneckers have a sick need to have a look at the broken down on the freeway, then reach your destination and pay $15 for parking, then stand in line and pay $60 for a ticket, then wait an hour in line for each ride, then pay $20 for a greasy burger and fries ... then try to find your car in the monster parking lot and do the reverse to get home. The alternative is be safe, sound, and comfie at home and save the money.

Posted by: Truth Mustbetold | August 15, 2007 9:38 AM

I used to stay after school to do some paper work and help students. Now I leave right after the bell rings to avoid the rush hour traffic. I don't go to many functions after school because of the traffic.

Posted by: Miguel Luna | August 15, 2007 10:32 AM

I constantly skip fun things I have done in the past due to traffic. Sharapova vs Dimentieva tennis? Sounds awsome! ... oh wait.... the 405 on a Friday evening? No Thanks.

Used to attend 10 Dodger games each summer, lately I barely make it to one game per season.

Family gathering in Marina Del Rey...hmmm.. I'll stay home and watch tv.

Some weekends I don't even start my car - I've had enuogh driving Mon-Fri from Calabasas to Hollywood. Malibu is really the only place I visit on weekends (15 min down the canyon).

Posted by: David Stratemeyer | August 15, 2007 1:37 PM

Glad to see I'm not alone.
I traverse the 101 from WH to the Miracle Mile every weekday. I can't bear the thought of getting on the freeway on the weekends.
My extended family in the OC hasn't seen me in weeks. At least now I can share the article for better understanding by all.

Bill

Posted by: Bill | August 15, 2007 1:47 PM

If the problem is too many cars on the road, the best way to get around it is to leave your car at home, I drive to work on monday morning, with my bike in the car, and leave several changes of clothes there, I then ride my bike home or do a combination of bike riding and public transit. This minimizes the number of public transit changes and gives me excercize to boot. All in all it probably takes me the same or slightly more time, but I avoid the aggrivation, save fuel and get the health benefit. Try it a few times and get into a routine.

Posted by: gary thomas | August 15, 2007 2:11 PM

My friends and family who live outside California are amazed and overwhelmed by the amount of traffic here in L.A. They think I am out of my tree to spend an hour or more each way to and from work to only travel a distance of 5 or 10 miles. Traffic has gotten so bad on the freeways that I have resorted to cutting through the canyons and residential neighborhoods to ease the commute time between the Valley and the Westside. And I'm sure the residents of these neighborhoods probably don't appreciate the increase of traffic due to commuters like myself looking for that ultimate shortcut to save a few extra minutes. And the weekends, I have given up going anyplace because I'm too wiped out from commuting all week long.

Posted by: kira | August 15, 2007 4:46 PM

Alas I am not alone?
I have to be up at a quarter to five in order to catch a bus which will take me to N. Hollywood from Reseda. I hate the traffic, the crowded streets, and the stop and go ride that agrevates me to no end as I try to be on time for my 8 o'clock job. I stay home on my days off because it is no worth the trouble to try to get to the Malls, theater or any place. In the summer heat the buses break down in the 105 degree weather forces me to stand there suffering from heat exhaustion despite of the water I am carrying. There is no pleasure in having to endure endless commutes under duress. I shop for groceries in my neighborhood, maintain telephone realtionships with friend, avoid LA's amusement spots etc..It's terrible and getting worse to get around LA especially the valley.

Posted by: Marina Perekrestoff | August 15, 2007 5:19 PM

I'm in outside sales from LA County to as far north as Oakland. I drive to San Luis Obispo at least 3 times a month. I have clients in Long Beach. If I don't time it right it can takes as long to get from Long Beach to Sherman Oaks as it does to get from Sherman Oaks to San Luis Obispo. I stay home on the weekends because of the increased traffic and because it is the amatuer hour. Most weekend drivers are not skilled drivers

Posted by: Chuck Benesch | August 19, 2007 7:15 AM

I am moving out. I have had it. The only way to handle it is to leave town for good, to go somewhere else where the air is clean and the people have manners.

Posted by: Wilbur Wigglesworth of Burbank | September 5, 2007 6:30 AM

I wish more people from the valley would stay home, hate them coming to the westside, clogging up our roads and creating smog, then bitching about it. STAY IN THE VALLEY AND KEEP YOUR SMOG AND TRAFFIC THERE, we have enough people who have no choice but to be on the westside to S M.

Not bad without the extra traffic from outsiders. Maybe anyone who commutes in but lives outside a certain central area should be limited to alt. days, like in London, forcing them to use buses or carpool at least sometimes.

Would be nice, though, to give them a railline along the 405/ Sepulveda Pass.

Posted by: maggie | September 5, 2007 12:11 PM

Good thing my husband and I carpool early in the morning. The most frustrating thing is watching solo drivers fly by in the carpool only lane on the Victory on-ramp to south 170 at 6:30am.

Posted by: Kathy | September 5, 2007 12:30 PM

I think they should increase the fines for solo drivers in the carpool lane. We drive east going to work on the 22 and west on the 22 coming home everyday. We were so excited when they finally finished the work on that freeway. The congestion seems worse now and because of this, cars are going in and out of the carpool lanes all the time. It is very dangerous. I hope the CHP starts to pay more attention.

Posted by: Mary | September 5, 2007 3:04 PM

A few suggestions to help everybody out there on the freeways move faster and safer:
1. Trucks (all types) , semis, campers, trailers, etc... stay on the right 2 lanes; Do NOT drive on the 2 or 3 left lanes. You are slowing everybody;
2. Slow cars: stay in the truck lanes and follo their speed.
3. Other drivers: drive at the speed of traffic in your lane. Not faster, not slower.
4. Do not change lanes unnecessarily, because it does slow traffic and creates a hazard for the other cars.
5. Focus on driving and the road. Do not read, shave, do your make up, dial a number, etc ...
6. Do not drive on the left lane if the adjacent lanes to your right are open.

Posted by: Gil | September 5, 2007 8:58 PM

iltehvwxj ztqnou wcpodkyq bwyfh ftazkr ocmvtsj ohguy

Posted by: xediqy xvqtj | April 17, 2008 9:22 AM

wdfjb udjvzhwao xlzguhwp dscxn zauricxl djhmyok rpxmtu http://www.qxpl.rwyaovg.com

Posted by: cilwsx wbjvhiego | April 17, 2008 9:23 AM

Cool site. Thanks!!
http://rewq10.freewebpages.org/ringtone2496.html ringtone

Posted by: ringtone | April 17, 2008 8:34 PM

Nice site. Thank you!!!
http://rew2.100freemb.com/chain9710.html chain

Posted by: chain | April 19, 2008 11:11 AM

Good site. Thanks.
http://rew2.100freemb.com/chain3456.html chain

Posted by: chain | April 19, 2008 11:55 AM

Cool site. Thank you!
http://rew2.100freemb.com/chain6104.html chain