Driving in LA
 

We have tickets to attend a TV show taping in LA and were planning to drive from Anaheim to the studios at Burbank in LA. How long should we allow for this and will it be difficult driving in LA when we've never been there let alone driven on the right hand side of the road?

The right (wrong) side of the road might be a problem.I once abandoned a rental car in London and waoked to the rental office, telling the clerk I could not figure out how to get the car to the office because of the no right turn signs, and roundabouts. I always seemed to be on the wrong side of the road. <BR>LA is very big, but is an easy city in which to drive compared, say, to new York or London. One trick you might consider is staying off the freeways (limited access roads) and instead driving on more conventional city streets, at slower speeds, until you get used to driving on the right side, My experience in LA is that you should plan your route on a map before you start driving, and perhaps make some big,easy to read notes about where to turn, etc. so you can just glance at them, instead of trying to focus in on the detail in a regular map while driving in traffic. <BR>The time of day makes a big difference in LA driving.Rush hours can be very slow, but mid-day and weeksends seemed very quick to me. I'd ask the hotel staff for advice, and then add fifty percent to be safe. <BR>BAK <BR> <BR>

Driving in LA is not a pleasant exprience. Especially during "traffic hours" (most of the day during weekdays). Normally this drive should take about one hour; but could take two if traffic is bad or there are accidents on your route. No one enjoys driving in LA.

Hi, Kylie, <BR>The others are right about traffic conditions in LA, but in a way that can help first-time right-side drivers. Virtually the entire route you will need to take to get to Burbank from Anaheim will be on freeways, where there are no roundabouts, sudden turns, etc. And because of the congestion, your speed may not be all that high, so you'll have time to figure out what to do next. LA freeways are usually pretty good (not always) about giving the driver plenty of warning before you need to exit or merge with another road, so I think (maybe as a surprise) you won't be as uncomfortable as you might think. Keep right, pass on the left, plan ahead.... <BR>That said, allow yourself plenty of extra time; I'd guess at least a couple of hours, not just for the traffic but also for the parking and lines and all that at the studio. The worst case is you have to wait around for a time in Beautiful Downtown Burbank.

I've lived in southern California all my life. You should definitely plan your route ahead, use the freeways there is no sane alternative. You can't drive all the way from Anaheim to Burbank on regular roads. It would take you all day, one way. Just make sure you note down which freeway changes to make and the names of exits. Also, I wouldn't hurt to check with CALTRANS (Calif. Transportation Dept.)once you get here to see if your route is under construction. In some of the construction zones, exits are closed, signs are small and/or moved. They can tell you exactly what to expect. During "rush hours" 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. double your travel time. Start making lane changes as soon as you see your exit signs and you'll do fine. Good luck - and drive fast!

Kylie, <BR>Practice driving on side streets a bit before trying to deal with the freeways. We've done that in England and found it worked somewhat! As the previous poster said get a good map, mark off your route, one of you drive and one navigate and allow plenty of time. Freeway traffic is tricky, somedays it flows beautifully and you can make it anywhere quickly, other days it's a nightmare. Don't get rattled if people cut you off or blow the horn at you (it can happen, it happened to us in England), try and remain calm. <BR> <BR>One thing that worked a great deal for us in England was only one of us did the driving (I was the lucky winner). My husband navigated and read maps. It worked out well because I think if one person does the driving they get used to it alot faster and it's ultimately safer. LA is easier to drive in that many cities and the freeways go just about everyplace. You'll be Ok if you stay calm and practice some on side streets near the hotel before venturing out into heavy traffic.

Kylie, After all the dire warnings posted already, you will take the 5 Freeway all the way from Anaheim to Burbank. Stay out of the fast lane until you're confident and MOST IMPORTANT--Use your turn indicators!! I lived in L.A. many years--it's not as bad as you may think, but yes, if there's an accident the trip could take 2 hours rather than 1. My brother-in-law used to live in Sherman Oaks and work in Orange County and sometimes it took him 2 1/2 hours to get home. So, leave lots of time and enjoy downtown Burbank if you arrive early. BTW there are special "Freeway Maps" available which only show the freeways. Have your navagator check off the exits so you know where you are. If you go too far, exit and come around again. Enjoy L.A. I'd rather drive there than Boston!

Hi Kylie, as another native Californian, I have some advice. I assume that you will be renting a car. My strongest advice would be to request a GPS satellite-equipped rental car. On a recent trip to New England, it was invaluable, and saved much time, and probably many arguments! We were not charged extra for it, although that may not be the case all the time, and the rental company was Hertz. It is a beautiful thing, you just type in your destination, and it literally speaks to you and tells you what to do next, as well as showing your route on a screen. I cannot recommend this feature strongly enough. Another suggestion would be to go to mapquest.com, and figure out your route before you get there, it shows how many miles the trip is, and the approximate time, but in LA, something that should take 20 mins can take 60. As mentioned above, it depends on what time of day you will be traveling. I drive the Santa Monica (10) fwy to work, and I can tell you that rush hour starts in the morning at about 6:30-7 and extends to about 10-10:30. Traffic begins to get bad at about 3 in the afternoon, and goes on until about 7. I think, though, that you will be taking the 101 fwy to get to Burbank, and if you are seeing the show at the NBC studios, be sure to eat at Bob's Big Boy, an institution in these parts (it is right down the street).