"Same question to Jean."

fdcarlo, I did a week of jury duty in February and drove from my house near LAX to juror parking at Disney Hall. I used the toll lane on the 110 freeway (same lane the FlyAway bus or a taxi would use) and arrived door-to-door in just under an hour, except for one morning when a traffic accident in the toll lane caused a 15-minute delay. (There is a section where there is no way to exit to avoid a problem.) Union Station is another 5-10 minutes beyond Disney Hall.

I have to go through DTLA to get to my elderly mother's house, so even without jury duty I drive this route multiple times a month.

I won't say the drive from LAX to Union Station can't ever be done in 30 minutes, but a Monday morning would not be one of those times. Then again, if you're going to have to wait an hour or more at Union Station for a train, a 30-minute cab ride versus a 60-minute cab ride is a moot point.

I have no need to rent a car at LAX, so I can't comment on that part of the logistics comparison.

Jean, the bottom line is that all experience is anecdotal, and I wish "some" people (not to use their same tactic, just making a point) wouldn't pounce on members for trying to share theirs. Nothing is more irritating than having other people tell you what your experience has been, or should have been, or should be. Not to start trouble with the "it makes no sense" claims. Trains DO make sense for people who can't or don't wish to tolerate or drive in traffic (especially in LA). Can you please stop extrapolating your own set of priorities (time etc) onto other people and situations? For the last 40 years I've preferred spending 3 or 4 hours getting somewhere by train rather than driving it in an hour or hour and a half. My parents used to intentionally take trains across the country instead of fly. Etc. Maybe it's hard for people in large cities to understand that not everyone has time as their overriding priority. Stress avoidance tops the list for some (ime many) travelers.

Go ahead and name me. My posts were not anecdotal. The idea to go to Union station, take a train, rent a car, return the car, fly to San Jose, rent a car, drive to Napa, get to SF, take BART was just plain goofy.

You even said so yourself >>although I don't understand his suggested itinerary from Santa Barbara forward.<<

So YOU can pooh pooh other suggestions but I can't? Pot kettle IMO.

"Can you please stop extrapolating your own set of priorities (time etc) onto other people and situations? For the last 40 years I've preferred spending 3 or 4 hours getting somewhere by train rather than driving it in an hour or hour and a half."

The OP stated a desire to have lunch in SB. Perhaps you need stop extrapolating your own set of priorities and provide the information that would allow her to arrive there in time.

> The OP stated a desire to have lunch in SB. Perhaps you need stop extrapolating your own set of priorities and provide the information that would allow her to arrive there in time.

The Pacific Surfliner arrives in Santa Barbara before noon. In case you didn't know.

I'm out of here and about to write a very long letter to Random House.

gina has left the building.

OK, land no later than 7:30a. Don't check luggage. Don't miss the 8:00a FlyAway bus to Union Station. Be waiting on the platform by 9:10a just in case the train is on time. There is no luggage storage at the SB station, so you'll have your luggage with you until you rent the car. Although there is a Hertz desk at the station, the cars are located elsewhere.

Or land when you land and check luggage if you like. Get the rental car and head to SB.

Stress avoidance?

Maybe Gina thinks she will get an email notifying her when she has responses (does not happen on Fodors).

>>Maybe Gina thinks she will get an email notifying her when she has responses (does not happen on Fodors).<<

In this case, that may be in gina's favor.

Stu Dudley

> Maybe Gina thinks she will get an email notifying her when she has responses (does not happen on Fodors).

Another possibility is that she's like many if not most other posters on Fodor's: confused by intentionally conflicting information, where no conflict actually exists or should exist in the first place. Conflict for the sheer sake of conflict.

Member list and post stack gladly furnished on request.

Jean, please stop trolling me and this account at least in the travel forums. If the idea is to make Fodor's forums practically unusable you and janisj are doing an amazing job.

"Trolling"? "Intentionally conflicting information"? "Conflict for the sheer sake of conflict"?

Geez. Get a grip.

> "Trolling"? "Intentionally conflicting information"? "Conflict for the sheer sake of conflict"?

> Geez. Get a grip.

I and we stand by the claim. Assuming you know how to look at your own posting history, you should. For over a year we haven't been able to claim the sky is blue without you piping in and claiming it's green. Not sure what your problem is with complete strangers but we'd appreciate if you'd limit the constant harrassment to the Lounge.

Honestly, I think you have me confused with someone else.

Too funny. I think this first attempt has scared the OP away forever.