Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [353]
Time
California is in the Pacific time zone, which is Greenwich Mean Time minus eight hours. When it’s noon in LA, it’s 3pm in New York, 8pm in London and 6am (the next day) in Sydney or Auckland. Daylight-saving time comes into effect on the second Sunday in March, when clocks are put forward one hour, and ends on the first Sunday in November.
Click here for a map of time zones.
Return to beginning of chapter
INTERNET ACCESS
California leads the world in technology, so it’s generally pretty easy to check your email. Public libraries offer free terminals and wi-fi access, internet cafés (listed throughout) and FedEx Kinko’s branches ( 800-254-6567; www.fedexkinkos.com) exist in most towns, free public wi-fi hot spots are proliferating and even some state parks are now wi-fi enabled (see www.parks.ca.gov/wifi for a list). Lodging properties, cafés and restaurants providing guest terminals for going online are identified with the internet icon . The availability of wi-fi is also indicated with each review. There may be a fee for either service.
If you’re traveling with your own laptop, you’ll find that most hotels have the technology that lets you get online from your room, although again there may be a charge. Both high-speed access and wi-fi are common and only in older properties may you have to resort to dial-up. Depending on where you bought your laptop, you may need to buy adapters for US electrical outlets and telephone sockets at larger electronics stores.
Check www.wififreespot.com/ca.html or www.jiwire.com to locate wi-fi hot spots anywhere. For useful trip-planning websites, Click here.
Return to beginning of chapter
LEGAL MATTERS
If you are stopped by the police, remain courteous at all times and, if driving, keep your hands where the cop can see them, ie atop the steering wheel. Don’t get out of the car unless asked. There is no system of paying fines on the spot. Attempting to pay the fine to the officer may lead to a charge of attempted bribery. There is usually a 30-day period to pay a fine. For traffic offenses, the police officer will explain the options to you. Most matters can be handled by mail.
If you are arrested for more serious offenses, you have the right to remain silent and are presumed innocent until proven guilty. There is no legal reason to speak to a police officer if you don’t wish. Everyone arrested has the right to make one phone call. If you don’t have a lawyer, friend or family member to help you, call your embassy. The police will give you the number upon request. If you don’t have a lawyer, one will be appointed to you free of charge.
When driving in California, you need to carry your driver’s license and obey road rules carefully Click here. The highest permissible blood-alcohol limit is 0.08%. Driving under the influence (DUI) is a serious offense that entails stiff fines, a suspended license, higher insurance premiums and other nasty consequences. Police can give roadside sobriety checks to assess if you’ve been drinking or using drugs. If you fail, they’ll require you to take a breath, urine or blood test to determine the level of alcohol in your body. Refusing to be tested is treated the same as if you had taken and failed the test. Penalties for DUI range from license suspension and fines to jail time. If you’re in a group, choose a ‘designated driver’ who agrees not