Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [363]
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) covers you and any passengers for medical costs incurred as a result of an accident. If your travel insurance or your health-insurance policy at home does this as well – and most do, but check – then this is one expense (about $5 per day) you can do without.
Road Rules
For full details consult the California Driver Handbook or the California Motorcycle Handbook, which may be picked up for free at any Department of Motor Vehicles office or downloaded from www.dmv.ca.gov.
Californians drive on the right-hand side of the road. The use of seat belts and infant and child safety seats is required at all times, while motorcyclists must wear a helmet. Distances and speed limits are shown in miles. Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 65mph on freeways, 55mph on two-lane undivided highways, 35mph on major city streets and 25mph in business and residential districts and near schools. It’s forbidden to pass a school bus when its rear red lights are flashing.
Except where indicated, turning right at red lights after coming to a full stop is permitted so long as you don’t impede intersecting traffic, which has the right of way. Talking on a cell phone while driving is still legal in California. At four-way stop signs, cars proceed in the order in which they arrived. If two cars arrive simultaneously, the one on the right has the right of way. When emergency vehicles (ie police, fire or ambulance) approach from either direction, pull over to get out of their way.
On freeways, slower cars may be passed on either the left or the right lane. If two cars are trying to get into the same central lane, the one on the right has priority. Lanes marked with a diamond symbol are reserved for cars with multiple occupants. California has strict anti-littering laws, and throwing trash from a vehicle can incur a fine up to $1000. For penalties for drinking and driving, Click here.
Return to beginning of chapter
HITCHHIKING
Hitchhiking is never entirely safe anywhere in the world and we don’t recommend it. Quite frankly, it’s also fairly uncommon in modern-day America where hitchers are generally viewed with suspicion. In urbanized areas you’ll find few motorists willing to stop for a thumb, although the practice may be more accepted in remote, rural areas where public transport is sporadic or nonexistent. Generally speaking, you can hitchhike on roads and highways; on freeways you must stand at the on-ramp. Use extreme caution, both when hitchhiking and picking up hitchhikers.
If you’re undeterred by the potential risks, you may at least want to familiarize yourself with conditions in California by checking out digihitch (www.digihitch.com), a community website and portal that posts safety tips, specific road advice, links and stories.
Return to beginning of chapter
LOCAL TRANSPORTATION
Buses are the most ubiquitous form of public transportation and practically all towns have their own system. Most are commuter-oriented and offer only limited or no service at all in the evenings and on weekends. Los Angeles also has a combination subway/light-rail network and San Diego operates a trolley to the Mexican border. Check the Getting Around sections of the destination chapters for local transportation options. Among Southland cities, Santa Barbara is the most bicycle-friendly. Cycling is not recommended in traffic-dense LA and San Diego.
Taxis are metered, with charges from $1.80 to $2.65 at flag-fall, plus $1.50 to $2.50 per mile. It isn’t customary to hail a cruising cab: you normally phone ahead for one. Numbers of local companies are listed throughout this book or look under ‘Taxi’ in the Yellow Pages. Cabbies expect a 10% to 15% tip.
Return to beginning of chapter
TRAIN
Amtrak ( 800-872-7245; www.amtrak.com) operates train services throughout California. At some stations, trains are met by motorcoaches (called Amtrak Thruways) for onward connections to smaller