OneofOne
Silver Baronet of the Realm
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Travelling in California
- Thread starter Tilluin
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I would say even more then that. I would say its about a two hour difference on the drive down/up. Besides you're not in the SJV for long. Just got to watch out for the CHIPPER's when speeding through. Funny I find driving through the SJV kinda calming, just watching the rows of golden hills on the side float on by with the fields on the opposite side. No traffic at all. It can smell sometimes though hehe.
Also on the 101, you can hit some gnarly traffic in Santa Barbara going south or north. Ugh total fucking downer man.
Santa Barbara traffic sucks, but only happens during normal rush hours (7-9 in the morning, 5-6 at night) except for Friday (people coming in for vacation) and Sunday (people leaving from said vacation). Also a couple of spikes when UCSB gets out/gets in. Very little of that traffic is locals, it is all people who work in SB but can't afford to live there or people who are visiting. Construction all bets are off, because people lose their minds, but they just finished up their latest big project so that shouldn't be an issue.
Seriously some of the worst driving I've seen anywhere and I've lived all over the US, but it is nice that you can avoid it just by timing it correctly. Glad I don't live in SB anymore.
I-5 is much faster and the speed limit is actually 70 over most of it, but for a vacation I cannot recommend anything but taking the Pacifist Coast Highway, the 1. Unless you are very prone to car sickness because of mild curves or something, if driving while looking at pretty scenery is something you might even remotely enjoy, that is the best choice by a wide margin.
Seriously some of the worst driving I've seen anywhere and I've lived all over the US, but it is nice that you can avoid it just by timing it correctly. Glad I don't live in SB anymore.
I-5 is much faster and the speed limit is actually 70 over most of it, but for a vacation I cannot recommend anything but taking the Pacifist Coast Highway, the 1. Unless you are very prone to car sickness because of mild curves or something, if driving while looking at pretty scenery is something you might even remotely enjoy, that is the best choice by a wide margin.
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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The thing that always got to me on I-5 was the aggressive drivers trying to pass on the right all the time. You can basically drive 75 with the cars in the left lane or 65 with the trucks in the right lane but there were always people who wouldn't accept that and they would pull into the right lane, go 100 mph and try to pass 3 or 4 cars on the right and then cut them off to get back in the fast lane before the next truck. So they put everyone's life at risk, cut somebody off and cause 10 people to hit their brakes, all to gain about 4 car lengths. If you do that all the way to LA you will probably gain 5 minutes on your trip and piss off 800 people. I always had to talk on the phone or listen to an audio book or something to distract myself from my road rage at those dipshits.
Gravel
Mr. Poopybutthole
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That's because, unfortunately, that's how you have to drive in LA. It's not like the rest of the planet where you can expect people in the left lane to move. They never will. An example is stop and go traffic. Everywhere else, you'll be in your lane and the lane next to you starts moving. You stay in your lane because it's ridiculous to think that moving lanes will be more productive. But in LA, it is. If you stick in your lane you're going to just sit there forever while people pass you in the newly moving lane.
I used to think like you. But LA traffic is so fucking bizarre that it causes you to change your driving habits. I don't even live in LA, it's just whenever I drive through I have to drive differently.
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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This is a 4 lane highway though, not a freeway. Sure I'll pass on the right if I need to on a freeway, but I-5 out in farm country is different. You're going to go about the speed everyone else is going and passing on the right is just making traffic slower and more dangerous for everyone and not gaining you anything significant. Passing someone on the right just gets you to the next car that is going the same speed that they are. Like I said, it's 75 in the left lane, 65 in the right lane with the trucks, and that's just how fast you're going to go. There's literally like 10,000 cars lined up going about the same speed and passing 2 or 3 of them doesn't accomplish jack shit.
Pharazon
Silver Knight of the Realm
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I agree, I hate that. Back in the college days I took some rides on 5 with a few people that drove on it that way, and it literally made me fear for my life. Putting my life in the hands of an 18-year old freshman sorority girl? Not a fan. I think a lot of the people that drive that way are those college age / early 20's kids that take frequent trips back and forth from so cal and nor cal. It can save 30 minutes to an hour on the trip for sure, but one screw up and you're dead, period.
BrutulTM
Good, bad, I'm the guy with the gun.
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I would always try not to let them in if they were pulling in front of me. This is dangerous as well, but it always made me so happy when they would catch up with the truck and have to hit their brakes and let all the people that they just passed go by them.
Skip LA. There is absolutely nothing worth seeing. Land at LAX rent a car drive to Santa Monica spend the a day or two. Hop back in the car and hop on Pacific Coast Highway and start driving to Napa / SF. This will allow you to see Most of the coast of CA and a few state parks, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Carmel, SF, and Napa Valley. If you have lot of time fly to San Diego check out the town go to Coronado Island - Hotel Del Mar and then head up Highway 1.
cabbitcabbit
NeoGaf Donator
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I think bus is a best way of transportation with in the country. I have been used totour to washington dc from nyclast year with my friend during my USA trip. That was such a wonderful experince.
Regime
LOADING, PLEASE WAIT...
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Thanks for all the tips from the OP.
It looks like we're going to do 3 days in SF, travel down to LA over 3 days stopping in Carmel, Monterey etc, see a friend in LA for 1/2 days then head down to SD for a few days. We'll either be hitting up Yosemite on the way out of SF or on the way back. Does anyone have any experience of staying in Hostels in CA? We're looking at the possibility as a friend did this trip and used hostels and said they were fine. She related the private rooms to a simple, clean hotel room (like a Holiday Inn here in the UK) and said they were safe, clean and not what I expected given my experience of hostels around Europe. The $$ savings seem to be quite large so would be good to hear if it's a decent plan.
It looks like we're going to do 3 days in SF, travel down to LA over 3 days stopping in Carmel, Monterey etc, see a friend in LA for 1/2 days then head down to SD for a few days. We'll either be hitting up Yosemite on the way out of SF or on the way back. Does anyone have any experience of staying in Hostels in CA? We're looking at the possibility as a friend did this trip and used hostels and said they were fine. She related the private rooms to a simple, clean hotel room (like a Holiday Inn here in the UK) and said they were safe, clean and not what I expected given my experience of hostels around Europe. The $$ savings seem to be quite large so would be good to hear if it's a decent plan.
Void
BAU BAU
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There are hostels in CA? I've lived here almost all of my life, (Fairfield, Sacramento/Roseville, and San Luis Obispo for college) and I don't think I've ever noticed one or heard of anyone using them. Weird.
BrutulTM, I used to do the same exact thing on my trips to and from college (late 80s, early 90s). I'd be following the pack, which usually extends as far as the eye can see on I-5 if it is busy, and those motherfuckers would dart over to the right every chance they got, trying to leapfrog their way ahead. I never let anyone in if I could help it either. Fuck those cocksuckers. I, and everyone I can see in front of me, am going as fast as safely possible. Sorry that doesn't fit with their plans. Does this make us blood brothers or something?
BrutulTM, I used to do the same exact thing on my trips to and from college (late 80s, early 90s). I'd be following the pack, which usually extends as far as the eye can see on I-5 if it is busy, and those motherfuckers would dart over to the right every chance they got, trying to leapfrog their way ahead. I never let anyone in if I could help it either. Fuck those cocksuckers. I, and everyone I can see in front of me, am going as fast as safely possible. Sorry that doesn't fit with their plans. Does this make us blood brothers or something?
