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Turtle · 01-11-2007, 11:56 AM

We are considering taking the Pod with us to visit relatives in Southern California sometime this year. My wife is freaked at the thought of being on the freeways at all and more so with our trailer. Aside from the hurt feelings I have from her lack of confidence in my driving I humbly ask for tips, encouragement and stories to help with our plans. The wife thinks we should leave the trailer with family on the desert but if we do take it into the LA basin we should only be on the road between the hours of 2am and 4am. We're coming from Northern California to Newport Beach maybe via Joshua Tree. I say crank up the Dwight Yokum and join the masses! Wee haw! Jamie

ScottW · 01-11-2007, 12:07 PM

Jamie,
My wife doesn't like interstates/freeways either. Matter of fact, I'm not real keen on them either, towing a trailer or not. Too many accidents on this forum have been attributed to speed and/or large trucks. (my opinion of what I've read). We bought our 25 FB to see rural America and made an ageement to stay off the Interstates and take secondary roads....we aren't in a hurry.
As they say...if momma ain't happy, nobody is happy.
Good luck.

Condoluminum · 01-11-2007, 12:13 PM

Jamie-

We've made a number of trips down to LA LA Land, and it's a challenge, but not really hazardous.. Rules for trailer towing are very different from car driving, however... I'll let some of locals there chime in, but as occasional tourist, here's our advice:

1. Really get to know freeway marking systems, lane stripe changes indicating your lane is disappearing, etc, so you're never stranded in disappearing exit lane.
2. Make sure you have good wide side mirrors, and check both sides frequently. Roughly 5% of LA freeway drivers consider right lanes and right shoulders to be the "secret passing lanes" and will try to maintain their 80 mph average speeds by weaving back and forth across all available lanes.
3. Stay in right or next-to-right lane. Even if it means being held up by an occasional slower truck. Really!
4. When you see a long line of trucks move left a lane or two, join them, and stay in line. They probably know why, and reason may be 4 miles ahead of you..
5. Study naming and exit conventions for signs. Know which freeways are considered north/south or east/west, and big cities at end.. You'll only have one or two chances to hit "I-10 East - Ontario" or "I-10 West - Santa Monica" and you don't want to have to be looking those up on the fly.
6. With these you will have to drive between 55 and 65 to keep up with traffic in the right lanes. Three to five mph during rush hour...

If you're not happy at speeds over 55 mph, you will be stressed.
7. Resist the temptation to tailgate, even though jerks will be cutting in front of you pretty regularly. Your cushion in front of your bumper is all you have to avoid being part of a wreck when traffic jams to a stop for no apparent reason.

Enjoy!!

3Ms75Argosy · 01-11-2007, 12:17 PM

I used to live there, and took our 26ft'r down to Newport Beach. I'd suggest staying off I-5 - I'd take the 405 to the 73 to Newport. I5 gets freakish around N. Hollywood.

Take your time - enjoy!
Marc

wbrownrr · 01-11-2007, 12:26 PM

We've traveled with our AS to Orange County several times from our home in San Luis Obispo.... GREAT advice has already been offered. I-5 has some very rough sections... if possible avoid I-5, but to be honest we usually use it when going to Orange County, so it is do-able. One additional observation... although we have good towing mirrors (McKesh) I find it very difficult to judge distances at night through the mirror on the right side of the tow vehicle. I do my best to avoid driving in heavy freeway traffic AT NIGHT for that reason. During the day I can manage it quite easily.

TIMEMACHINE · 01-11-2007, 01:47 PM

Having been around LA for almost 50 years, I think that Condoluminum's post was a great summary of dos and don'ts. I would also agree that GOOD MIRRORS are a must have, if you need to upgrade, do it. If you are coming south "via Joshua Tree" and you are coming down Interstate 5, you may want to take the 210 east to the 57 south to Interstate 10 east, thus avoiding the center of LA. Coming back from Joshua Tree to Newport take the 10 west to the 60 west to the 91 west to the 55 south. The 55 south will take you right into Newport Beach. Please check my directions on mapquest.

If you follow Condoluminums advice and prepare yourself with mapquest or similar travel aides, it should go easier than you think. Just be patient and enjoy the journey. Other drivers will continually pull between you and the car ahead when you leave a safe gap, just slowly back off to a safe following distance don't let the boneheads bother you. You will be a pro in no time. For those of us who have traveled in foreign lands, LA is a cake walk.

John

Excella3287 · 01-11-2007, 02:05 PM

Hello and welcome to LA. All the above are good notes but tell your wife not to worry. She will fall in love Newport Dunes RV resort, highly recommend, they even offer room service to your site plus there are many excellant restaurants in the area. I travel from Rancho Cucamonga to Santa Barbara on Fridays at rush hour twice a month right thru downtown LA, just be don't be in a hurry and all is good. We travel to northern CA. via int. 5, you could take the 5 all the way to the 55 south to the 73 to Fashion island exit then to Newport Dunes on the right. Enjoy your trip and keep us posted.

smccollister · 01-11-2007, 02:23 PM

I've lived and towed our 2004 Bambi in LA for 3 years (only recently relocating to Santa Barbara). I don't think LA is that much worse than having to tow through any large metropolitan area with freeways - but maybe I'm biased as a LA native. Just follow the good advice here and you will be fine. The other option is to leave the wife in the desert with family and take the trailer! ;-) (just kidding!)

uwe · 01-11-2007, 02:54 PM

I consider myself a 20 year LA veteran....logged many miles on LA and OC freeways. I ahve also driven and/or towed in amny other metropolitan areas in US and abroad. I find that LA is very easy to learn. The drivers, for the most part, are acceptable, although often in a hurry. ( late for Sushi, ya know?)
The thing that I find most annoying while driving or towing through LA is the poor infrastructure. Our roads are third world quality at best, riddled with bad repairs, ruts and bumps. Late night ( after midnight) driving sucks real bad, because that is when CalTrans often closes freeways to do repairs.
The driving/towng itself is pretty easy. I have several times spaced out in traffic and noticed a freeway split too late, simply set my turn signal and slowly moved over. I never even had anyone as much as honk at me, at least not when I did not deserve it.
So, motor on down and join in!

Turtle · 01-11-2007, 03:53 PM

Thanks all for the good advice. Except for the one about leaving my wife on the desert.

That is where my family lives. I'd be single again. Not something I want. Y'all know we're better men with a woman in our lives

I have great mirrors (McKesh) and even a rear view camera with 2"X2" monitor in the rear view mirror. That's a great tip about avoiding night driving because of Caltrans at work. I'd love to stay at the Dunes but the in-laws are just a few miles away and the service at their house is excellent. No hookups though.
We'll probably use 395 to get to Victorville (family) then on to Joshua Tree, etc. Next question: April or October? Jamie

OpenHigher · 01-11-2007, 04:09 PM

Hi Turtle: Fellow Surfer here, and we even have a couple of those stick-on turtles on the side of our A/S.

As to driving around here I have two additional comments. First, I do not use the right lane except to just get on the freeway, and move to the next lane to the left when timely. The right lane is just too hazardous with traffic seeking to merge onto the freeway (in heavy traffic they have to get on and really have no choice, and you cannot speed up or slow down with ease in that right lane). The second suggestion is to use Garmin (or something like that) and in areas you are not familiar it is just great.

Newport is about 45 minutes to an hour from San Elijo, and only 30 minutes from Trestles, two must see surf spots if you have never been here.

Have fun, Robert and Sherry

uwe · 01-11-2007, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Turtle

Thanks all for the good advice. Except for the one about leaving my wife on the desert.

That is where my family lives. I'd be single again. Not something I want. Y'all know we're better men with a woman in our lives

I have great mirrors (McKesh) and even a rear view camera with 2"X2" monitor in the rear view mirror. That's a great tip about avoiding night driving because of Caltrans at work. I'd love to stay at the Dunes but the in-laws are just a few miles away and the service at their house is excellent. No hookups though.
We'll probably use 395 to get to Victorville (family) then on to Joshua Tree, etc. Next question: April or October? Jamie

April sometimes has the beginnings of our "June Gloom", when it is overcast and grey, at least along the coastal areas. Deserts are often not affected by this.
Other than that, either month is great.

Turtle · 01-11-2007, 04:20 PM

Robert, We use to live and surf Orange Co in the 70's. Great memories of Trestles but alas, the crowds drove me out. I'm so spoiled by the surf up here in the Redwoods that I leave my board behind when I come down for a visit. I'll take the sharks and the 50 degree water over surfing with 75 of my best friends on a flat day. Patrick's Point is a great place to camp up here. I'll be your guide to secluded breaks when you get up this way. Jamie

Silvertwinkie · 01-11-2007, 05:21 PM

Chicago drivers are totally nuts. I've been able to tow both our 19' and 25' so far without any issues. Take it slow, don't tailgate, give yourself lots of room and you should be fine.

ROBERTSUNRUS · 01-11-2007, 06:00 PM

Hi, I was born in Long Beach and have been here ever since. [59 years] There is no good time to travel here now. Freeways are always busy. In some places, there seems to be about 6" wiggle room on both sides of your trailer. Drive one lane over behind the big rigs. As mentioned earlier they know the way and are in that lane for a good reason. Make it your challenge, and anywhere else becomes a cake walk in comparison. I live here and dread doing it every time while towing my trailer, but become so relaxed once out of this area. If you can drive through here, you can drive anywhere; Sort of like a driveing test. Have a good trip.

scottanlily · 01-11-2007, 07:14 PM

I was born and raised in hawthorne Ca ,lived in lawndale ,manhattan beach ,
Torrance etc .Traveled back and forth to SB from LA area for years .My take on the LA traffic and freeways is ,Im totally not interested in any fashion
in towing my trdwnd that direction from SB which is north of LA. I thought
about the nor cal ralley in 29 palms and decided quickly that sitting in traffic
for hours on end is not the trip Im interested in taking .Ive done it for years.
without any trailer and hated it .The 405 interchange there from the 101 going towards LAX ,hawthorne ,westchester etc is a nightmare ,traffic on the grade going up and over into LA on the 405 and bumper to bumper all the time even at 10:00 at night .As LA natives we accepted this dreary travel all the time .Now ,I don't need to do it nor choose to .Im going north if Im going to be on the road .

Scott

uwe · 01-11-2007, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottanlily

.Im going north if Im going to be on the road .

Scott

Ah, Scott, too bad - you 'll never make it to Baja going North....

ROBERTSUNRUS · 01-11-2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uwe

Ah, Scott, too bad - you 'll never make it to Baja going North....

Hi, I'm with Scott, I'm going North and maybe East on my travels. I personally have no interest in going anywhere south of the border. As soon as this house goes on the market, we are moving North; Maybe Oregon or Washington. Then some of my travels will have to be South, but once again, no farther than San Diego.

sunn · 01-11-2007, 11:29 PM

Can anyone tell me if trailers are allowed in the carpool lanes? Thanks. Just arrived back home to Aptos from San Diego (today).

TIMEMACHINE · 01-11-2007, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I'm with Scott, I'm going North and maybe East on my travels. I personally have no interest in going anywhere south of the border. As soon as this house goes on the market, we are moving North; Maybe Oregon or Washington. Then some of my travels will have to be South, but once again, no farther than San Diego.

You guys are a bunch of sissies. Just have another margarita and chill, oh, thats right, you are going north, you are already going to be chilled..and wet. I am just playing with you, I mean no disrespect.

But seriously, the original poster, Turtle, was searching for support and suggestions on how to deal with LA traffic, he was already commited to a trip. Let's try and help him to overcome his wifes fear with good advice. I know we all mean well when we post opinions.

John