What's up with the cars parking on the off-ramps?
August 22, 2017 7:53 PM   Subscribe

So here's a stumper. In the mid-80's or so I drove south down I-5 to LA to meet up with I-10 and go from there to Phoenix. All along the southern part of I-5 there were cars parked along the sides of the off-ramps, tons of cars. All I could think of was that maybe there was such a huge population that this really was actual broken down or abandoned cars waiting to be towed or something, but does anyone know what was really up with that? There were a lot of them and they were on every single off-ramp.
posted by Rufous-headed Towhee heehee to Grab Bag (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Car Pooling?
posted by Mitheral at 8:54 PM on August 22, 2017


How far south? Before the Grapevine or in LA County on the other side of the mountains?

North of the mountains my guess would be agricultural workers.
posted by notyou at 9:08 PM on August 22, 2017 [3 favorites]


Best answer: Ad hoc P&R's.
posted by humboldt32 at 9:51 PM on August 22, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: If you're talking about near the 5-10 junction, it's possible there had been an especially trafficky + hot + smoggy day the day before or early that day, and those were abandoned overheats left either to be towed or revisited with water canisters.

Alternately, if it was near a sports venue or this was during the Olympics, it may have just been creative parking.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:53 PM on August 22, 2017


You probably drove through a movie. I would start by watching all the disaster pics from that period to see if you recognize your car as an extra.
posted by mannequito at 12:28 AM on August 23, 2017


Best answer: Are there carpool restrictions on the highway? Here in DC you see cars lined up on the shoulder because they got to the restricted lanes 5 or 10 minutes before the carpool only restriction is listed. So they park (illegally) and wait for 6:30 PM to hit.
posted by COD at 5:15 AM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]


You see this near airports, free parking while waiting for a flight to arrive and their friend to get through baggage claim..
posted by JimN2TAW at 5:46 AM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I don't know the reason for it but can confirm it - I have the same memories from my dad picking me up in San Berdnardino and taking the 10 south.
posted by annathea at 8:20 AM on August 23, 2017 [1 favorite]


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