Los Angeles driving question

August 9, 2006 4:41 AM

OK I am arriving in LAX (and the US) for the first time *ever* on a Sunday morning next month. Once I pick up my rental car I am headed out to the Howard Johnson at Anaheim. This would not be so stressful if it weren't the first time that I will drive a car with the steering wheel on the other side (I am from Australia, we drive on the left here). What tips can anyone give me on a) how to successfully navigate from LAX to Anaheim, and b) driving on the "other" side of the road? Thanks heaps :-)
posted by humpy to travel & transportation (25 comments total)

As an American who lives (and drives) in Australia and still occasionally goes home to the US - the driving on the "other" side thing isn't too difficult. Once you're seated on the other side of the car, you'll find it feels natural for the driver's side to be in the middle of the road. The only time I get confused is turning, like when I'm turning right here I'll automatically want to turn into the near lane, which isn't correct. So just be sure to take your time when pulling up to intersections and note which lane you're aiming for.

(Incidentally, you did get an automatic transmission, right? I can drive stick but I still haven't attempted it in Australia. Somehow I think the "shifting with the left hand" thing would be harder than staying on the right side of the road.)
posted by web-goddess at 4:49 AM on August 9, 2006

Remember, unless its marked (a sign) its RIGHT on Red, not LEFT on Red. I spent a year in England and I'll agree, its not a very hard adjustment to go from one side to the other. I don't know about Australia, if it has many round-a-abouts, but America has very, very, few, which make for much less stress when experiencing new driving conditions.

Since it'll be Sunday morning, you should expect light traffic, so no worries. I would suggest printing out directions from Mapquest or GoogleMaps or YahooMaps in advance, from LAX to the hotel, and where ever else you may need to go. If you wanted to be entirely safe, find and purchase some maps relevant to the area, in case you take a wrong turn and need to get back on track.
posted by Atreides at 4:56 AM on August 9, 2006

You will find some helpful tips on driving on the "wrong" side here. As someone who has done this quite a lot I really wouldn't worry about it too much - it's mainly a matter of doing what the other cars do. And if it's an auto (which it probably will be in the US) then that's simply one less thing to worry about.
posted by jontyjago at 4:57 AM on August 9, 2006

Spend the next month playing Mafia. Seriously! Half the game is driving around, and you have to obey the road rules if you want to avoid police attention.
posted by Tixylix at 5:09 AM on August 9, 2006

Those of us USians who have been to the UK, I would propose that our experience does not apply. The roads and intersections (e.g. roundabouts) in the UK are designed to force you to the correct side of the road. You get no such help in the US -- each intersection is basically a freeforall.
posted by intermod at 5:14 AM on August 9, 2006

Driving on the right - what everyone said with one addition. Be particularly careful if you pull over off the road onto the "other side", that is to say if you pull over onto the left hand side of the road, facing the traffic. If there's no traffic around when you get back into the car and start off, it's easy to forget that you were on the 'wrong' side of the road, force of habit takes over, hilarity ensues. Just watch for that specific circumstance.

Driving in LA takes a bit of getting used to. I found the street signage very patchy, in particular that the on-ramps for freeways are not well signposted. Once you're on the freeway it's not a problem, the signage is good. The trick therefore is to ignore the complicated directions you'll get from the nice man at the rental car place (they'll be perfectly correct but you won't be able to follow them), get on the first freeway that you can, and work it out from there.

Some useful tourist tips for LA (including "Avoid the 405") are here and there's more good advice from Wikitravel here.
posted by grahamwell at 5:54 AM on August 9, 2006

Learn to not worry about people honking at you. DONT PANIC!
posted by blue_beetle at 6:14 AM on August 9, 2006

The first time I ever drove without an instructor was a saturday midnight on the other side of the road in San Jose (I had only driven before on driving lessons in Dublin). If it's useful, Mapquest has an option to find a route that avoids interstates, which I used. But for LA, its 30 minutes longer if you dont use the interstate, 70 mins as compared to 40.
posted by Boobus Tuber at 6:17 AM on August 9, 2006

Get used to four-way stops. The local paper (in Canada, also right hand drive) mentioned that for those coming from countries that heavily use roundabouts four-way stops cause the most accidents. Supposedly all the hand-signals, car movements, etc that show the other drivers who is going first take some time to get used to.

Yes, it is *supposed* to be whoever gets to the intersection first, and if you arrive at the same time the person to your right has right of way, but that doesn't cover people who arrive opposite each other wanting to make left turns or jerks who are in a rush. If in doubt wave the other driver through (hands inside the vehicle, though!)
posted by shepd at 6:26 AM on August 9, 2006

My normal route of choice to get where you need to be would be (once you've escaped the airport, that is) the 105 east to the 605 south to the 91 east. Sunday shouldn't be too bad for traffic. It's doable by surface streets, but will take you longer, for sure.
There is a wonderful map, put out by AAA, that shows the freeways of Los Angeles and Orange County, and the major streets, and is not huge or unwieldy to handle. I'd be happy to send you a copy. My email is in my profile.
posted by jvilter at 6:44 AM on August 9, 2006

Well, I'm an Australian that drove for the first time in the US last year and I got pulled over withing half an hour because the cop thought I was drunk.

The road rules aren't a problem. You aim for the right lane, a right turn hugs the curb, but big deal. You can do that.

My problem was that I was so used to being in the right side of a car, and therefore the right side of a single lane. The way I orientated myself, without even realising it, had me used to being close to the right side of the lane. When I arrived in the US, I was driving and suddenly the left side of the lane was RIGHT THERE! This was driving long distances in the rural Midwest, so there was no traffic to worry about, which may have made this easier, but I kept accidently driving over the edge of the lane and having to swerve back to centre myself again. Once I was aware of it I started looking down, directly at the lane lines, forcing myself to keep the same distance from the left line. I still kept veering off to the right. Eventually I was pulled over by a cop who saw me swerving all over the place and thought I was drunk. After that, my American buddy took over for a while.

I don't know if it'll be the same in LA when you wont be going all that fast and there will be traffic everywhere to keep you boxed in, but try and be aware of it.
posted by twirlypen at 6:56 AM on August 9, 2006

Driving on the wrong side (whichever side is wrong for you) is only a worry until you've done it. You'll probably get used to it surprisingly quickly. That all the controls are a mirror image of what you're used to helps. One of those things it's natural to worry about, then when you do it it's not as bad as you think it would be, in my experience. I've switched back and forth plenty of times on trips between the UK and the US. I spend the first 5-10 mins saying to myself "think left!" (or right), then something clicks and everything falls into place and it seems natural again.

I've found the only dangerous time is pulling out of a quiet parking lot or driveway for the first time of a day. Early in a trip to the other side, being somewhat on 'autopilot', it's possible to forget where you are momentarily. Not a problem as long as you're awake!
posted by normy at 7:00 AM on August 9, 2006

You've never driven in the USA before and your first trip will be from LAX to Anaheim? Good luck, my friend.

On the plus side, you're going to spend the vast, vastmajority of that journey on the freeway where you don't have to worry about which side of the road you're driving on, etc. I believe the hotel is immediately off the freeway... we're talking like 300 feet. The thing to be careful about is, as twirlypen points out, keeping yourself in the middle of your lane. You're going to feel like you're drifting too far to the left. Don't overcompensate too much.

So concentrate on not drifting over to the right and I think you'll be fine.
posted by Justinian at 7:05 AM on August 9, 2006

I'm from Orange County, where you'll find Anaheim (and what I assume is your personal Disneytopia). Driving in Orange County is NOT the same as LA, really - it's more suburban with less intense traffic, I'd say (though the Disneyland/Anaheim area is as urban as we get, really).

A few things -

Directions You'll get a shuttle from outside the terminal (assuming you're coming from Australia: if you're arriving on Qantas, that's Terminal 4; if it's Air New Zealand, that's Terminal 2; if it's United, that's Terminal 6 or 7) to your rental car company's counter/office. LAX is *huge* - your car company's office is almost certainly not at the airport itself. Your hotel's website has what I'd consider to be pretty good directions from the airport itself; your rental car company may be a few miles out of the way, so check with them - but if you can head south on the 405, you should be good for the rest of it. Sunday morning will be fine - if you hit traffic, head to the left side of the freeway, where you'll find the "carpool lane," which is for people with more than two people in their car, even outside rush hour. (I assume you'll only do this is you have two people in your car.)

Road conditions The difference in driving in LA County and Orange County is noticable for me - Orange County voters passed a transit bill a decade or so ago that's widened freeways, added buses, and made signage better. The Disneyland area, especially, has been really improved - various buses and trolleys can tote you (and the littl'ins, if there are littl'ins) about, sidewalks are wide, and the tourist areas are full of people who live and work there, so they'll be able to help.

On preview, there are very few four-way stops in really busy areas like most of the Disney Zone in Anaheim - it's all traffic lights with really, really well-marked signs.

Disneyland There are a few previous posts about Disneyland. It's been years since I've been there, but the other posts have some good insider tips.

[local pride]

You've got a car and all of southern California right there! You don't say how long you're going to be there, but do get out of Disneyland-land for at least a day or two to a baseball game (right in Anaheim!), the beach, the mountains, anywhere outside of the concrete jungle!

And if you desperately want to get out of the car,you don't have to drive to get to downtown LA, Santa Barbara, San Diego, and lots of other places - details for Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner, which goes along the coast for two hundred-odd miles - very pretty at sunset! You can even get off the train at the San Clemente Pier, which is literally a platform on the beach!

[/local pride]

Have a great time!
posted by mdonley at 7:06 AM on August 9, 2006

mdonley, the reason I did not suggest the 405 to the 22 is because the 22 is undergoing construction now, which makes it rather tricky. The signage is not good, and it twists and turns in unpredictable ways. I drive it almost every day, and every day I curse it.
Now that the construction on the 91 is complete, it's nice and wide and well signed. Not like that nightmare of a few years ago :-)
posted by jvilter at 7:58 AM on August 9, 2006

A little note posted on the rearview: "Keep Right Mate!"
posted by hortense at 9:01 AM on August 9, 2006 [1 favorite]

Spend the next month playing Mafia. Seriously! Half the game is driving around, and you have to obey the road rules if you want to avoid police attention.

Best. Advice. Ever.
posted by frogan at 9:10 AM on August 9, 2006

Having taken a 20 hour flight to NZ a few years back and then immediately having to drive to downtown Auckland, I'd recommend being rested before you drive. Yes, the fact that it's Sunday is a plus. Once you're on the first freeway, it should be pretty easy. The biggest problems with having to drive on the opposite side are intersections and turns.

I traveled with my wife and whoever wasn't driving was the navigator. But we learned quickly that "turn left here" or "turn right at the next light" was easier said than done. In fact, what I learned is that my cue is not the direction (left or right) it's whether it's a "big" turn (across traffic --left in the US) or a "little" turn. Using those terms instead of of left or right made it much easier to prepare to turn. Example the navigator would say: "you're going to make a BIG turn at the next light."

If you're by yourself, using these terms will be helpful as well.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 9:26 AM on August 9, 2006

I'm American. When I was younger and spending a summer in Thailand, my dad decided to teach me to drive on some paved backroads -- and they drive on the other side of the road in that country. I was initially skeptical that I'd learn how to drive this way and then have a hard time when I got back to the states, but he told me what web-goddess said above: remember that the driver's side is closest to the center of the road, and that the curb is on the passenger side. That helped tremendously.
posted by phatkitten at 9:30 AM on August 9, 2006

I think the Americans who had no problems may give you a false sense of security - depending on where in Aus you're from (one of the big cities, or something smaller), the intersections around LAX can be big and complex - four or more lanes each direction, onramps and offramps, etc, and that's when it starts to get weird - when traffic is zooming everywhere and you're making a turn through it, and your "danger" area is clear of cars, but that's only because the lanes are flipped, and in fact, cars are coming at you from areas you're not used to paying attention to because they're safe - normally traffic from over is departing, not incoming, and thus find it harder to see them.

What I did was get around by bicycle for a while, because you can simply hop off it onto the sidewalk until you get used to navigating big intersections. You'll be jumping in the deep end, from the sound of it, so I would suggest taking it slow, don't be afraid to pull over frequently to re-orient yourself.

Also, if you're travelling with anyone else, have them act as navigator, letting you know well in advance when and where your offramps are and stuff like that.
posted by -harlequin- at 12:25 PM on August 9, 2006

Maps, shmaps. Rent a car with a GPS system. Plug in your destination and then follow the spoken directions. This will save you a lot of stress of trying to read written directions or navigating a map in unknown territory.

I recently had to navigate through NYC on a trip from DC to Rhode Island. I never would have made it out alive if not for the GPS system that guided me painlessly through.

Good luck!!
posted by SoftSummerBreeze at 1:16 PM on August 9, 2006

Hi all, thanks *heaps* for all the suggestions. Just to give a bit of background, yes I am going to Disneyland, and no I'm not alone - I've got my wife in the front seat and 7 year old daughter in the back. And with a bit of luck, a working GPS system :-)
About 12 months ago a client who was pretty happy with me gave me an Ipaq 3950. I ended up getting it set up for GPS with the sleeve and all the bits and pieces. But of course 2 months ago it was stolen. But I've just bought another of ebay yesterday, and I'm also buying the US mapping software. So hopefully it'll work.
Once we've "done" Disney it is time for the real fun to begin, that is a week in Vegas and (hopefully) a trip to the Grand Canyon.
I've got heaps of other q's, I'll ask them another time. You're allowed one q a week right?
Oh and "Keep Right Mate"! LOL that is the best suggestion you can make sure I'll be doing that!!
Cheers
posted by humpy at 4:32 PM on August 9, 2006

Once we've "done" Disney it is time for the real fun to begin, that is a week in Vegas and (hopefully) a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Realize that this is a lot of driving (especially with a seven-year-old) ... with traffic, it's a solid day from Anaheim to Vegas (and getting out of Anaheim on the 91 can be an absolute nightmare). Vegas to the Grand Canyon is several hours, because there's no direct route to the South Rim (because ... there's ... a ... canyon ... in ... the ... way). A lot of this driving is middle-of-nowhere-desert-driving. Plan ahead. It's a desert to rival the worst of the Outback in many places.

Also, consider going to Zion National Park. Just as beautiful. Oftentimes not as crowded.
posted by frogan at 5:03 PM on August 9, 2006

Best advice I've ever had for driving on the "other" side of the road is "follow the guy in front of you". Seriously. Just follow people going in the direction you are going. If you make a wrong turn, just work your way back around by following the person in front of you. Works great (this is from a Yank who has to drive in Australia, where I think it is even more challenging due to roundabouts).

Again, follow the guy in front of you.
posted by qwip at 6:02 PM on August 9, 2006

I did this a few years ago. It started off nerve wrackingly, but soon I wasn't too bad. The hardest thing to remember as a regular left side driver was that you should go to the right lane if you're going a bit slow.

Driving in Australia, if you're a bit nervous you tend to go to the left lane, this is heavily ingrained and caused me some problems.

The GPS will save you many problems. I was trying to get to Sherman, Texas from the airport, and after an hour and a half lost ended up literally looking at where the planes were going in order to get back to the airport to start again (took a left instead of a right early on).

You will find driving much easier when other cars are around and you can go with the flow.

I also recommend thoroughly familiarising yourself with the controls unlike me. It was getting dark, and I had to pull over for 10 minutes to find the headlight switch.
posted by tomble at 8:28 PM on August 9, 2006