Another Los Angeles route around question

[ezgoin]

What's the best route through LA when going from Santa Barbra to San Diego? I'm assuming weekends might be easier? (If there is such a thing in LA.):)

[tpi]

ezgoin wrote:
What's the best route through LA when going from Santa Barbra to San Diego? I'm assuming weekends might be easier? (If there is such a thing in LA.):)

Whatever route you take I highly recommend a crack o' dawn departure from Santa Barbara on Saturday or Sunday mornings.

[SCVJeff]

So all of these neighbors of yours have temp plates, why? All it tells me is that they are new cars or used ones with personal plates removed and waiting for permenant plates.

[JT]

Ditto what Dan wrote (and plenty more!), but applied to driving *anywhere* at any time in the Bay Area!

[Gonzo42]

I agree about the turn signal culture around here. I've been living and driving here since the 60's.

I call the turn signal the "Hurry-up Light", because as soon as I turn it on, somebody rushes to block me so I don't get in front of them.

[SCVJeff]

tplife wrote:
101S to the I5S to the 405S is almost always the fastest route (less traffic). I've only been driving these roads for 38 years and nearly always encountered courtesy and patience. 🙂

Might want to edit your post, this route does not exist.

And regardless.. less traffic and either the 405 or 5 don't fit in the same sentence, ever.

[profdant139]

tplife, you must have a nicer aura than I do -- somehow, I seem to attract aggressive and rude drivers. Well done!

[tplife]

101S to the I5S to the 405S is almost always the fastest route (less traffic). I've only been driving these roads for 38 years and nearly always encountered courtesy and patience. 🙂

[profdant139]

Make sure that your navigator has both Google Maps and Sigalert available -- they often give conflicting real time traffic info. We have found Sigalert to be slightly more accurate -- it'll list 40 mph traffic as "slow" (yellow or orange), while Google Maps shows the same area as red (stop and go).

Make sure the navigator has a good sense of where the interchanges are and what to look for. The driver will be laser-focused on lane position and will not be able to juggle overall navigation with moment-to-moment situational awareness.

Drive very defensively -- assume that everyone around you is a fool, who is texting, who is buzzed, and who first learned to drive as an adult after coming to LA fairly recently. That is demographically quite accurate. Only the paranoid survive.

Get set up for your lane changes well in advance. Almost no one will simply let you in, despite your turn signal. Back in the middle of the USA, we have found that things are very different -- people ease off the gas when they see the blinking light. Not here. That blinker means "speed up and close the gap."

This all sounds like an exaggeration. It is not. I have been driving here every day for 48 years, safely. Knock on wood.

[Gonzo42]

Taking the 118/23 is mostly country road with 2 right angle turns to start off with and you get to Moorpark. Signage to get to the 118 freeway part is sketchy. I've bicycled around there for years so I know my way.

After that the 118 Fwy will get you to the 210 and you will miss the hills of Santa Clarita and the big interchange I mentioned.

[SCVJeff]

aerbus32 wrote:
How does the 118 between the 126 & 23 compare to the 126 thru Fillmore to 5? We use the 118 route to the 405 up to the 210. Also, definitely take the 71 from the 210 to the 91 to the 15. Having said that, the last time we were heading from SD to Pismo, looking at the traffic, we did it in 3 short days between the commuter times. SD to Anaheim to Ventura to Pismo. Construction on 5 north of Anaheim really slowed us down. Traffic congestion is just a given in So Cal. (And we always hit it around Pasadena no matter what. All them 'little ol' ladies from Pasadena' you know.)

Country/ agriculture road with stop signs and occasional lights. personally I would stick on the 126. Its going to be a tad longer but a faster and better road.

[aerbus32]

How does the 118 between the 126 & 23 compare to the 126 thru Fillmore to 5? We use the 118 route to the 405 up to the 210. Also, definitely take the 71 from the 210 to the 91 to the 15. Having said that, the last time we were heading from SD to Pismo, looking at the traffic, we did it in 3 short days between the commuter times. SD to Anaheim to Ventura to Pismo. Construction on 5 north of Anaheim really slowed us down. Traffic congestion is just a given in So Cal. (And we always hit it around Pasadena no matter what. All them 'little ol' ladies from Pasadena' you know.)

[SCVJeff]

Gonzo42 wrote:
I recommend usine 126 through Fillmore to the 5, then the 210 to the 15, then south on the 15 to Sandy Eggo.

This is the best overall way although the 210 in Pasadena can be persnickety at times. Unless you are going through here at 4AM (no later), I would do 101 to 405S and DONT DIDDLE AROUND. The LA early morning crew are already brushing teeth.

[Gonzo42]

I find that the 126 is generally good anytime. Once you get on the 5 it is usualy slow up the southbound hill. Once over the hill it can be hard to move right in order to set up for the 210.

The 210 will generally slow for the tunnel in Pasadena. Don't be in Pasadena on a work day after 1:30 PM or you will slog it out as far as the 57 junction. Once past the 57 is should be easy to get to the 15.

From then going south on the 15 the traffic varies until you get to Elsinore and then its probably going to go well.

[time2roll]

If you can hit LA close to sunrise on a weekend you should shoot straight down the 5.
Otherwise check traffic on your phone etc as you come over the hill and adjust accordingly.
Yesterday I had planned to go 210-57 into OC but multiple accedents said to slug it out on 5.
Every day, every hour is different.

210-15 is my first suggestion to avoid the 5.