Traffic
It is a widely known fact that LA has bad traffic. Not just bad, terrible. I believe this is caused by a few different things:
1) LA is a horribly planned city. It is sprawling and has virtually no form of public tranportation. Because of this fact, everyone is relegated to driving their own cars.
2) People in LA cannot drive. For the most part. Over the years I have lived here (or near here), I have found myself becoming an "LA driver." That is, I am agressive, entitled ("of course I can cut in front of this person. I have PLACES to BE!"), and angry. In my defense, when it takes over an hour to go ten miles, it starts to wear on your psyche.
3) People in LA are self-important. This is not so different from the above reason except that everyone in LA seems to think that where they are going or what they are doing is the most important thing, screw everyone else. As a result, they will do whatever they have to do to get what they want. This includes, but is not limited to, tailgating, driving on the shoulder, cutting people off, and swerving in and out of lanes. These things all result in slamming on brakes, accidents, and angry commuters which, in turn, results in MORE TRAFFIC. Think ahead people! If everyone followed the speed limit and was even marginally more courteous, then I think traffic would be better. Maybe.
That being said, it is not as if I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I took a job an hour away from where I live. I just didn't think it would get to me that much. To be fair, some days it is fine. Others, I am about ready to kill myself or someone else. I just try to tell myself, "This is temporary. It won't always be this bad." One of those nice little lies we all tell ourselves to get us through the day.
I do have to shout out to all those people who talk to me on the phone during my long drives home from work every night. Without you, there is a very real possibility that I could turn into a homicidal maniac on my drives home. Many other commuters owe their lives to you. :)
~J
1) LA is a horribly planned city. It is sprawling and has virtually no form of public tranportation. Because of this fact, everyone is relegated to driving their own cars.
2) People in LA cannot drive. For the most part. Over the years I have lived here (or near here), I have found myself becoming an "LA driver." That is, I am agressive, entitled ("of course I can cut in front of this person. I have PLACES to BE!"), and angry. In my defense, when it takes over an hour to go ten miles, it starts to wear on your psyche.
3) People in LA are self-important. This is not so different from the above reason except that everyone in LA seems to think that where they are going or what they are doing is the most important thing, screw everyone else. As a result, they will do whatever they have to do to get what they want. This includes, but is not limited to, tailgating, driving on the shoulder, cutting people off, and swerving in and out of lanes. These things all result in slamming on brakes, accidents, and angry commuters which, in turn, results in MORE TRAFFIC. Think ahead people! If everyone followed the speed limit and was even marginally more courteous, then I think traffic would be better. Maybe.
That being said, it is not as if I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I took a job an hour away from where I live. I just didn't think it would get to me that much. To be fair, some days it is fine. Others, I am about ready to kill myself or someone else. I just try to tell myself, "This is temporary. It won't always be this bad." One of those nice little lies we all tell ourselves to get us through the day.
I do have to shout out to all those people who talk to me on the phone during my long drives home from work every night. Without you, there is a very real possibility that I could turn into a homicidal maniac on my drives home. Many other commuters owe their lives to you. :)
~J
posted by Jess @ 11:09 AM
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