Avoiding LA Traffic Like a Local

Los Angeles might be the City of Angels, but the locals certainly don’t act like it when they get behind the wheel. Friendliness isn’t exactly being served in droves during the daily rush hour, so here are some tips to help you avoid the nightmare that is LA traffic.

Download Waze

This nifty little app lets you know the traffic situation in real-time and exactly how to get around it. It keeps track of accidents, slow-moving vehicles and other roadway nuisances to help you get where you’re going as fast as possible. Locals have been using it for a while.

Stick to the Neighborhoods

The freeways are full of tourists who have no idea where they’re going. Don’t be one of them. Whip out your smartphone and pull up Google Maps, then let it know the freeways are a no-go zone for you. It’ll take you through the neighborhoods to your destination using the quickest routes. We can’t vouch they’ll be good neighborhoods, so just don’t stop the car.

Travel in Groups

The carpool lane is your new best friend. You shouldn’t traverse LA traffic without someone in the passenger seat. If you don’t have a friend, consider faking it and using a doll, but be wary of getting caught. It’s not exactly legal. What? Locals do it.

Adjust Your Schedule

The morning and evening rush hours can bring traffic to a standstill, so if you’re just visiting you have no excuse to be on the road during those times. Plan your day around the traffic, as a lot of locals do, and try hitting the roads between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. or only at night.

Rent a Motorcycle

California law neither allows nor prohibits the practice of lane splitting, meaning that motorcyclists are free to ride between cars on the road. It’s an easy, if not albeit safe, way to get through the traffic and many people take advantage of it. Just don’t be reckless about it, please.

Finally, and this one is a joke that many locals like to tell: The best way to avoid LA traffic is to go anyplace but LA.