By Car

By Car

Back to Los AngelesDriving in Los Angeles

Need I tell you that Los Angeles is a car-crazed city? You're really going to need one to easily get around (there is public transportation in L.A., but you really don't want to rely on it). An elaborate network of well-maintained freeways connects this urban sprawl, but you have to learn how to make sense of the system and cultivate some patience for dealing with the traffic -- purchasing one of those plastic-covered fold-out maps is a smart investment. The golden rule of driving in Los Angeles is this: Always allow more time to get to your destination than you think you might need, especially during morning and evening rush hours (40 min. of leeway usually suffices).

Rentals

Los Angeles is one of the cheapest places in America to rent a car. Major national car-rental companies usually rent economy- and compact-class cars for about $35 per day and $120 per week, with unlimited mileage.

All the major car-rental agencies have offices at the airport and in the larger hotels. If you're thinking of splurging on a dig-me road machine such as a Maserati, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, or Hummer, the places to call are either Budget Beverly Hills Car Collection, 9815 Wilshire Blvd. (tel. 800/227-7117 or 310/881-2335; www.budgetbeverlyhills.com), or Beverly Hills Rent-A-Car, 9732 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills (tel. 800/479-5996 or 310/337-1400; www.bhrentacar.com). Both car-rental companies have additional locations in Santa Monica, LAX, Orange County, and Newport Beach, and both offer complimentary delivery to local hotels or pickup service at LAX.

Hogging the Roads, Harley Style -- Instead of renting a boring ol' car to cruise Sunset Strip, why not rent a motorcycle? Even better, why not rent a Harley? EagleRider (11860 S. La Cienega Blvd.; tel. 800/501-8687 or 310/536-6777; www.eaglerider.com), the world's largest motorcycle rental and tour company, will rent you a mild-mannered Sportster 883cc for a mere $75 per day. Leather chaps are optional, but a motorcycle license is required. Other quality L.A.-based Harley motorcycle-rental companies include Route 66 Riders (4161 Lincoln Blvd. in Marina Del Rey; tel. 888/434-4473 or 310/578-0112; www.route66riders.com) and Ride Free Motorcycle Tours (7913 Kittyhawk Ave.; tel. 310/487-1047; www.ridefree.com). Keep the rubber side down.

Saving Money on a Rental Car -- Car-rental rates vary even more than airline fares. The price you pay will depend on the size of the car, where and when you pick it up and drop it off, the length of the rental period, where and how far you drive it, whether you purchase insurance, and a host of other factors. A few key questions could save you hundreds of dollars:

Are weekend rates lower than weekday rates? Ask if the rate is the same for pickup Friday morning, for instance, as it is for Thursday night.

Does the agency assess a drop-off charge if you don't return the car to the location where you picked it up?

Are special promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise, you may be charged the standard cost. Terms change constantly.

Are discounts available for members of AARP, AAA, frequent-flier programs, or trade unions? If you belong to any of these organizations, you may be entitled to discounts of up to 30%.

How much tax will be added to the rental bill? Local tax? State use tax?

How much does the company charge for gas if you return with the tank less than full? Though most companies claim these prices are "competitive," you will almost always save money if you refill the car yourself before you return it. Some offer "refueling packages," in which you pay for an entire tank of gas upfront. The price is usually fairly competitive with local prices, but you don't get credit for any gas remaining in the tank. If you fear that a stop at a gas station on the way to the airport will make you miss your plane, take advantage of the fuel purchase option; otherwise, skip it.

Parking

Explaining the parking situation in Los Angeles is like explaining the English language -- there are more exceptions than rules. In some areas, every establishment has a convenient free lot or ample street parking; other areas are pretty manageable, as long as you have a quick eye and are willing to take a few turns around the block, but there are some frustrating parts of town (particularly around restaurants after 7:30pm) where you might have to give in and use valet parking. Whether there's valet parking depends more on the congestion of the area than on the elegance of the establishment; the size of an establishment's lot often simply won't allow for self-parking.

Restaurants and nightclubs sometimes provide a complimentary valet service, but more often they charge between $3 and $6. Some areas, like Santa Monica and Beverly Hills, offer self-park lots and garages near the neighborhood action; costs range from $2 to $10. Most of the hotels that we list in this book offer both self-parking (often free) and/or valet parking, which ranges from $10 to $26 per day.

Here are a few parking tips to remember:

Be prepared for anything. Always have a pocketful of quarters and a few $1 bills in case you need them. Downtown and Santa Monica are two of the worst areas for free parking.

Be creative. Case the immediate area by taking a turn around the block. In many parts of the city, you can find an unrestricted street space less than a block away from eager valets.

Read posted restrictions carefully. You can avoid a ticket if you pay attention to the signs, which warn of street-cleaning schedules, rush-hour "no parking," and those sneaky resident "permit only" zones (especially in the Beverly Hills neighborhoods).

Driving

You may turn right at a red light after stopping unless a sign says otherwise. Likewise, you may turn left on a red light from a one-way street onto another one-way street after coming to a full stop. Keep in mind that pedestrians in Los Angeles have the right-of-way at all times, so stop for people who have stepped off the curb. Also, California has a seat-belt law for both drivers and passengers, so buckle up before you venture out.

Many Southern California freeways have designated carpool lanes, also known as High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes or "white diamond" lanes (after the large diamonds painted on the blacktop along the lane). Most require two passengers (others three), and they have rigidly enforced zones where you can't leave the HOV lane for several miles at a time (I've missed many an exit because of this stupid rule). Most on-ramps are metered during even light congestion to regulate the flow of traffic onto the freeway; cars in HOV lanes can pass the signal without stopping. Although there are tales of drivers sitting life-size mannequins next to them in order to beat the system, don't use the HOV lane unless you have the right numbers -- fines begin at $271.

Back to Los Angeles