missroserose | More on driving...

Day 1 & 1/2 of L.A. Trip:

I have learned a lot of things about driving in L.A. today. Some of them are:

1.) When making a left turn, if the oncoming traffic is too heavy, you're expected to turn after the light turns red.
2.) Therefore, never ever jump a light.
3.) If you turn on your turn signal to show that you're going to merge, people in the next lane speed up. If there's nobody in the next lane, someone will change lanes (while going 20 mph over the speed limit) so they can very nearly sideswipe you. (Yes, this really happened.)
4.) It's okay to stop in the middle of an intersection if the car ahead of you does so as well.
5.) There's no such thing as slow, easy braking. Driving patterns are to go "accelerate-accelerate-accelerate-BRAKE-accelerate-accelerate-accelerate-BRAKE" only.
6.) Have good brakes.

My grandmother (the Mormon one on my mother's side) grew up in the Los Angeles area. She's now in her 80's, owns a Pontiac Aztek, and drives the thing the way Ryan drives his Eagle Talon.

All of a sudden I understand why.