Driving in Southern California is not for everyone.
I mean, it is for everyone if you live here. Because it’s hard to get around in the region without getting behind the wheel of a vehicle at some point.
Sure, there are public transportation options, but let’s face it, the timing isn’t always convenient, and sometimes safety can be an issue. There are rideshare options too, but cost and, again, safety, can come into question.
But road warriors — those who can settle into the driver’s seat and prepare for hours of brake lights and lane merging (only to learn that it’s now the slowest-moving lane because you are now in it) — deserve a pat on the back.
Patience, and perhaps some deep breathing exercises, can help too, especially when you know you’re about to set out on a trek.
Don’t think you can hop into the car at 7 a.m. on a Monday and head for a meeting in downtown L.A. without a plan.
For years, hours-long commutes were the norm for me. I have made morning commutes that rivaled a drive — in distance — to the Mexico border. Hemet to Woodland Hills is a trek, 117 miles. Hemet to Tijuana, Mexico, 102 miles. I had a boss who used to tell me, I could get to Mexico faster than to our Woodland Hills office. He was not wrong.
So, as someone who has spent thousands of hours — yes, literally thousands — behind the wheel on roadways across Southern California in nearly 20 years of commuting hours a day, here’s what I learned along the way. I consider it a win if these tips can help make your time spent in the car a little less stressful and a little more — dare I say it — enjoyable.
Timing
Your commute will take time. And in many cases more time than you plan for. Give yourself 30 minutes more than you think you need, to ease stress and curb worry. When you know you have someplace to be at a certain time, you’re already feeling more pressure, so allowing yourself extra time is helpful and calming.
Look at Waze or Google Maps days in advance of your drive, if possible. Try to get a sense of what you can expect. If you’re planning for later in the week, or even next week, check a few different times to see what traffic patterns are like.
An advance peek at the apps also can help you familiarize yourself with the route. We’re not toting around Thomas Guides anymore, nor are we printing out MapQuest directions. We are fortunate that we now have access to real-time mapping software that helps us navigate and lets us know with pretty good accuracy how long our drive is going to take. I know sometimes the “ignorance is bliss” mantra feels easier, but when an appointment or meeting is looming, ignorance is nothing but more stress.
Arm yourself with information and stay in the know. Managing the overwhelm of a drive, which can grow longer with an unexpected hours-long SigAlert or a midday freeway lane closure for potholes to be filled, feels a little less daunting when you see those things pop up. Knowing is half the battle.
Fill ’er up
Do not wait until the morning you’re rolling out to fill your tank. Do it the day before you need to hit the road. The same goes for EV charging. A full tank and a full charge are what you need, as you never really know what you’ll be up against once you set out.
Chances are you’re already rushed in the morning; adding a stop for gas, one that could have been avoided, is not what you need. Save yourself the stress of that additional stop in the morning.
If you drive electric, it’s good to know in advance where charging stations are. Better to have the information and not need it, than need it and not have it. Find locations at driveelectric.gov/stations. Also, PlugShare and A Better Routeplanner are two apps that are both great for long-distance drives and even road trips.
Listen up
Many of us have podcasts in our queue or music playlists organized by theme. Download them to your smartphone before departing to help get you through your drive. Or, create a custom playlist for sitting in traffic; “Highway to Hell” and “On the Road Again” are two songs worth considering.
Traffic is a good place to get some reading done — via audiobooks, that is. They’re great when you know you’re going to be a captive audience for a few hours. What books are on your TBR list? Find them in audio form and have them ready. Libby, the free library app, lets you listen to audiobooks at no cost.
Traditional radio, of course, is always an option. If you’re traveling outside your normal area, where your preset stations fall out of range, you’ll be scanning for other options to catch your attention.
For me, NPR is a go-to. As a journalist, I want to be in the know, though I understand listening to Leila Fadel and Steve Inskeep in the morning may not be for everyone. Maybe sometimes this is where the “ignorance is bliss” mantra does come in handy.
And of course, there’s usually a good sports game on AM radio. For me it’s baseball. There’s nothing like that hot summer evening in stop-and-go traffic with your window down and a ball game on the radio.
Options are good, and be sure to know yours.
Snack time
Do not leave home without some extra snacks to get you through.
Sure, you ate a big breakfast, had your coffee and don’t feel hungry. It doesn’t matter. I can guarantee if you’re in the car for an hour-plus, you will start to feel hungry, and also even bored, at some point.
And don’t forget about that drive back home — hours after you had lunch. You may have plans to stop for food on your return, but then you decide that getting home sooner is your new priority; it’s easier to do that if you have snacks.
What to pack? Jerky, granola bar, banana — anything that is easy to eat with one hand and with minimal crumb and spillage concerns. Do not take chocolate. I quickly learned my lesson there, when a piece inevitably falls, whether you notice it or not, and melts leaving marks on your clothing in places where you would prefer not to have dark stains.
Also, water. Have it ready. Fill the water bottle, have a disposable option.
Potty time
Face it, we all have been there. Stuck in traffic and needing to go.
Commuting through two pregnancies, I knew the locations of practically every bathroom along my route — the ones you have to make a purchase or need a code to access, and the ones you could walk right in and use.
Online lists and Reddit threads rank bathrooms and their cleanliness, but really knowing the places with public restrooms is key. Most fast-food restaurants have them, but they often require codes to enter, as do many coffee shops. Big-box stores mostly allow you to walk right in and use; they’re most-often located somewhere near the front entrance.
Gas stations also have facilities, but they can be sketchy depending on location and time of day.
Check out the many apps now available — including Flush, Bathroom Scout, SitOrSquat, Toilet Finder, and Gotta-Go! — but you might find the information isn’t always relevant or up to date.
My best advice: If you must stop, be aware of where you are and your surroundings. Empty before you hit the road.
Not so open road
Rush hour is rough. You and countless others are hitting the road at the exact same time.
Consider shifting a little earlier, or a little later. It’s amazing what 30 minutes on either end can do when it comes to time spent on the road. Watching the travel time change on map apps as you drive, increasing by a few minutes every few minutes, is stressful.
In stop-and-go traffic, use the lane semitrucks are in — they move. You might think all those trucks keep traffic backed up, but they are often still moving, however slowly, while other lanes are stopped. Those trucks stay in low gears and inch along; you can inch along with them at and least keep moving.
It may seem that whatever lane you’re in is moving the slowest, as you watch cars in other lanes zip past. Sometimes, other lanes do appear to be moving along while you’re at a standstill, but quite often their delay is coming … it’s just that it’s, well, delayed. Hopping between lanes rarely pays off. Stay put and breathe.
Pro tip: If Fastrak lanes exist on your route, splurge on the transponder. No, you may not want to pay every time you’re on the road, but having the option to dip out in the designated lanes and get up to freeway speeds when thousands of your closest friends on the road are sitting still, is worth it in my book. Time is money.
Making the most of the time — however long it takes — and preparing yourself are key. It will take time, don’t fight it. Arm yourself with knowledge and snacks. And good luck out there on the roadways.