Speeding in Los Angeles

Friday, December 8, 2006

There is something pathetically ironic about being stuck in twelve lanes of 15 mph traffic in Los Angeles while driving to court to deal with a speeding ticket. Late at night back in May I was doing about 65 mph in the center lane of this same freeway when a maniac came flying down the road behind me. I gunned it to get out of his way and the maniac turned out to be a cop who proceeded to give me a speeding ticket. When I explained that I was only trying to get out of his way he laughed at me.

Traffic in Los Angeles
Traffic on the 405 at 3pm on an average Thursday in Los Angeles.


I had to go to the San Fernando Courthouse, which is 21 mi from my house. Google estimated the route at 24 minutes, so I gave myself two hours to make it. I made it. Barely.

I’d never been to night court for a traffic ticket, but I have to say that I recommend it. There were hardly any people there — maybe 50 — compared to regular “day” traffic court, which usually has hundreds of people and takes hours and hours. The judge was very nice. I had to pay $676 bail and will have to return in late January to argue the ticket.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 mikey 12.08.06 at 12:22 pm

You had to pay bail? Wha?

There’s no way I could ever live there. I thought Chicago traffic was bad (it is), but damn. LA traffic is the worst.

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