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 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.
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.