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Getting Around
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Automobile Info
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Unfortunately, San Diego (like most of
Southern California) is a car culture - you really cannot get anywhere
without one. The city is too spread out and the bus system is too
primitive to allow for the normal pedestrian ways of a city. Californians
not only spend half their lives in their cars, they also drive like
maniacs. Don't be surprised if you are tailgated, cut off, and passed
by dozens of cars going 85 mph on the highways. About two thirds (67%)
of the region's 1.2 million workers leave for work between 6:00am
and 9:00am. Of those, 76 percent drive alone. The general rule is
morning rush flows into downtown, evening rush heads to the suburbs.
Highways 5 and 15 are nightmares heading south in the morning and
north in the afternoon. And the real afternoon heartbreaker is the
5/805 merge. The 805 south in the afternoon feeding into Mission Valley
is awful as well. Making the bridge crossing to (in the morning) and
from (in the evening) Coronado should be avoided. The best advice
is to avoid driving during rush hours. Driving gets even crazier in
Mexico where you are guilty until proven innocent. I suggest taking
the trolley or parking at the border and walking over. If you must
drive in Mexico you are required to get special Mexican Insurance
which can be bought anywhere just north of the border or via fax by
calling 1-800-909-4457. If you do not have this insurance and you
get into an accident you have committed a felony and will be thrown
in jail. I kid you not. |
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Driving Tips
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- You can turn right on a red light.
- U-turns are permitted anywhere unless posted.
- People in Southern California very seldom use their horns or
turn signals.
- No one here knows how to drive in rainy weather, so be careful.
- The bridge to Coronado is a toll bridge, but it’s free
with two or more persons in the car.
- Don’t forget to put your quarters in the parking meter
- the meter readers here are very efficient.
- Old Town is the car theft capital of the city.
- A lot of the lights around town have cameras to catch people
who run reds, the fine for which is about $300.
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Public Transportation
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Although the public
transportation system is not very good, you do have several options
if you want to attempt to move about town without a car:
The Coaster 1-800-COASTER: For $5.25 you can ride from Oceanside
to Downtown in about one hour. The train makes eight stops and runs
Monday through Saturday. An added bonus is that the fare includes
free transfers to all connecting San Diego buses and trolleys.
San Diego Trolley 619-231-8549: From Tijuana to Santee to
Mission Valley, the bright red trolley is one of the best ways to
get into Downtown and to shuttle around the metropolitan area. Trolleys
run every 15 minutes and tailor their rates to fit your needs. A
short trip is as low as $1, while a one- to four-day "Day Tripper"
pass buys you unlimited access to all routes, anytime, for $5 to
$12.
Metropolitan Transit System 619-233-3004: The buses will
get you where you are going for 25 cents to $2.25. Schedules can
be obtained from the San Diego Transit Store (619-234-1060) or at
public libraries and some post offices.
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Auto Mechanics
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The best (although often
not the cheapest) way to deal with car problems is through your dealership.
If this is not a possibility, here are some places you should know
about:
All Tune & Lube: 5818 Miramar Rd. 858-552-8863. Do not
go here - they use really cheap parts.
Lee Rollins Firestone: 5760 Miramar Rd. 858-457-3133. TSRI
employees get a 10% discount here.
Unocal 76: 5726 Miramar Rd. 858-457-5716. These people are
very honest and do really good work at a reasonable price.
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