Towing through LA region

[SandyHelton]

I will be leaving Ventura on the friday before Christmas and heading to San Diego for the holiday. Does anyone with local knowledge have suggestions of what route to take and at what time to try to hit various parts. The eariest that I can leave Ventura is about 3PM, but I could stay there and leave much later if that would help. Do I try to take I5 which is the route across LA that yahoo et al suggest or would the 405 be better? Are there other alternatives?



Thanks...

 

[JL penner]

Take the 210 all the way to the 15 and go south from there. It's farther out of the way, but you won't regret it if towing. There are a ton of shortcuts to take, but not really worth it when you have a trailer behind you.



Also, from my experience, when towing on our lovely Southern California freeways, if the beamer in the next lane won't let you over just start swerving a little. Trust me, they'll move.



Have a safe trip

 

[NVR FNSH]

If I was towing my 36ft 5th wheel and I needed to be in San Diego at a 'reasonable' hour I'd leave Ventura after 7PM and go thru Simi Valley -118 to the 210 as JL penner suggested. If I could leave around midnight I'd consider taking I-5 straight thru with all the trucks.



Brian

 

[JL penner]

Leaving at 7 rather than 3 will knock about an hour off your driving time (4 hours vs. 5 hours). Leaving at midnight and taking the 5 will probably make it about a 3 hour drive.







If you choose the 210 route, I'd go the 126 to the 5 to the 210 if you are leaving at 3pm. And I'd just go 101 to the 134 to the 210 if you leave at 7.



Have we confused you yet?

 

[Gaylord]

I would go the 126 to the 210 to the 15 and leave at 7:00pm. Even at this hour you will have stop & go traffic in Pasadena and heavy traffic, but flowing at speed, until the 15. At the 210/15 things will slow down as this is Friday and many are headed to Vegas. From the 210/15 you will have little traffic. Experience as taught me not to use the 101/134 until after 8:00/9:00pm, especially on Fridays. I only use the 5 after 10:00pm and never on Fridays. HTH

 

[SandyHelton]

OK, it sounds like the 118 to I5 prior to 7PM, but after 7PM, 101 down to 134 would be OK. These routes get me to I5 southbound - correct. But people keep mentioning the 210 and the 15(which I can't find maybe its I5?). Is taking I5 at about 9-10 PM south through LA to San Diego better than the 405? Should I avoid I5 at all costs and stay on the 210 and go through Pasadena?

 

[SandyHelton]

OK, I now see why your suggesting 210 to 15 and not I5. It is a bout 15 miles longer, but I assume that your telling me that I'll hit less towing insensative traffic that way.







Thanks for all the help guys, for a northern CA guy, LA is always a mystery.

 

[TRAMPLINEMAN]

Thanks for all the help guys, for a northern CA guy, LA is always a mystery.

LA is a mystery to most LA folks. At that time of day, the 210 east should be cleared up. Once you've reached the 15, unless you hit some freak accident, it should be clear sailing all the way to SD. The heavy traffic will be heading north. Good luck.

 

[KKohagen]

OK, it sounds like the 118 to I5 prior to 7PM, but after 7PM, 101 down to 134 would be OK. These routes get me to I5 southbound - correct. But people keep mentioning the 210 and the 15(which I can't find maybe its I5?). Is taking I5 at about 9-10 PM south through LA to San Diego better than the 405? Should I avoid I5 at all costs and stay on the 210 and go through Pasadena?

Having towed up and down the 405, I would recommend against except after 9-10 PM. Leave Ventura about 7-8 PM take the 126 West to the I-5 south. Then either stay on the I-5 or get on the 210 East. I-5 down to San Diego or continue on the 210 until you get to the I-15. Take I-15 south on in to San Diego. Either way I would not leave Ventura before 7 or 8 PM.

I live here in Santa Clarita and work down in El Segundo. Good Luck.

 

[MMeier]

Also, from my experience, when towing on our lovely Southern California freeways, if the beamer in the next lane won't let you over just start swerving a little. Trust me, they'll move.



Have a safe trip

I try that swerving deal when I'm towing containers behind my truck to get where I need to be... doesn't always work though. Perhaps I'm not doing something quite right?

 

[CTD 600]

126 to I-5 South to 210 East to 15 South



Any eastbound route will be busy. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Mexico was #3 on the list of most traveled places. It will still be busy on the 405 south orange county and san diego county.

 

[CTD 600]

Also, from my experience, when towing on our lovely Southern California freeways, if the beamer in the next lane won't let you over just start swerving a little. Trust me, they'll move.



Have a safe trip

Also, DO NOT DO THAT!!!! You will be at fault every time. A safe driver allows time and distance for lane changes (unless in stopped traffic) Just alot of patience and some good music is all it takes.

 

[SandyHelton]

CTD 600,

I know better than that... I've only been towing a few years, but still have common sense...

 

[surfbeetle]

I have traveled many times to Ventura from San Diego and back. Non towing, I used to take the 5 to the 405 to the 101. Traffic would be horrible, even with taking the toll road to bypass part of the 405. A friend of mine said that he would take the 5 to the 101 and he would go from Oxnard to El Cajon in less than 3 hours. The bad part of that route is where the 5 goes down to two lanes.



As for cutting across to Riverside and coming down through Temecula, you could cut across the route as mentioned above, it really will depend on what part of SD you want to end up in as the 15 can be hell both north and south once you get into San Diego. I would just assume stay on the I-5 based route if I were to be heading to the western and southern portions of SD. I would only go the 15 route if I were ending up in the Northern and Eastern portion of San Diego.



Good luck and enjoy your trip.

 

[btoscano]

I would stay off the 405 unless need negative reinforcement for what not to do next time!!



-brian

 

[RBrunson]

Dang, after reading all this I am glad that I live up here in the wide open country of Oregon.

 

[CKimball]

I agree with Penner and others... and take the 5, to the 210 to the 15 south... if you can get to the 91 15 freeway intersection (Corona) by no later then 3:00pm on a weekday... otherwise... forget it... the 15 is a joke (along with all the no turnsignal I am coming over wheather you like it or not IDIOTS :-{} that use that section dont give a care if you are towing and just come on over... if you can go during the early moring or weekend then it is a nice drive... northen cal drivers are much more courtieous then So Cal drives... . ok... off my soap box!



Cameron

 

[richardcoxid]

Rbrunson



I feel just like you! A few years ago we were in Ontario, (east of the LA metro area) visiting my wife’s brother, when leaving by mistake, I mentioned to him that I was going out to the Victorville/Barstow area then head west to the coast then north. We were of course pulling our 32’ 5W.



He convinced me that on a Sat AM we should take the 10 etc through downtown LA etc to Ventura then north and that where would be “light traffic”. After that fiasco I decided that when you live there and are familiar with the traffic as long as it is moving (even if it is 4 or more lanes wide and bumper to bumper start/stop) it is considered to be “light”. Only when the traffic comes to a total and complete stop is the traffic “HEAVY”. I guess that is why we left there in ’59.



Of course I guess that that is the penalty for living in “paradise”.



I guess both of us will be “flamed” for these two posts!

 

[CKimball]

Rbrunson



I feel just like you! A few years ago we were in Ontario, (east of the LA metro area) visiting my wife’s brother, when leaving by mistake, I mentioned to him that I was going out to the Victorville/Barstow area then head west to the coast then north. We were of course pulling our 32’ 5W.



He convinced me that on a Sat AM we should take the 10 etc through downtown LA etc to Ventura then north and that where would be “light traffic”. After that fiasco I decided that when you live there and are familiar with the traffic as long as it is moving (even if it is 4 or more lanes wide and bumper to bumper start/stop) it is considered to be “light”. Only when the traffic comes to a total and complete stop is the traffic “HEAVY”. I guess that is why we left there in ’59.



Of course I guess that that is the penalty for living in “paradise”.



I guess both of us will be “flamed” for these two posts!

no flaimin... . i envy you all that live in "Paradise (anywhere but So Cal)... only thing nice here is the Weather.....

cameron

 

[NVR FNSH]

Dang, after reading all this I am glad that I live up here in the wide open country of Oregon.

Portland ain't exactly a walk in the park during commute hours... ...



Brian