San Diego Driving Tips

While exchanging emails with a friend about possible activities in San Diego when visiting family over the holidays I passed along a few driving tips and I thought some of the rest of you might benefit as well.  If you’re visiting Southern California over the Holidays, or anytime for a mid-winter break, there are a few differences between driving here and driving in the Midwest that may surprise you and being aware of them might be enough to avoid something you'd rather didn't happen while on vacation.

First: treat driving in the rain like you would driving in the snow back in the midwest.  Most obviously, because the other cars on the road do.  But don't assume they're idiots and zip around them like a maniac.  There are several good reasons for their caution.

Since there can be up to nine months between rains here, the fluids that leak out of cars and trucks build up instead of getting washed away.  And when it does rain it's usually light, floating the oil residue up but not washing it off.  What's left on the road is something with the consistency of snot.  Not a good surface for high-performance driving.

Even after the main rain slows down or stops, 4 or more lanes of cars kick up a lot of spray.  It's like driving through a dense, low fog with the addition of side-rocker jets like car washes have.  You may be able to look up and see blue sky but not see the tail lights of the car in front of you.  Don't mind the jacked up 4x4 trucks with monster wheels zipping by you in the fast lane.  Their higher vantage point and rugged equipment gives them the advantage over your rental car.  Plus, guys that drive those things are compensating for something. 

Hydroplaning is a real possibility.  A couple years ago a friend completely lost control of her car on a patch of rain sitting on the highway.  Fortunately she didn't careen into anybody else or get seriously injured. Unfortunately her new car was totaled.

If you're approaching water or feel yourself losing steering control, ease off of the accelerator.  Don't jam on the breaks.  Make small controlled adjustments with the steering wheel. Do not over steer.

When changing lanes on a 3 or more lane freeway, look 2 lanes over to make sure no one is about to move into the same space you want.  It's not enough to make sure the lane next to you is clear. 

When driving on surface streets through a busy neighborhood make a point of looking for pedestrians.  There can be a lot of us and we have the right-of-way in cross-walks.  If you hit someone who's stepped out into the street in the middle of a block you may not get a ticket but your auto insurance will most likely end up paying out on a bodily injury claim.

San Diego County has 511 service.  You can call 511 for traffic updates, mass transit information, and roadside assistance.  I'm guessing it's also available in Orange County and LA County.

On a recent episode the Car Talk guys berated everyone for comprising safety for convenience and just pulling over to the shoulder of the freeway.  That's an extremely dangerous place to be.  Don't worry about saving tires or wheels; drive slowly with the flashers on as far to the right as possible until you get to the next exit.  After calling roadside assistance for help with a flat try not to be embarrassed when rescued by a guy in a Prius.  Just sayin'.

Update:  As Keith reminded me in his comment I should have mentioned that's it's legal, and common, for motorcycles to split lanes with cars in California.  If freeway traffic slows down motorcycles may come up from behind and pass between your car and the vehicle in the next lane.  It's also good to remind yourself to make a point of looking for motorcycles.  On surface streets also look for bicycles, skate boarders, rollerbladers, and pedestrians.  If you only look for cars, you'll only see cars.