Support this blog.
Buy from Amazon
2006-07-31
Back From L.A.
Coming back from LA, I have just finished an exhausting trip. But, just because of you, it is time for me to write a long entry about the trip.
On the flight
I didn't book the tickets much in advance, meaning that I had to book full fare and got upgraded to first class on the flight to LA. This time it is a new 757 aircraft, and it is really first class, which is totally unlike the previous times I got upgraded to probably what is called BusinessFirst. The space for each seat is even larger, and you can almost lay down flat on the seat. It was really painful to go back to coach on the return flight.
On the rental
Since I would be driving extensively to go around (and the fact that I stay on a relatively cheap hotel a bit far away), I decided to have some fun and rent a hybrid. The only place I could find with hybrid rental is Fox rent-a-car. They have a much lower rate than the other bigger rental companies, and there is a reason for that. I had to wait in the airport for some 20 minutes for its shuttle, with the same period I saw at least six Hertz shuttle went by. So it is not surprising to see a very long line in their office.
When it is finally my turn, that dude asked me if I have driven a hybrid before. I said no, and to my surprise, he offered me a simple or a detailed explanation on driving a hybrid. No knowing there is any difference, I asked for a simple explanation. All he said was, "The car is very quiet. Otherwise it is similar to a normal car." Riiiight, that's something I really have to have him explain to me...
My car is a very new Honda Civic Hybrid. So new it doesn't have license plate and has only been driven for 60 miles. (And I put 350+ miles in 4 days on it just to "get around the city...") Certainly it has better mileage and is more roomy than my Corolla. And of course it looks very nice inside and has a sporty feel. But overall I was a bit disappointed. The handling is no better than my 4-year-old Corolla (or even a Hyundai Sonata). It is a bit misaligned and refused to move in a straight line without holding the wheel. And worse, probably because of the continuously variable transmission that is popular among hybrids, it has a tendency of moving backward when you release the break pedal, making it a bit scary driving on hills.
On a side note, this brand new car also gives people a false impression. I overheard at my hotel valet parking place people seemed to expect a huge tip and was not happy with my Washington.
Anyway, driving a hybrid probably affects my driving forever. Even after I come back to Houston and drive my Corolla, whenever I apply the break, I still have a tendency to look at the dashboard to see if I am breaking slow enough to not waste energy charging the battery...
On the traffic
It is really that bad in LA. Most of the time I can only drive at around 10 miles per hour on freeways. (Making me wonder how I could put 350+ miles in 4 days.) Most people drive very aggressively, but I can understand that now, as this is the only way for you to change lanes, get on the freeway, etc. But the biggest difference would be truck drivers. They don't seem to care if they would hit you. Again, this is probably the only way they can drive in LA...
On the GPS
I am so very glad that I bought the Nuvi 350. At the end, all I needed was the addresses of the places I wanted to go, and it just brought me there. Granted, it is not as easy to follow as in Houston, but this is because LA roads are much more complicated. You just need some time to get used to the voice command.
On parking
Parking, of course, sucks. But I get the chance to practice my parallel parking, which I haven't done since I got my driving license.
On the housing
Tiny and expensive! I don't know how else I can describe that. Probably this is because I've been living in Texas for too long, where housing is so much cheaper. Since I don't know the area well enough, at the end I decided to stay at the Barrington Plaza for 6 months. It is really expensive, but it has a gym, tennis court, and a heated swimming pool, and on top of that I get all new carpets and appliances. On a good day, I could even walk to work for about half an hour...
On the flight
I didn't book the tickets much in advance, meaning that I had to book full fare and got upgraded to first class on the flight to LA. This time it is a new 757 aircraft, and it is really first class, which is totally unlike the previous times I got upgraded to probably what is called BusinessFirst. The space for each seat is even larger, and you can almost lay down flat on the seat. It was really painful to go back to coach on the return flight.
On the rental
Since I would be driving extensively to go around (and the fact that I stay on a relatively cheap hotel a bit far away), I decided to have some fun and rent a hybrid. The only place I could find with hybrid rental is Fox rent-a-car. They have a much lower rate than the other bigger rental companies, and there is a reason for that. I had to wait in the airport for some 20 minutes for its shuttle, with the same period I saw at least six Hertz shuttle went by. So it is not surprising to see a very long line in their office.
When it is finally my turn, that dude asked me if I have driven a hybrid before. I said no, and to my surprise, he offered me a simple or a detailed explanation on driving a hybrid. No knowing there is any difference, I asked for a simple explanation. All he said was, "The car is very quiet. Otherwise it is similar to a normal car." Riiiight, that's something I really have to have him explain to me...
My car is a very new Honda Civic Hybrid. So new it doesn't have license plate and has only been driven for 60 miles. (And I put 350+ miles in 4 days on it just to "get around the city...") Certainly it has better mileage and is more roomy than my Corolla. And of course it looks very nice inside and has a sporty feel. But overall I was a bit disappointed. The handling is no better than my 4-year-old Corolla (or even a Hyundai Sonata). It is a bit misaligned and refused to move in a straight line without holding the wheel. And worse, probably because of the continuously variable transmission that is popular among hybrids, it has a tendency of moving backward when you release the break pedal, making it a bit scary driving on hills.
On a side note, this brand new car also gives people a false impression. I overheard at my hotel valet parking place people seemed to expect a huge tip and was not happy with my Washington.
Anyway, driving a hybrid probably affects my driving forever. Even after I come back to Houston and drive my Corolla, whenever I apply the break, I still have a tendency to look at the dashboard to see if I am breaking slow enough to not waste energy charging the battery...
On the traffic
It is really that bad in LA. Most of the time I can only drive at around 10 miles per hour on freeways. (Making me wonder how I could put 350+ miles in 4 days.) Most people drive very aggressively, but I can understand that now, as this is the only way for you to change lanes, get on the freeway, etc. But the biggest difference would be truck drivers. They don't seem to care if they would hit you. Again, this is probably the only way they can drive in LA...
On the GPS
I am so very glad that I bought the Nuvi 350. At the end, all I needed was the addresses of the places I wanted to go, and it just brought me there. Granted, it is not as easy to follow as in Houston, but this is because LA roads are much more complicated. You just need some time to get used to the voice command.
On parking
Parking, of course, sucks. But I get the chance to practice my parallel parking, which I haven't done since I got my driving license.
On the housing
Tiny and expensive! I don't know how else I can describe that. Probably this is because I've been living in Texas for too long, where housing is so much cheaper. Since I don't know the area well enough, at the end I decided to stay at the Barrington Plaza for 6 months. It is really expensive, but it has a gym, tennis court, and a heated swimming pool, and on top of that I get all new carpets and appliances. On a good day, I could even walk to work for about half an hour...
Labels: LA
