I would love to embrace pubic transit in this lovely urban sprawl known as Los Angeles. Especially at night, or early in the morning rather, after a night out with friends. But the MTA really isn’t concerned about your drunk ass at 2am. So what can you do at 2am when the ugly lights snap on and you realize that maybe buzzed driving really is drunk driving? Lets look at our options…
Your own car: Let’s pretend this isn’t an option. You’re smarter than that. Let’s not become a statistic. Cost - $Thousands and your life
Designated Driver: Come on lets face it, who wants to be that guy? And who wants someone judging your drunk ass at 2am when you want Tommy’s? Cost - $5 to buy your friend a Coke at the bar, plus $6 if you can convince him to stop by Tommy’s.
Walking: If you are fortunate enough to live close to your favorite watering hole, this is a great option. But lets face it, I’m not drinking at the Korean night club every weekend. It’s about 3 miles to the place where everyone knows my name. At 2am, thats a very long walk. Cost - Free!
Ride your bicycle: Perfectly good option right? Maybe, did you know you could get a DUI for riding your bike while drunk? Yes, it’s part of the state vehicle code. Cost - Free, if you can get away with it, otherwise… $$$ a lot
Bus/Metro: The metro rail stops running at midnight. I hope this will change as more people go into downtown for entertainment options. The bus? If you happen to catch one of the limited busses that are still running at 2am this is a great option. But if you miss the bus, plan on waiting another hour for the next one to arrive. Cost - $1.25+
Taxi: A taxi costs about $2.20 a mile, plus the $2.20 just to start the meter. Let’s say on average that you live 8 miles from the bar you are at. With no traffic it’s roughly $23 bucks with tip. Not a bad option when a DUI can cost you thousands. That’s assuming the cabby hasn’t rigged the meter and that there are no traffic delays. Then there is the part of actually trying to find a cab at 2am, good luck. Cost - $23 (roughly)
Winner: Unfortunately, when you are out drinking, a taxi is the best option. Make sure you call one around 1:30, they can take a while at that hour. The bus would have won, but only if you plan accordingly.
Runner up: Meet someone and go home with them. This can potentially cost $100’s, plus expensive legal fees from the divorce you’ll get after getting married in Vegas.
July 27th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
This was an enjoyable read, and one I can relate to too well. About five years ago my wife left me stranded in Redondo Beach, so I took a cab home to San Dimas at a cost of $110.00, plus tip.
Needless too say, she’s now my ex-wife.
July 27th, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Hey, folks, put your mouth where your brain is!
Go down to the monthly MTA board meeting and MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! They have public comment periods. Demand a 24 hour schedule for the MetroRail. It’s usually during the last week of the month on a weekday morning. Check http://www.mta.net.
You’ll have to take the day off work, but, as a plus, the MTA building has a really kick-ass cafeteria. I’m totally not kidding about that.
August 1st, 2007 at 4:19 pm
nice breakdown. great topic.
“who is going to drive?” the awful question that usually puts a damper on someone’s night.
i had a friend from DC live here for two years: his conclusion was that drunk driving was the norm, just part of LA culture.
maybe with with paris, nicole and the gore guy in the news, we can find some better solutions. it just sux sometimes.
August 1st, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Yeah, a lot of people I know, think that just because they live a few blocks away, they’ll somehow avoid disaster. As long as you don’t go chasing down your assistant in a large SUV that you “borrowed”