117
votes
Accepted
Why did the metro bus stop at each railway crossing, despite no warning indicating a train was coming?
There is a federal regulation requiring buses to do this.
49 CFR 392.10:
Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the driver of a commercial motor vehicle specified in paragraphs (a) (1) ...
27
votes
Accepted
What are the name and purpose of this domed building in Los Angeles?
That's Griffith Observatory!
It's an astronomical observatory, planetarium and museum in the midst of Griffith Park. The land plus the money for the observatory came from Griffith J. Griffith.
...
25
votes
Why did the metro bus stop at each railway crossing, despite no warning indicating a train was coming?
Trains move with steel wheels on steel rails, which is incredibly efficient, and allows trains 2+ miles long and 20,000 tons*. But steel-on-steel traction is quite poor, and it takes a long time to ...
23
votes
Accepted
Where was this neon sign of a dragon displayed in Los Angeles in the 1990s? Is it still there now?
The neon dragon in your screenshot appears to be one of the dragons that adorned the Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. They weren't removed from the theatre until 2001, so it is possible you ...
20
votes
Gasoline beggars in and around Los Angeles — scam?
Two things:
Simple grift. It's easier to get people to pump a gallon or two of gas rather than part with actual cash.
It's a distraction. While you pump the gas, you're not watching your vehicle ...
17
votes
Accepted
Help identifying this landmark and road in "Los Angeles 1940s, Residential Area in color"
Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation:
The Portal of the Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation is in Los Angeles, California. The shrine is a 75-foot-tall (23 m) structure of marble, mosaic, and ...
15
votes
Why did the metro bus stop at each railway crossing, despite no warning indicating a train was coming?
The signals at a level crossing may have been configured to give adequate warning to the driver of a car. But a bus is a much longer vehicle, and thus needs more time to make the crossing.
In the UK, ...
11
votes
Accepted
What does the small print below "ESTA" and "non-US citizens" on the LAX immigration signs say?
I did remember to take some pictures, but the flash was turned off and lighting was not great. So. Here is the left side of the sign.
In the middle is Global Entry.
All three on the categories on the ...
10
votes
Accepted
Travel alternatives LAX to San Diego
The easier by far would be to rent a car.
Looking at the one-way rental prices between LAX (Airport) and San Diego, for March 31st, from Noon to 6PM (you could go shorter, LAX-SAN is a 2h drive)
From ...
9
votes
Getting around in California
The only answer to this is: it depends. It depends on so many factors, so I will point out the pros and cons I used for my trip to California.
Keep in mind that California is huge. You're talking ...
9
votes
Travel alternatives LAX to San Diego
Rome2rio pointed me towards CBX aka Cross Border Express advertise a number of shuttle services, including from Los Angeles to Tijuana.
There are 5 trips on March 31st, taking between 3h40 and 6h, ...
8
votes
Accepted
Conference in Los Angeles, visa?
As an Italian citizen you don't need a visa to attend a conference in the US. All you need is an ESTA, which you apply for online: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/. Only if that is denied do you need to ...
7
votes
Why do many parking lots in downtown LA use retractable tire spikes as access control devices?
There are several reasons:
Free flow of one-way traffic. Gates will cause backups when opening, especially in confined entryways.
Minimal vehicle damage. Other then replaceable tires, spikes will ...
6
votes
Accepted
Is there an area in Los Angeles that is known for selling used photography equipment?
A similar question was asked (way back in 2009) by David Dennis on photo.net.
There there are some suggestions for specific shops (that might no longer exist!) but the general opinion seems to be &...
6
votes
This roadtrip through California and National Parks possible?
Seems aggressive to me. That's about 4000 km and 45-50 hours of raw driving depending on whether you go for "scenic" or "fast". Distances are much larger than most Europeans are used to. Traffics is ...
6
votes
Accepted
Trains from SFO to LA and vice-versa
According to the schedule, the only train leaving the San Francisco Bay area for Los Angeles is the daily Coast Starlight. It is indeed a night train, but the overnight portion of the southbound ...
6
votes
Visa extension due to COVID-19
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services website [1] states that:
Most nonimmigrants can mitigate the immigration consequences of COVID-19 by timely filing an application for extension of stay (...
6
votes
Accepted
Are LA Metro buses currently free?
Rear door boarding on LA MTA buses was initiated in March 2020 in an effort to reduce contact between drivers and riders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and remains in effect as of August 2021.
LA Metro ...
5
votes
Why did the metro bus stop at each railway crossing, despite no warning indicating a train was coming?
Other people have cited the relevant laws.
The laws exist because warning signals sometimes malfunction. It's probably fine for a passenger car to take that risk, but a bus carrying passengers has a ...
5
votes
Accepted
LA Universal Studios in Christmas
It will absolutely be crowded Christmas week as it is one of the busiest weeks of the year if not the busiest week of the year. According to IsItPacked.com, crowd levels range from "Yup, It's Packed" (...
5
votes
Travel alternatives LAX to San Diego
When we went from LAX to San Diego last year, we took an Uber. It was reasonably cheap and comfortable. Depending on the size of your group, you should check the size of the ordered car carefully, as ...
5
votes
Travel alternatives LAX to San Diego
I figured easiest would be getting the Amtrak from LA Union Station to San Diego, but have discovered all trains on March 31 are carry on only, no checked luggage (we have 3 suitcases in addition to ...
4
votes
Where can I buy MLS jerseys?(Las Vegas, LA, San Fransisco)
There are actually many chains that carry MLS licensed apparel. A quick google search for MLS apparel turns up many. I chose, at random, Dick's Sporting Goods. This is a large national chain of ...
4
votes
Accepted
Admission Ticket for Universal Studios
A general admission ticket includes all rides, but not food, parking, souvenirs, or other purchases. There's also a (substantial) additional fee for a VIP experience or for a front-of-the-line pass. ...
4
votes
What park has the most rides: Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park in the US?
Simply going by the number of attractions (rides, shows, etc...), Disneyland has 54 while California Adventure has 34. These range from fast roller coasters to train rides.
However, there is no way ...
4
votes
Accepted
How long will it take to get from Los Angeles Metro's 7th St./Metro Center to Hollywood and Highland via Metro Red?
You can find complete Metro timetables at https://www.metro.net/riding/maps/. The current Red Line PDF timetable shows a travel time of 16 minutes from 7th St/Metro Center to Hollywood/Highland at ...
4
votes
Children-friendly beaches in Los Angeles, Southern California, USA
Credits to @Dorothy for the link to kid-friendly beaches in OC and LA.
Best Beaches for Kids and Families in Los Angeles & Orange County
6/3/13 - By Martha Hall
>
Malibu
Leo Carrillo State ...
4
votes
Accepted
What companies offer through bus tickets from Mexico City to Los Angeles?
Long-haul buses between major Mexican and US cities are feeling the pinch of the ULCC airlines like Volaris, I'm not sure if there are any direct lines at the moment.
Alternatively you could ride ...
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