Do you really need a car in Los Angeles?

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Peedlepup

Unlike eastern cities where things are built "upward", in Los Angeles they are built "outward". The Los Angeles metropolitan area is roughly 50 miles wide by 110 miles long. Yes, you can get along without a car, but life is much easier with one. After a while it gets tiresome dragging 6 bags of groceries on and off city buses.

Mike @ the Courier

it depends on what you do in Los Angeles. yes, you will need a car if you're here on vacation and want to see 'everything' L.A. has to offer. if you live far away from where you work, public transportation is certainly not your best option. however, one could live here and survive (as I do) without a car. the key is to live near where you need to be (school, work, friends, fun, etc.)

Roaddogg

Yes, public transit in LA and all of southern California is indeed vast and consists of both buses and subways and even Metrolink regional rail for longer trips. The MTA operates the largest primary system along with countless municipal transit providers which supplement the route network. An all day unlimited ride pass costs only $5.00 and monthly passes offer big savings with prices varying depending upon what type of service you use. Because the LA area is so expansive it can take some time to cover longer distances. Rapid & express lines are offered along many heavily traveled corridors. Good luck!

whiteknight007bond

yes

West of Encino

you don't need a car but your life would be a lot easier if you had one.

Phoenix

Unless you are one of those rare cases where you everything you need is within walking distance, you need a car in Los Angeles. It's not like it is in San Francisco or New York where the public transit system works well. While Los Angeles does have a train and bus system, the train's reach around the county is very limited. Also, because things are so spread out, you would have to take multiple trains (or buses) to get to your destination. Los Angeles city and county are definitely not walkable. If you want to live comfortably, buy a car.

CarlisleGirl

Yes, it does, but the people who say that are not used to going without. Plenty of people live in LA without cars.

glitterpunkgirliee

Well you don't "need" a car, but your life would be a lot easier with one. Having to take public transportation is too time consuming and LA is huge.

Wondering??

The guy above me most likley does not live in L.A. I do and it's pretty much impossible unless you have a grocery store next door and never leave your house. L.A. is just waaaaay too sprawled out, it takes a long time to get anywhere and the bus and train systems are terrilbe not to mention the 405 uuuhgh

Chelsie surf

It depends where in LA you live.

If you're in downtown, Hollywood, or East LA, you probably don't need a car. If you're in the Valley, you certainly do.

That's why people who claim to live in LA cannot agree on the answer.

On_1

Yes you do need a car in LA. Everything is close but not exactly in walking distance and taking the bus takes so much time. If you are trying to site see, there are tour buses that will take you around the tourist spots but if you are planning to move here you will need a car. There are lots of freeways and you will most likely need to take one to get to your destination. I Love LA!!!

PearlySmith

It makes life easier that's for sure. But it's not absolutely necessary.

pgarox

I live in West Los Angeles (Approx. Barrington and Wilshire) and I do not own a car.

I live within walking distance to where I work, and I ride my bike to anywhere I need to go.

Wilshire Blvd. is loaded with places to eat, there are three grocery stores within a five-minute bike ride, the beach is a 20-minute bike ride away, as is Rancho Park Golf Course, where I go to play golf.

No, you do not need a car to live in L.A.

Un1K3n

Having been in both situations, I will say this:

It's better to be without a home but with a car in L.A. than to have a home and no car (you can sleep in your car and get around, you can sleep in a home and trust Metro [the crappiest public transportation in the nation...their "America's Best" logo be darned] to get around, and good luck with that if you work late). In other parts of the country, I see that being the other way around but in L.A., that's the way I see it.

copestir

Well i guess you could use the bus if you want to take two to three hours to get anywhere with in a ten mile radius..

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