Fresh Fuzz

The Future Of Traffic, Slot Car Style

by michael May 1st, 2012 - No Comments »

Over the weekend I had the opportunity of driving the 2013 Ford Focus EV. This was the first electric car that I’ve ever driven and been able afford. After going through the typical test drive process, I asked myself  “would I purchase this car” the answer was no. My answer was no because of my biased on EV’s, not because the car was bad, the car itself exceeded my expectations.

As much as I like the idea of alternative fuels, I still believe electric isn’t the answer. As my mind turned, I thought about the movie Minority Report, in which all the cars are on a magnetized track when they’re on the expressway. It brought my mind back to the Google self driving car.  I think everybody’s problems would be solved if we stopped expanding freeways and put that money into adapting current cars to fit tracks we would build.

People would have an app that updated them on how long their trip would take based on a time chart. They would pay a toll to leave at peak times like 5pm and pay less or nothing on off peak times like 8pm.

The cost of gas would be mostly eliminated because of the tracks, and the toll would be far less than the gas they would normally spend. It would not only cut down on congestion but it would force us to create a new means of transportation. Motorcycles, Cars, Boats, Trains, and Planes have dominated transportation over the last century.  The transition would force us into a new uncomfortable zone, in which we would be forced to adapt; hopefully creating a new way to get from A to B.

 

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Expo Rail Enters Its Final Stage

by michael September 14th, 2011 - No Comments »

Construction has begun on last section of the Expo Line in Los Angeles, California. If you’re from LA and have to drive anywhere between 2 and 7 pm you know that the best way to get around is on foot or bike, if you have to drive, you’ll be crawling. Everyone that commutes has long awaited a system that could take you from Downtown LA to Santa Monica without all the drama on the 10.

The Expo Rail has been in the works for the last five years and has finally begun its last leap towards completion. Phase two involves a 6.6 mile stint between Colorado Ave and 4th St, be warned, traffic in these areas will be slow. With the 405 Construction going on this weekend, traffic might get hectic so it’s best to avoid driving on Sunday the 18th.

This 1.5 billion dollar rail will revolutionize how people travel in LA. The typical person has to fight there way through gridlock on the 10 freeway or take side streets to get home. By 2015 people will have an alternative. My assumption is that traffic will die down and people will start to pursue more alternative ways of public transport; whether it is public bike systems or the Expo Rail.

 

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405 Closure=Lots Of Sales

by michael July 14th, 2011 - No Comments »

With Carmageddon coming up fast( 1 day 4 hours), it’s important to know your options. Biking and walking will be the two safest and fastest ways of transportation.

If you’re a West LA local forced to drive, you should know to avoid the main streets. Wilshire, Santa Monica, Olympic, Pico, and Venice Boulevard’s will most likely be gridlocked. The best thing to do is stick to side streets and try to Pacman your way through traffic.

If you find yourself stuck pull over and enjoy all the sales happening this weekend. Here at Essentia we will be running a 405 promotion so if you are tired of the traffic come rest on the worlds only natural memory foam beds. http://www.myessentia.com/locations/santa-monica

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Conan O’Brien Carpools (video)

by michael July 10th, 2011 - No Comments »

In Los Angeles, Carpooling was dominated by Hybrids and Ev’s but now that the incentive for hybrid owners is gone, even the hybrids will have to hunker down with more passengers.

There are so many benefits to carpooling, it saves gas and puts less cars on the road, meaning less emissions and less traffic. Also it means that you don’t always have to drive, you can just sit back and be chauffeured by a fellow coworker.

Conan O’Brien recently did a skit on carpooling to work. The video is funny but strikes some key points. He mentions the rising gas prices and he builds relationships with his coworkers, two big benefits to carpooling.  With the 405 closure coming up, i hope more and more people begin to see the trend of carpooling. Watch the video and be prepared to laugh!

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“Carmageddon” Follows 405 Closure

by michael July 5th, 2011 - No Comments »

 

Everyone hates traffic and in Los Angeles we still aren’t immune to it. Coming July 16th and 17th Traffic will be of epic proportion. A section of the 405 freeway will be closed diverting traffic to side streets and other freeways. This closure is being dubbed ‘ carmageddon’

City officials don’t know what to expect; however, I attended the city council meeting and they are preparing for 65miles of backed up traffic.  The portion that will be closed is between the 10 and the 101 freeways.

The city is encouraging people to stay local that weekend. They want everyone to avoid driving at all cost and only do so if necessary. There is one perk to this scenario, which is almost all stores are running 405 promotions to ease the pain of traffic.

Here at Essentia we will be running a promo at our Los Angeles Store. For more information on our promotion, Like us on Facebook and stay tuned to be updated.

 

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Hybrids Will See Gridlock Soon

by michael June 29th, 2011 - No Comments »

California is now taking away the privilege of driving in the carpool lane from hybrid drivers. For the last 6 years Hybrids getting more then 45mpg, like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, received a yellow sticker allowing them to hop in the carpool lane and bypass traffic. This used to be an added incentive for people who were considering a hybrid electric vehicle but now the standards are changing.

New regulations will only allow a select few to zip by the carpool lane. The lucky few will be plug-in electric vehicles like the much anticipated 2012 Toyota Prius Plug-In. These new electric all stars will now get a new Green decal to stick on their bumper to ride in the HOV lanes. Now that this incentive is gone, 85,000 hybrid drivers will join California’s gridlock traffic.

These drivers, who once laughed as they silently coasted by in peak traffic, will have to honk and wait with the best of the gas guzzlers. I suspect these new regulations will skyrocket any new plug-ins hitting the market in the next several years, especially in Los Angeles.

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5 Tricks To Improve Gas Mileage And Save

by michael May 30th, 2011 - No Comments »

With gas making its way to $5 dollars a gallon, squeezing all your money out of each drop is important.When you’re in a big city like Los Angeles, traffic is your enemy and using these tips will help you save. Chevrolet has recently conducted a test on driving patterns and gas mileage. They put two identical vehicles against each other with two different types of drivers.  The end result of their test was staggering, with an average savings of $100 dollars a month, drivers who drove smoothly saved, while while aggressive drivers lost. Here are the 5 gas saving tips:

1. Accelerate Smoothly, a heavy right foot will only take you to the pump faster.

2. Slow down and drive speed limit. Driving 10mph over the limit will burn an extra 4 miles per gallon.

3. Use Cruise Control, it makes the car accelerate and slow down smoother, keeping a steady pace allows for consistent fuel consumption.

4. Drive With Your Windows Up, driving is like a fish moving through water, the less resistance you have the easier it is to move. Having the windows down adds resistance and makes your car less slippery through the wind, making it more difficult to move.

5. Walk, if you want to go get your coffee around the corner, walk there. You will save money and improve your health in doing so.

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Expanding LA Light Rail Means Greener Development

by michael May 14th, 2011 - No Comments »

Being native to LA, I know to expect traffic. Traffic is part of your life when you live in a city like Los Angeles. When news broke that the Expo Light Rail Transit line will offer the solution to the standstill traffic between 3-7 pm , I was thrilled. The line will allow residents to travel from Santa Monica to the heart of Downtown LA in 46 minutes and a whopping 64,000 daily riders are expected by 2030

Phase 1 of the line is almost fully constructed and is scheduled to open early 2012, with Phase two currently underway.  Phase two would allow the city to be reconstructed to be more functional and green. These are just some of the solutions that have been brought to the attention of the city:

Green infrastructure components

Expo Greenway

Native, drought tolerant plants

Wide sidewalks utilizing high albedo pavement

Traffic calming elements

A well-lit and fully connected bikeway

Safe and adequate bicycle storage facilities at each stop:

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