Crazy Drivers and So Cal

50 Worst Traffic Cities in the U.S. (PHOTOS) By Devin Brown 

1. Los Angeles

(Flickr/FontFont)

Lost Angeles is the worst traffic city in America. 'Carmaggedon' is no joke. Drivers in the worst traffic city wasted an average of 63.3 hours in traffic over the last year. Congrats to Los Angeles, although worst traffic city might not be the most coveted of titles.

So... I live in Southern California, and I am always travelling in, through, and around Los Angeles, and as a result, I can say that I have collected some crazy car stories.  

1. The longest I have been in traffic? 7 1/2 hours... when I brush fire started next to the 91 fwy, and jumped, effecting multiple freeways.  I was coming from Temecula to La Mirada, without GPS, a car charge, and my phone dead.  My brakes over heated, and stopped braking, so I had to pull into a gas station and wait a bit.  The gas station attendant let me use their phone, and I bought a map of Southern California to figure out how to get home.  

2. I have walked the freeway... we tried to go see President Reagan's casket before it was buried... and so did half of California.  The car was parked, and I needed to stretch out my legs.

3. Road rage... memorial day- lots of traffic, and lots of drunk drivers... and one in particular that I got too close to trying to pass, and pissed off.  I drive a Honda, the kind that is often used in racing, and I drive aggressively I do admit, but I did not cut him off.  Just tailgated him for about 30 seconds, trying to pass.  He chased me down, started to brake check me, and I was freaking out trying to get away from him.  The biggest mistake I made was trying to outrun him. That just pissed him off even more.  I boxed myself in, tailgating another car so he could try to make me crash again, and he just kept up screaming at me.  I was afraid he was going to shoot.  When I finally figured out that that wasn't working, I saw a car coming up behind him and next to him, and my lane cleared, and so I hit the brakes.  He was boxed in, I slowed and boxed myself in, he was pissed, but couldn't get to me, and after about 5 minutes, when he lost me, I passed him and headed on my way.  I went straight home, ran inside, and went into a full blown panic attack.  I hope Karma bites that guy in ass.  

4. My car has been stolen, once in La Mirada, and attempted again right out front of my house in the IE... I learned the last time though, and they couldn't get through the locks.  

5.  I was in an accident, with my friend driving, making a left turn.  My side got hit, and the car was totaled. 

6. I've seen a motorcyclist fall off on the fwy, and I helped him... on the 57 where the 60 meets it, so it was slow moving.

7. I've pulled a girl out of the middle of a street... she flew off of her bike after crashing it going downhill on Beach Blvd.... broke her collar bone and knocked her out.  I was the first one there.... saw her, pulled over, and pulled her to the side, praying hard no one would hit us.  But a few other cars saw me pull over, and then her, and one pulled behind her, and the other in front of me yelling that he was calling 911.  

8.  Almost hitting a car that was in pieces on the 210, at 4am, on the darkest part.  It was like the car was in two, and I stopped right in the middle of it.  I swerved and by the grace of God, there was no one behind me or next to me, and stopped between the pieces.  I gathered my composure, and made my way to the side, where there were others who had also hit, or almost hit, the car.  I called 911 and told the dispatcher that there was a car in pieces, when I another car hit it, spun out, and stopped too close to my car, and another... I told the dispatcher I didn't hit anything, but I am getting off the freeway.... and so I did.