The Chainlink

Moving to LA, need moving advice.

Hi!

A good friend of mine was just offered a dream job in a hellish place. It would be a great career move, so she's inclined to take it. Unfortunately, she knows nothing about LA except what she's heard in NWA songs.

Her job would be near Wilshire Blvd & Flower Street. Ideally, she'd like to bike commute. She does not want to drive. Does anyone here know what neighborhoods / towns are within say a 30 min ride (5-8 mile depending on hills) that are inexpensive, yet free of broken glass everywhere?

Any suggestions, &/or links would be most appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by daWillinChi on July 18, 2012 at 5:31pm

Short answer: Not in LA.

Drivers there are as much of an a-hole as drivers in Texas, in my experience.

That area that she's referring to is in the heart of downtown LA. To the east is East LA, north is Silver Lake, West is Rampart, and Huntington park to the south.

My suggestion, is to live downtown, if you wanted to commute by bike to work there. There are some good high-rises around Figueroa and 2nd street (I used to live in the Promenade Towers), albeit a bit expensive, but you can bike there. I must warn you, downtown LA is like within the financial district in the loop here in Chicago - dead at night).

If you live east of there, east LA (ever heard the term: I'm from "East Los, esse") is borderline OK, like Humboldt park (I know, I know, but be realistic, it is what it is). If you go further east, then be prepared to deal with traffic coming downtown, which is never good. The closest you'd want to live comfortably would be Monterey Park and beyond.

All routes from the west into downtown are horrible and you'd have to go further west to get into the better areas. My high-school is about a mile west from there, and I wouldn't recommend living in that neighborhood. Before MS13, there were the 18th Street Locos, and that's where they hung out. Ever watch the movie "Training Day"? It is that bad in that area. The closes that I'd recommend on looking for a place to live is in Korea town, around Wilshire Center.

North and south, as well, the further out from downtown is the better areas, but traffic is a bit lighter, but that isn't saying much, but you can use the side streets to go to work.

The problems are simple, you'd have to get through the not-so-nice neighborhoods from the west and the north. From the east and the south, you'd have to live too far to comfortably bike to work.

My preference would be to live on the west side, and use public transportation. I know, it's not something you'd want to hear. But maybe, she'd be an advocate to start a better cycling movement there.

Permalink Reply by David P. on July 18, 2012 at 6:57pm

Pay a visit to the Bicycle Fixation site and see what may be on there. It's based in LA and the owner has been getting around LA on a bicycle for decades.

Permalink Reply by Melissa on July 18, 2012 at 7:57pm

I can't speak to choice neighborhoods, but at a conference recently I spoke with a writer who is fiercely devoted to walking and living car-free in LA.  You might find useful info (and surprising praise for LA transit) on these sites. 

Permalink Reply by leftoverbacon on July 19, 2012 at 10:53am

This is a good start. Transit options might now be on the table. Thanks for the info.

Permalink Reply by Andrew on July 19, 2012 at 11:17am

I think Echo Park might be a neighborhood possibility for your friend---it's north of downtown, not west, but I think it would be a pretty easy commute.  Also, unsure as to your friend's interests, but it seems like a lot of interesting communities and culture are developing/happening on the East side of the city these days.

Permalink Reply by Liz on July 19, 2012 at 11:26am

+1 on Echo Park, my sister has lived in Echo park for the last 5 years, she really likes it.  There's a lot of shops that you can walk to and there's a good amount of buses serving the area.  

It would be about a 3-5 mile ride downtown, depending on route.


Andrew N said:

I think Echo Park might be a neighborhood possibility for your friend---it's north of downtown, not west, but I think it would be a pretty easy commute.  Also, unsure as to your friend's interests, but it seems like a lot of interesting communities and culture are developing/happening on the East side of the city these days.

Permalink Reply by Chuck a Muck on July 19, 2012 at 2:12pm

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