I will never even consider flying around these holidays and won't ask anyone to come visit me. I know what a nightmare it is.

I will be driving less than a mile to be with friends on Thursday, and the only reason I'm driving and not walking is that I'm bringing various things for the meal.

But Happy Turkey Day everyone! Even all who don't eat turkey whatever the reason. Have a wonderful day.

Back in the very late 80's i had to work with a Canadian manufacturing site to integrate all aspects, (technical, accounting, operations and IT) into the acquiring company's systems and operating philosophy. Had to leave every Monday morning and come home every Friday for 25 straight weeks.

This included T'giving, Christmas and New Year weeks. (The eves and holiday fell on Thurs/Fri that year)

Of course, this is way before the change in security, post 9/11, so it used to take 45 minutes from the time we got to the airport to the time the plane was taking off.

The Wednesday before T'giving we tried to get to the airport an extra hour early, only got there 15 minutes early, everything was delayed, and we left 90 minutes late. Same thing on the 23 and 30th of December.

I would never travel on those days again.

there was one and only one Thanksgiving where the weather was good on both sides of the holiday, although I don't recall the specific year.

Every other year, if the going portion had good weather, you know you'd be nailed on the return half. Many years it was bad weather on both sides.

One delightful (a little sarcasm here) year on the Sunday after the holiday not only was my airport, DCA, closed all day because of strong cross winds, a TWA flight that was supposed to land there was diverted to Dulles, and crashed into Mount Weather, killing all 92 on board.
That was a memorable holiday, to say the least.

I've never been that close to such an event. Closest thing was being at the Golden Dragon in San Francisco about 3 days before a triad shooting that left several dead.

By the time it happened, we were in LA.

you experience things like this.

I actually, in my first year on the job I talked a man into taking a flight that then crashed and killed everyone on board. It would get him home an hour earlier than the alternative, which is why I suggested he take it.

I have never felt guilty, only quite weird about it.

traffic-notorious west side) have been saying how much worse it's become since we left. But this gets it across better than they could, even if it is holiday traffic.

When I was an appraiser in LA, I'd schedule my appointments to go against the massive commuter flows, but they say that wouldn't work as well now in their region of the city, crowded all day. If a destination wouldn't allow that, I'd schedule very early and leave in the dark to make my way across LA before commuter traffic started, and they say even that is not as it used to be. The freeways are never almost empty. I really liked those hours then, 15 minutes into downtown LA from our home, most of an hour later.

When we lived there, 3/4 of Angelenos lived within 20 minutes of work. So many jobs that people could, and absolutely did, choose where they'd work to limit commute time. If fewer people can make those choices as jobs disappear, that would help explain traffic volumes building above what they ever were before.

but not many places they could afford to live depending on what they want. if they want a house they are even more limited.

These things are never from one factor but a combination of big ones. Something I've not seen living in the country now is cities' attempts to reduce traffic deaths and to deliberately create incentives for people to shift to public transportation and bicycles. I haven't even seen a curb extension in person, but I can only imagine how popular they, and increased pedestrians times, are with lines of cars waiting to make right turns.

But, as you say. No doubt these days more of the kind of jobs that used to follow people out into the desert where people could afford to buy are not happening, so more are forced to commute in. The second incomes that enabled huge price inflation for working class homes were often low- and mid-level clerical that've disappeared in large numbers. Massive change while the mortgages remain, and they have to work at something else somewhere.

...rats in an overpopulated maze of vanishing traffic lanes...so called "rules" about driving evaporate into the already murky drive-o-sphere, as other drivers cut you off, drive in the opposing lanes until they can cut in front of the guy with too much space between himself and the guy in front of him; drive on the shoulder of even slightly congested freeway exits and almost hit you as you legally exit; and when you honk at them and maybe even flip em off while screaming FUCK YOU YOU FUCKING FUCK! they threaten to kill you, by literally jumping out of their "cars" and running up to your window threatening to beat you.

This, and paying for the over-inflated rents is why I need to get outta here asap.

move back. When it rains it's even worse because there's no where for the rain to run off. My 1hour commute to work would turn in to a 2 hour commute. No thanks.

It’s now impossible to live your everyday life faced with these kinds of impediments. You can’t even make a quick grocery run if you haven’t timed it strategically. Even then, things may have ALL fallen apart.

One of the worst freeways in SoCal. It's always bumper to bumper.

Especially in Santa Clarita...

Normally, my wife and I fly into LAX on Christmas Day. Traffic is normally light that day, and we get to my home town in time for dinner. This year, we're flying in on Christmas Eve. The traffic that day will look like that photo, I have no doubt. Instead of an hour and a half drive to my home town, the drive will probably take three and a half hours.

Oh, well...

BFD.

One big reason why I left SoCal back in 1984. Many members of my immediate and extended family still live down there. I'm in Sacramento, but almost never go to the Bay Area either because of the traffic.