How do you drive in a place where most of the lane changes and turns are done without signaling? A place where accidents can practically bankrupt you? A place where you may need air-conditioning and snow chains in the same hour while driving? What does it take to drive in a beautiful county of San Mateo?
Understand the car culture:
Firstly, you need to remember that San Mateo, like all of California, is a car culture. You cannot survive for too long without a vehicle. The place was designed for cars. The suburban and urban planning assumes that every citizen owns personal transport, and almost all tourist facilities have been built on the theory that everyone at least has access to a vehicle.
Unfortunately, because of this, everyone drives, which means there's too much of dangerous and bad driving. Respect for the law is less in comparison to states where driving is a privilege. Also, in case you’re a tourist, you will feel intimidated by all the mismanagement. You really have to be an experienced and skilled driver to tackle Californian traffic.
Plan your start time.
If you want to drive safe, be aware that people have to commute to work in the morning on the road you'll be driving. Hence, stagger your start time, either wait till the rush hours are over, or till the smoke clears. There's no rush anyway, nothing like the afternoon light as it mixes with wisps of coastal fog.
Slow down.
It may be tempting to make time by trying to overtake cars or breaking free from the traffic snarls, but it’s not wise. The best thing to do in such situations is to pull over at one of the turnouts and relax for a minute. San Mateo is a beautiful county and if the only image you make of it is that it has terrible traffic, you did it wrong.
If you're in a hurry, take the freeway.
Do not drive in a rush through the residential areas or lanes with schools. You are prone to put yourself and someone else in danger. It is best to take a freeway if you’re in a hurry.
Understand the driving rules.
Driving rules vary from state to state. Hence, it is very important that you know the rules well to stay away from traffic tickets and parole. The more literate you are about California laws, easier it will be for you to drive around.
Always take the yellow cab.
As mentioned earlier, California is a car culture. You cannot expect to hop on a bus or metro every fifteen minutes here. If you want to travel around you will need a personal conveyance. The best and safest option is the yellow taxi. Yellow cab drivers are experts in navigating through San Mateo traffic. They know the shortest routes and the best attractions around the county. Moreover, most cabs have state-of-the-art GPS system installed so that cabs can reach their destinations on time.
Driving in San Mateo is an experience in itself. However, if you want to avoid the nasty traffic and stress, hop into a taxi cab. This service certainly makes life easier.
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