By Lydia Patrick
Life & Trends Reporter
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A woman has debunked the myth that you need a car to get around Los Angeles, California.
Unlike New York City and other large cities, LA's public transport system is not often praised for its efficiency and robustness, with many residents and travelers in the city relying on cars. The City of Angels ranked top for car ownership in any U.S. city in 2019, with a 87.9 percent rate of vehicle ownership, according to MoneyGeek, a financial literacy site.
One traveler from London, England, Stephanie Riou (@stephanie.riou), has hit out at the common belief you must drive to get around the city. She documented her travels on the metro bus system in footage that amassed more than 20,000 views on TikTok.
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Riou, a celebrity journalist, said on TikTok: "I don't know why, but I get really personally triggered when people try to say that you can't get around LA without a car.
"I don't know if it's snobbery, I don't know if it's just people haven't moved with the times, but you totally can. The bus route is impeccable," Riou added.
On a recent trip, the woman said she caught the bus every day due to getting bad travel sickness traveling in the back seat of cars, which deterred her from getting Ubers.
As a Londoner, Riou is well versed in relying on public transport, and she added that the thought of driving everywhere and not walking is insane to her.
The Californian city has a subway, light rail, shuttle and bus service, with users being able to purchase cheap tickets quickly through a TAP app, with a regular ride costing $1.75.
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On previous trips to LA, the traveler said she had depended on driving and Ubers, but she added that the public transport network now has improved significantly.
Riou stayed in 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica and was able to get buses everywhere she needed to go, she said, including to Melrose, which went through Beverly Hills, where she could have gotten off. Riou also caught a bus directly from Santa Monica to Venice Beach.
On a previous trip, the Londoner had relied on public transport to get all the way to Griffith Observatory on the south-facing slope of Mount Hollywood and to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Riou added: "Do not let these people who seem to not know anything about LA misguide you. You can totally get public transport and save your pennies.
"And I don't know if it is snobbery, but the buses were, like, entirely safe in my experience," she said.
"They were very regular; they were very quick. Once you're on them, they're very cheap, very easy to use. You just download the TAP app; they're super easy to figure out. I didn't get lost once. And they're cleaner than London buses."
Other tourists traveling to the city thanked the TikTok poster for her helpful advice, but others from the city were apprehensive due to safety reasons.
Keira Gilleece wrote: "It's safety more than anything else."
Stephanie replied that she had always felt safe on board, but admitted to have grown up using London's public transport network.
Viewer Pippa commented: "I needed this video! I went last October and only used Uber cause everyone freaked me out, cost me nearly £500 and then some for two weeks. Visiting solo in October so will be doing the bus!"
Wade Parker added: "I did the exact thing! And everyone said before I left you NEED a car. They are cheap and regular, what's the issue?"
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