By the way, although it's much much better than it used to be, nobody would use the word "great" with "rapid transit" in Los Angeles. The system is vastly improved compared to thirty years ago, but it's nothing like what Chicago or New York have. You can get to and from a lot of places quickly and cheaply now, but an awful lot of places remain completely out of reach without a car.

Uber and Lyft have changed what "without a car" means, of course. I think you can get around effectively by combining them with public transportation. You'd hesitate to use Uber for an aimless drive down Mulholland Highway to the Coast, but you could always rent a car when you feel like spending some time doing that kind of exploring.