June 27, 2005

As it turns out, maintaining roadside phones for stranded motorists isn't very cost effective, especially when 90% of drivers carry cell phones with them. Starting July 1st, [Metro](http://mta.net/) and the Los Angeles County Service Authority for Freeway Emergencies (LA SAFE) [will begin a non-emergency road side assistance](http://mta.net/press/2005/06_june/metro_095.htm) cell phone number (#399) for LA County highways. If you already have AAA the operator will forward you there and if not you will receive assistance from the Metro Freeway Service Patrol.

This weekend I went to three very different musical gatherings in the greater LA area. I [wrote about it for LAist](http://www.laist.com/archives/2005/06/27/eclectic_musical_experiences.php#more).

I wrote [an article](http://www.laist.com/archives/2005/06/27/drug_peddlers.php) for [LAist](http://laist.com/), the sister site of [Gothamist](http://www.gothamist.com/) about the tobacco pushers at clubs with their [fancy schmancy handheld computers](http://eecue.com/images_archive/eecue-album-1199-1-tobacco_marketing_device.html).