WatchinCaptKangaroo said:
Make friends with Google Maps. Avoid Mapquest like the plague.
Freeway exits are all on the right. Sometimes the freeways split and it's a fork.
Stay out of the far right lane where all the new traffic merges into unless you want to go really slow. On that note, CA drivers go well over the speed limit if at all possible. if you want to go the speed limit or slower stay to the right. You will get run over if you are going the speed limit or slower and are in a left lane.
Not ALL the exits are on the right. I can think of a couple that are on the left, but they're rare and usually aren't streets where tourists want to get off the freeway.
Please, please, please pay attention to what WatchinCaptKangaroo has said about freeway speed. Onramps are designed to give you a chance to get up to freeway speed, before you merge on. Freeways don't slow down for you, you speed up for them! We do drive fast and we do drive agressively. Just stay in the slowest lane, don't try to regulate someone else's speed in the left lanes (meaning, don't get in that lane and refuse to move over, because the guy behind you is speeding and shouldn't be going that fast, anyway) and try to relax. You'll be fine. Make sure you have REAL maps, not just internet instructions. Double-check those web instructions against a paper map, so you'll know if things look right.
Travel times are usually okay, unless you're out during morning or evening rush hour. Weekends are usually great, except for some Saturday evening rush hour backup on certain freeways, but it's still not as bad as weekdays.
And, most important, if you realize you're in the wrong lane for your offramp or freeway interchange, STAY WHERE YOU ARE!! For the love of Pete, don't swerve across lanes to try to get where you need to be!!! Go past it, take the next offramp, cross under the freeway, take the onramp in the opposite direction and make your way from there. I see people swerving for an offramp all the time and it's extremely dangerous (and extremely stupid). Just play it cool.
Really, our freeways aren't so awful. Just take it easy and be smart and everything will work out fine for you.