Boyle Heights is a good place to drive through without stopping. But mostly people don't want trouble and usually crazy shit happens to people that are also doing crazy shit.
I wound up in downtown LA once when I was there by myself and I took the subway to downtown and I then I had to take the bus to another place.
It was getting dark and I got on a city bus but instead of going straight down the street I was on where I needed to go it was on some route that zigzagged everywhere. You can't really get lost if you know directions so I knew the direction I was going in but I didn't know where I was going. So I had to get off that bus and get on a different one. I wound up right in downtown where the former child stars get caught buying heroin.
There was this shift. First it was daylight and all the businesses were open. Then it got dark and almost all those places close. Many of them have those metal things on rollers that they pull down to cover the glass and doors. So the streets go a little quiet for a minute and then it turns into a zombie movie. Sidewalks go empty and that lasts about twenty minutes and then it's all these homeless people pushing carts and whatever. None of them f***ed with me or even looked at me really. I saw this kid about maybe 18 and he said something and seemed okay. I told him where I was trying to go and he was going there too, or he said he was. So he knew the bus to get on. So we got on the bus and he told me his story how he came out there and one things and another and now he is homeless. I had a good amount of cash at the time and I gave him $20 or something. I could tell he thought I was going to want him to do something for it but I just said he really helped me out and he did. It was the best $20 I ever spent to get away from the Night of the Living Dead and get to where I needed to be and on time. When we got there he did not get off the bus with me. He was probably willing to play tour guide some more for more money but he didn't ask for money at all. My experience in California has mostly been that unless someone is flipping out on drugs or has some reason why they want to hurt you it's usually cool. I know random shit happens but I think if you don't have gang tattoos and don't stare at people they leave you alone.
You wouldn't want to stand on the corner in Boyle Heights with your MAGA hat waiting to get shot but if you keep moving and don't mess with anyone you can pretty much go anywhere.