Dont try to cut 3 lanes of traffic for the correct exit

in situation like that, the best approach is just keep going and try to exit at the first one coming up, then LOOP BACK on the freeway to the opposite direction. By now you should know which exit is the exit you should take - and you are essentially doing a backtracking.

I agree it is no big deal to drive in LA, other than the very annoying congestion - seems to happen anywhere, anytime.