Chopper,
I'm sure the travel agency you booked with probably has it set up without any unecessary driving, so I wouldn't worry about that then.

As far as the weather, well you are probably asking the wrong person because it's always cold to me in the winter.

When I first moved to CA, it was October, and we were walking my girls to the bus stop for school. My husband and I laughed at all these kids with warm winter coats on.

We thought what idiots. We got rid of our winter coats when we moved here.
Well, guess what.......now I don't laugh and I always have a winter coat on hand.

I don't know the UK weather, but I think for any/most tourist, November will seem like spring if you are coming from a cooler climate and to be honest, I can tell tourist most of the time anyway, if I'm in L.A. in the winte, because they have shorts on.

Not a bad thing at all, just an observation. So I'd say pack your shorts, but bring a jacket/long pants just in case.
TIS
Edit to add: Chopper, the person that would know much more about the L.A. area is Letizia. She lives in the vicinity and can give updated info.
