What is it Like?

Sitting at a family gathering, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. Young or old, male or female - many people use the word 'like' as some kind of weird simile. A normal simile such as "That car whines like a sick dog" is a figure or speech usually used to compare a familiar thing with something less familiar. But here are some examples of the alternative usage and some questions I would have:

Its like around the corner from...How is it like around a corner?
There was like a big sign...Was it a big sign or like a big sign?
I was like "I can't believe that..." Did you say that statement or resemble it in some way?

Of course 'like' used in this way is bad grammar, but I know have caught myself using it many times. It sounds strange when I listen to myself.

As I said, this is not generational or gender specific. Maybe it is uniquely Californian. I've either lived in or visited most regions of the US and heard some of the distinctive accents and words from each. If I picked up a little Southern Drawl in Alabama why not like some Californian lingo too?