I was riding with a friend during a particularly heavy bout of rush hour traffic this afternoon.   Naturally, there were the wrecks, the car-trouble cases and the response vehicles that go hand-in-hand with such events.  Millions of people traveling fractions of a mile in eons.  Or that’s how it can seem.

My friend grunted and mumbled something about the stop-and-go madness and it got me thinking about how I cope with the challenges of living outside the metro area and running this twice-daily gauntlet into and out of the heart of the city.  What would I say to someone who asked?

Since yoga is out of the question, try this:

First, relax.  You’re there.  Think of something or someone that brings you happiness — go to your “happy place”.  Often, I turn on the classical music or smooth jazz channel or pop a CD in the player to help me chill out.

Next, slow down.  Riding the tail of the person in front of you creates more stressful feelings (besides, why do you need to know what model of muffler the guy has, anyway?).  Figure out the average speed of traffic.  Between the dead still and the head-spinning 15 MPH, there is an average.  It could be an idle in first gear or a little throttle in second gear.  If you have an automatic transmission, shift it down (those lower gears aren’t just for avoiding light-speed descents).  Yes, you will allow a large gap to grow in front of you.  That’s good — it gives all those aggressive drivers some place to go, so let ‘em (and ignore the one-finger salutes you might get — remember, they’re experiencing the stress of traffic, too!).  That gap will open and close as the traffic ahead of you freezes and thaws.

This easy-going style of driving is infectious.  The drivers behind you will soon see what you’re up to and realize the myriad benefits:

  • Reduce brake and clutch wear
  • Reduce engine and transmission wear from revving and stopping
  • Get better fuel economy
  • Reduce the likelihood of a collision, especially rear-ends
  • Increase your visibility to other drivers
  • Increase your visual scope (the more you can see, the further ahead you are able to plan in case of an incident)
  • Smooth the pace and flow of traffic, which all lead to . . .
  • Increasing your peace of mind

Drive safely.  There are people who want see you and hug you and kiss you when you arrive.  Plus, we are all in this together!  Even the maniacal drivers are our brothers and sisters, so treat each other with respect and kindness.

Thanks for reading.

Peace.