Nobody likes traffic. And Nashville is one of the cities in the country with the worst traffic, often making top 20 lists. While being stuck on a congested highway is a good time to practice your karaoke chops, for many, it is little more than a frustrating experience. This frustration can lead to bouts of anger, or road rage, that could create a safety risk for you or for other drivers on the road. Next time someone cuts you off, drives all the way down an exit lane just to cut back onto the highway, or jumps in front of you without using their turn signal (I’m getting a little flustered just thinking about that), remember these tips to cool your jets.
- Give yourself more time to get to your destination. Big cities like Nashville are always going to have congestion (well, until we’ve got self-driving cars taking care of the problem, anyway.) Leaving home at the last second is a good way to compound frustration; if you’re thinking about being late, you’re going to be that much more anxious to get through traffic. Leave home an extra 15 minutes early. That way, if you get stuck, you’ve got some buffer time.
- Lighten up the mood. If you typically listen to one thing on the way to work, try something new. Instead of the local news, switch to a comedy station or throw on that new audiobook you just bought. There’s very little you can do to meaningfully affect traffic, so do what you can to enjoy the time you’re spending in your car.
- Put the phone away. It’s disturbingly common for drivers to use their cell phones while stuck in traffic, but this contributes to the problem. If you are too focused on ranting on Facebook about how you hate traffic, you might not see the cars ahead move. Or worse, you might cause a car accident – and then you’re going to have a bunch of drivers stuck behind you who might have their own road rage problems.
Psalm 56:3-4, “When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?”