Coping in Traffic

I’m in Chicago for the 4th of July holiday weekend. It’s a crazy week, with so many festivals going on at the same time. Blues Fest, Grateful Dead Show, Taste of Chicago, Cubs game and, of course, the Gay Pride Parade. I’m about 5′ 1″, so festivals are usually not my bag. In a crowd, I am typically at nose-level with everyone’s arm pit. So, the Grateful Dead show I will sum up as a combination of Patchouli and B.O. While the Gay Pride Parade, to my surprise, was like a delightful, clean meadow of fresh-scrubbed, well groomed, gorgeous gay men. With all of these festivities going on all at once, the traffic is insane. So, how do you find yourself coping in traffic?
It’s always good to plan ahead. If you already have a route mapped out, GPS loaded and are not in a rush, even traffic can be a positive adventure (or maybe I was in the hot sun too long, eh?). It is said that most people get in a tizzy because they are running late, in a hurry or just simply impatient. Sometimes, even too rushed to signal before changing lanes. Some drivers say that signaling in rush hour traffic is a guarantee that no one will let you over. But, it’s also a leading cause for road rage. Like cutting in line without first asking permission. Road construction seems to be inevitable, nationwide. Lane reductions due to construction only add to the tension. And, yes, they are doing construction here in good old Illinois as they are in every other state. The difference here is, there is only a small window of time that they can actually work on the roads, since there are only two seasons, Winter and Spring. So, another good idea is to plan your route around construction. Especially with potholes (and they’re like craters here) that can damage your car. Unless it’s a rental, of course. Who cares about rentals?
Well, I need to get back to the festivities. Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Coping in Traffic – Comedy Defensive Driving