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What do you do while caught in gigantic traffic jams?

Not so long ago I got stuck trying to drive across Chicago at the wrong time. It took three hours to make what was normally a 30-45 minute trip. What would you do to while away the time?
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opher
opher
Marked as Best! October 28, 2009 10:14 PM
The answer depends on whether the jam is truly stopped, e.g. as a result of a major accident with a med-evac operation, or simply slow due to high traffic volume. In the first instance, I'd turn off the engine, take out a book and read, keeping an eye on the cars ahead so I see when traffic starts moving again. In the second case, I'd just listen to music or a radio talk show. If I'm not in a big hurry I might exit as soon as I reach a possible exit or turn, find someplace to have a cup of coffee or a meal, depending on the circumstances. Hopefully by the time I'm done with that, traffic would ease significantly.
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• I should have stopped and ate dinner.
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thebandit
thebandit
October 28, 2009 09:41 PM
I listen to music. Honestly, that's all I can do. They recently passed a law here banning people from using cell phones while driving, and since I am not generally a lucky person, if anyone would get cited for it, it would be me, traffic jam or no traffic jam.

But you better believe I would be bored out of my mind. I haven't driven in anything over about an hour or so -- North Carolina doesn't get nearly as much traffic as Chicago -- but even that was almost unbearable.
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pieisgood
pieisgood
October 28, 2009 09:53 PM
i go to sleep if i have someone in the car next to me, so that they can wake me up when the traffic jam gets cleared up.
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fallen_ang...
fallen_ang...
October 28, 2009 10:10 PM
Oh... that's quite a big traffic... T.T

If I were in your shoes, I'd turn up the volume as if I'm partying. XD Instead of getting upset and all, I'll just entertain myself with my kind of music. Or better yet just play games or read stuffs with my Nintendo DS. :) At least I could finish the game I'm currently playing! :D
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redgold
redgold
October 29, 2009 02:21 AM
I live in Los Angeles, where traffic jams are more the norm than not. The problem with traffic jams is that the traffic is rarely completely stopped, so it is impossible to read or anything similar. Since I have a Bluetooth hands-free system in my car, I end up making most of my calls while sitting in traffic. In fact, without the traffic insanity, I don't know when I would find the time to catch up with all of my friends! If I don't feel like talking, or no one is available, I listen to NPR. There is almost always something interesting on. I also make sure to have a number of podcasts on my iPhone, just in case NPR fails me.

The thing about living somewhere with heavy traffic is that you learn to just kind of accept it. So you don't get as restless or need the same kinds of distraction someone else might need if that person was not used to crawling along.
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keepontryi...
keepontryi...
October 29, 2009 04:31 AM
I hated it.
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safiqulisl...
safiqulisl...
October 29, 2009 08:18 AM
I have no car, so if I were in a city bus then I put my earphone into my ear.Then listen my favorite fm radio channel. If fm feel bored then I open my iPod and I play my favorite playlist even I have some playlist named "Citybus", "Traffic Jam", "oh s--t feeling bore!" etc.


Actually music can take me away from regular world. It fills my time with great joy.Often I browse facebook from mobile and make new status related traffic jam and other friends also start to comment like these''hey, I also in traffic jam for one hour'....then we all make a burning discussion about it........also don't forget to check the chat box.

Thanks
@safiqulislam
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tetllagas
tetllagas
October 29, 2009 12:25 PM
read news paper while waiting for the traffic to move
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psionandy
psionandy
October 29, 2009 09:34 PM
The first thing that I absolutely must have to do is resign myself to the fact that I'm going to be stuck for a while. This means I can stop worrying about having to get to the meeting on time, i know that I'm not going to get there so there's absolutely no point in getting worried about it.

Before I did this I'd be getting very stressed, cursing the driver in front of me and fretting. It never got me anywhere and just made my blood preasure increase.

If I can make a call to explain that I'm stuck then all to the good. And then its a case of making sure the radio is tuned to a good station and wait it out.
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