As a newbie to the traffic world I can tell you that I’m not adjusting well! The worse part for me is the fact that every day is unpredictable! There was a time when I told my husband, who also didn’t drive in traffic on a daily basis, that getting upset wasn’t going to help! I knew when I started working that I would definitely be in store for something foreign. However, I also thought that I would eventually be able to figure out the time that I needed to allow to get there, and then I would be fine. You see, I’m one of those girls who just accepts that it will take a certain amount of time and that’s ok with me. The problem begins when one day it takes 30 minutes, and another it takes 50 and once in a while, it takes 67 minutes. How are you supposed to adjust? No wonder people are crazy drivers! Thank goodness I have some freedom when it comes to my arrival time or I just might become one of those crazies. Just kidding, I hope I never do!
After 3 months I’ve figured that there is no rhyme or reason to the madness. But I have figured one thing out…..THOSE ELECTRONIC SIGNS ON THE FREEWAY THAT ARE DESIGNED TO HELP YOU AVOID TRAFFIC…..THEY CAUSE IT! I noticed that while traveling a particular freeway, one that others state “sucks”, (if you’re from where I am you know the saying) the traffic began to move at the same place every day. And the sign…said the same thing every day, 9 minutes to the next freeway interchange. Everyday the same time, 9 minutes,…no variation. I thought it weird, even when there were accidents, the sign said “9 minutes”, then, shortly passed the sign traffic broke and away I drove 60 miles per hour all the way to work. And then one day, traffic was unusually heavy, I was wondering what was going on. Was there an accident? Maybe the sign would tell me, it’s coming soon, and the sign said ……Wow, it’s different, 12 minutes. BUT everything cleared after the sign and away I went. I thought…could it have been the sign? Was it the new information and everyone was slowing down to read it. That peaked my thought process, and I started to take note. Every day I paid attention. I know, it’s really bad when you are studying traffic but I was going so slow that I had nothing better to do! I’ve come to the conclusion, that when the sign is in any way different, traffic slows considerably, so the drivers can read the details. Most of the time….”THE DETAILS” DON’T EVEN PERTAIN TO THE FREEWAY I’M TRAVELING!
One day it happened that my eldest daughter left the house after me and ended up at school (farther than my work place but in the same general area) before I arrived at work. I couldn’t believe it! The side of the freeway we traveled always looked jammed packed in the direction she chose. But that was the straw….and in my frustration with the unpredictability of my situation, I took the suggestion of my wise child. She assured me that the traffic broke up after 1 freeway exit.
She was right. After about a mile and a half, the freeway traffic magically clears right after the first exit, and it’s smooth sailing, all the way to work! …..Can you guess what’s just before the exit? Yep…A traffic sign!
At least the sign only affects me for a bit! And now….the boss is considering moving the office, it will be closer to my home, which is good! I’m wondering if there’s a sign somewhere on he way, I hope not!
