I don’t like traffic, especially fast moving, angry sort of traffic that you find after school drop off once you hit the main road. I’m sure there is an incident at least once a week where vehicles have rear end bumped in slow moving traffic, or something worse – with ambulances and police on the scene.

I can usually be flexible with my day although plenty enough chores take me on that dreaded main road where there are way too many cars and way too many people in a real hurry. So on those days where I have to go the busy route I decided to try and beat the traffic. And it worked!

Quite simply I either got to school early and so hit the main road before the majority of cars reached it; or if that didn’t work out then I went later. Even 10 minutes (a short walk out and back along the local creek) made a big difference.

I am amazed at how such a simple measure – such as leaving 10 minutes earlier or later – worked to remove me from the worst of the morning traffic. The roads were emptier, I didn’t have to wait for 3 changes of the traffic lights before I got across, I didn’t have vehicles speeding past and I could drive as I wanted without stress.

And after finding this has worked several times now I’ve even been spared being “too close” in that occasional accident that happens. Tow trucks have had a chance to clear up and the road is back to normal by the time I get through.

If you are unlucky enough to have a busy road near your school AND if you hate traffic then I hope you are lucky enough to be able to leave that little bit earlier, or later, to beat the worst of it. Good luck. And safe driving always.

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Posted anonymously, 31st March 2017