The Ultimate Guide to Surviving Atlanta Traffic

Anyone who lives in a large city or has a long commute will understand and appreciate this article. As more and more cars add to the congestion on the roads each year, staying sane while driving in all that mess is nearly impossible. My daily commute is 38 miles. These measly 38 miles can take me anywhere from 35 minutes to 2 hours to complete. Typically my commute is 1 hr 15 minutes. Amazingly, that averages out to .506 miles per minute.

Drivers in Atlanta take being a NASCAR town seriously. Just 15 minutes on the interstate will prove that to any driver in the country. I have been making my 38 mile adventure daily for 2 years now and I have found a few things that keep me cool in traffic despite the Jeff Gordon wanna-be's using the interstates as their own public raceway.

The best way to pass the time in a calm manner is by listening to one of Atlanta's many morning shows. I find the blast of humor essential in keeping me calm while driving in the crazy morning traffic in Atlanta.

If laughing to yourself doesn't do it for you, then a book on tape (or CD) can be a great distraction when the idiot who has been tail-gating you for the past 5 miles changes lanes then cuts you off to gain a whole car length. If you're still feeling edgy with your current book, try a murder story where at least you can daydream that the person being murdered is the idiot in the car in front of you.

Listening to country music is a good choice as well for staying calm in Atlanta traffic. I once read a study that found that persons who listened to heavy metal or hard rock music while driving were more aggressive drivers than those that listened to other types of music. Classical music or opera are good choices as well if you can stand being culturally enlightened while driving.

Carpool. I know this one has been beaten to death by state motor vehicle agencies all over the United States. But having a passenger is multi-beneficial. Holding a conversation while driving is a good way to pass the time while sitting in Atlanta traffic. Secondly, it's environmentally friendly. Last but not least, having a passenger makes you look less frightening to other drivers when you start to yell and cuss at the drivers around you for their lack of driving skills.

Atlanta is full of colleges. If you happen to be a college student driving to school, as I am, I find it useful to listen to my last lecture while driving. I simply bought a digital recorder and tape all my lectures then download them onto my Ipod. A simple adaptor is all that's needed and there you have the best usage of your time while making the world's most terrible commute. Lectures always put students to sleep while in class, so listening in the car has basically the same effect. Just don't fall asleep behind the wheel.

Depending on where you are on the interstate in Atlanta will depend on the quality of the bill boards. I find reading them quite humorous. In fact, there was one bill board on I285N, just past Memorial Drive that I read every day for a month. I couldn't believe what they were advertising and had a laugh at their boldness each and everyday. There are many such signs on the road. Just make sure that you read quickly so you don't cause an accident. If it's normal Atlanta traffic, going .506 miles per minute gives you plenty of time to read most of the boards between point A and point B.

If you don't mind people looking at you funny, critiquing others driving is always fun. Of course you may appear insane talking to your self, but hey- in a city as big as Atlanta, who cares!

I'm not a big fan of cell phone use while driving, but in Atlanta traffic it can be a life saver. With today's Bluetooth technology or using the speak phone setting found on most phones carrying on a conversation while sitting in traffic can be just the thing to pass the time calmly. Personally, I call my dad every Monday morning while sitting on I20; I can usually get in a 15 minute conversation in those very slow 7 miles.

I hope these ultimate suggestions allow you to survive Atlanta traffic. If you find these don't work for you try to come up with some ideas of your own. The traffic in Atlanta isn't going away, I know you don't want to move, so dealing with the traffic is the only way we can afford to live in the suburbs so suck it up, try and stay calm and enjoy your time in the car.