Nobody likes being caught in traffic; it wastes your time, guzzles your fuel and put’s everyone’s temper on edge. Unfortunately, bumper-to-bumper traffic occurs daily in major cities and can make you late, cause accidents and worst off all, leave you hot, tired and grumpy. Lucky for you, Alpha has a few tricks up their sleeve when it come’s to traffic free, hassle free driving.
Obviously peak times are the worst for traffic. 8-9am and 5-6pm, see major roads and intersections jammed with commuters on their way to and from school and work. If you can avoid driving in these periods, by leaving either 20 minutes earlier, or 20 minutes later, you may find you cut your travel time in half! However if you are anything like us, the thought of setting your alarm clock that little bit earlier everyday is traumatizing. If this is the case, you need to put your thinking cap on and get strategic!
They say time is money, so check to see if you can use a toll road. They often carry a lot less traffic plus, they have their own roadside assistance. This means, not only will you get help a lot quicker if you break down, but also that anyone else who breaks down won’t be in the way for very long.
Navigation systems and map websites will always give you the most direct rout to your destination. Try taking a less direct rout. Side streets often have a slower speed limit, but in the long run they may still get you there quicker.
Be observant to what is actually causing the congestion. Trains, trams and buses always seem to get in the way. Waiting at a train crossing or getting stuck behind a dawdling tram is never a good start to your morning. If you find that this is happening to you every day, look up the timetable. You may only have to leave two minutes earlier to avoid lining up behind with everyone else behind those boom gates!
Last but least, listen out for traffic up dates. It is always handy to know what roads are hectic before you leave. Remember, once you are in the mist of a traffic jam, there is no escaping. If you follow all these tips, and still find yourself spending what feels like hours on end in a stream of cars, we suggest you start planning your traffic jam survival kit. Our survival kit has at least one chocolate bar and a CD mega mix with all our guilty favourites!
Pro Tip: Booking an Economy Car Rental or Compact Car Rental from Alpha Car Hire can save you plenty of petrol when stuck in traffic.