what do you usually do when you're stuck in a traffic jam???
By iamnes
@iamnes (324)
Philippines
June 19, 2008 1:26pm CST
i was on my way home from school and my one hour travel became 2 hours! i got stucked in 3 blocks for about 1 hour and there's no other way to go since the street is all packed with vehicles. i was riding a public vehicle with a friend and my friend who leaves around 5 blocks aways decided to get off and walk. while i am with my friend, i didn't mind the traffic jam that much since we were talking about lots of stuff and i am learning about her culture, i was very interested. until she got off, and i was stuck for so long. i cannot walk towards home since it was a 45-minute travel when riding a vehicle, that means it's really far! so i just have to wait.
apparently, the reason for the traffic jam was the stoplight is not working and several container vans blocked the entire intersection. they just are so inconsiderate thinking that they are not causing that much trouble, when in fact they were! there are lots of people walking in the streets and some can't get a ride since most of passengers were stranded earlier due to heavy rains, so basically the streets are full of stranded people and vehicles. if only the drivers of those trucks waited for their turn despite the malfunctioning of the stoplight. then everything may turn out ok.
i really hate being stuck in a traffic jam for so long, 15-20 minutes is okay for me, but for more than that, it feels hell for me. i can't do anything. all i do is just stare and observe the people around me. if i am lucky and i've got a book in my bag, i will just read it.
how about you what do you usually do when you're stuck in a traffic jam?
2 people like this
11 responses
@anawar (2404)
• United States
19 Jun 08
iamnes_ Hi. Similar to you, I try to carry a book with me.
If I don't have a book, I make up games. I read all the license plates using the military alphabet. Alpha, brave, charlie, delta, echo_ you get the idea.
(I can't think what they call that alphabet right now!)
Then I pretend I have to call in suspicious behavior to the local police. I imagine a scenario and continuing with the military alphabet, I call in the license plates with detailed descriptions of the crime.
I also make words out of license plates, if there are enough letters. This varies from state to state. If there are four letters, I can usually make a word from them.
I could call someone, but I hate bothering people just because I'm bored.
I can't fix the traffic problem and I try to stay calm.
@jenyenh (205)
• Maldives
19 Jun 08
I am in a country where I dont have a chance to be caught up in traffic. I live in the maldives where I take a plane or a speedboat everytime I travel. But by saying that, It will take me longer time to reach places sometimes. I travel by plane most of the time, either to go to the capital or just getting off the country every 3 months, otherwise I will go bananas! If I am playing with my phone whilst waiting, I will be watching a movie or playing music with my ipod! I left Dubai because of traffic I hate it! But I can compensate listening to music whilst on traffic jam.
@TheDevil (840)
• India
20 Jun 08
NOT MUCH ..My eyes get hooked to the meter fare wondering how much money i have to shell out...i keep grumbling how our road systems are bad ...and i give lots of bad words to the government for doing nothing..I may also call few friends..to some time pass....n if still the traffic is not moving i will just get out of the cab....and start walking......
@bellaofchaos (11538)
• United States
20 Jun 08
Listen to music and sing along and maybe grab my cell phone and alert whoever that I'm going to be late to where ever I'm going. But nothing more or less is done.
@kun2349 (23381)
• Singapore
20 Jun 08
I'm used to traffic jams.. NOrmally, i will do ple watching during traffic jams.. Looking at those faces of the drivers next to me, seeing their frustrated faces, keep honking when it's not gonna help things or speed things up.. I also like to see those anxious look on ple when they are concerned about what has happened in front that causes the jam.. During this time, i will see alot of different sides of humans.. SOme may look gentlemen, but once in this jam, everything changed.. lol =D Thus, i just take it as a way to see and judge ple from it ^_^
@startstop123 (435)
• India
19 Jun 08
Try my level best to get out of the Traffic jam as soon as possible.
If there's no chance of getting out of it, then I'll just make calls to my friends in the meanwhile.
I don't know, I like it.
@knight_rlc26 (362)
• Philippines
20 Jun 08
i am a commutter... if i was stucked in a traffic jam... i usaully get out from the vehicle and start walking...
@amirev777 (4117)
• India
19 Jun 08
hi,
u must have experienced it just once, but i have been stuck in traffic jam quite a lot of time. the traffic here is so bad and so also the roads. sometimes it becomes very difficult to drive on such types of roads. wen i get stuck in such situation i really dont understand wat to do. i feel like getting out of the car and just firing at the person who is responsible for the jam. such situations arise especially wen u have some important meeting, or wen u have to reach some place on time. i get real hot at times. sometimes i have noticed that the passenger buses also cause these kinds of traffic jams. they just stop in between to take the people on the way an as a result the people who r at back get stuck.
we really need to do something for this like placing traffic police in the areas wer there r possiblities of more traffic congestion.
@adoremay (2065)
• Philippines
20 Jun 08
I have not encountered a 3 hours traffic jam yet. Anyways I have heard this from a preacher in our place, on what he does when he stuck in the traffic. He gets his rosary and pray, this gives him the calmness he needed so that the traffic jam will not irritate him at all.
@superstephen (12)
• China
20 Jun 08
hehe,this topic is so funny.the last time i was stuck was 20 minutes ago when i went to a supermarket to get something to eat. yeah! i was stuck in the supermaket, you must be very suprised. there are so many people in the supermarket, but there is only one woman to serve us.so we have to wait one by one to pay. this must be half an hour at least to wait,does that mean i was stuck? the truth is you have to be stuck when you live in China.sometimes be stuck in the shop,sometimes on your way home,once this stuck thing happens ,i consider it as a normal thing,just like eating,drinking,reading and swimming! this means stuck is part of my life, first,i have no choice to drop it,second,this stuck thing is sort of interesting,because whenever i was stuck,i was thinking about the real meaning of life,such as why i am here? what i am gonna do? what should i be? where should i go?what is the best choice for me tomorrow? mostly very simple questions,sometimes naive:)
does this help you somehow?
