Los Angeles and New York are the two metro areas that have the worst reputations when it comes to gridlock and traffic nightmares. Make no mistake – these metro areas do not stand alone. If you’re looking at moving to a Chicago apartment, be prepared to face some serious traffic. With nearly 10 million people in the Greater Chicago Metropolitan area, Chicago traffic can become a bit harrowing to say the least.
Fortunately, there are some excellent ways to beat Chicago traffic or at least help you learn to live with it. Depending on your lifestyle and the location where you end up hanging your hat, these ideas might help you out.
Some helpful ways to combat the congestion:
Have a well-laid plan
If driving on your own is a must, there are still ways to handle Chicago traffic. Try to have alternate routes planned out in case of bottlenecks, leave either well before or after rush hour and plan ahead for traffic hassles. For example, have a babysitter on call to pick up kids if getting home on time becomes impossible. To obtain valuable information on Chicago commuting, visit http://www.traffic.com/Chicago-Traffic/Chicago-Traffic-Reports.html.
Don’t go it alone
Carpooling or taking advantage of public transportation can take the nightmares out of a Chicago commute. While these methods won’t tame Chicago traffic, they can relieve some of the pressures involved in battling it.
March to a different beat
One way many people are beating Chicago traffic while helping the green movement involves biking or walking to work. While these options might not work in the thick of winter, they can make other seasons much more enjoyable.
Embrace the chaos
Rather than let the traffic tangles take control of you, take control of them. Try to relax behind the wheel by playing relaxing music, using aromatherapy in your car or even playing books on tape. If you look at sitting in traffic as “relaxation time,” rather than wasted time, the grind won’t get to you so much. There is a great article on battling road rage found here: http://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Calm-During-Road-Rage. Check it out for more ideas on handling Chicago traffic or entanglements anywhere.
Moving to Chicago does bring transportation issues into play. There are ways to make the commute more tolerable. Plan, prepare and learn to relax. Do so and you’ll find Chicago traffic is at least bearable.
10 Tips for Great Carpooling
When you carpool, everyone benefits! Carpooling is a great option for anyone interested in a stress-free trip to work. You could even get your work day started by going over your planner, sending some emails from your phone or just enjoying a relaxing ride in. What’s more, you’ll be responsible for taking one more car off the road which is good for the environment!
- Be on time.
- Keep your vehicle clean and serviced regularly.
- Limit the purpose of your carpool and don’t allow it to be used for shopping trips or other errands.
- Develop a reliable communication system through email and/or text messaging so changes can be made easily if a driver is sick or the car won’t start, etc.
- Create a driver’s schedule on a bi-weekly or monthly basis.
- Decide how expenses will be covered. Is there a pool of money for gas?
- Determine how long the carpool will wait for passengers before leaving. Two or three minutes?
- Create a convenient pickup and drop-off route for passengers and designate a place to meet for the ride home.
- Set ground rules for car temperature, music selection, smoking, eating, drinking, etc.
- Give you carpool time to get going and don’t give up! Be patient as you develop a working routine.
{ 0 comments… add one now }