Do YOU do any of these embarrassing things in traffic?

All of us are human, so we can’t help but commit a few mistakes here and there. But it can be especially mortifying for us when we do things that we’re not proud of in public. Add it to the possibility of doing such things in your vehicle, and it will leave you cringing in your driver’s seat.

For most drivers, some of the most awkward things that they do are usually when they are stuck in traffic during rush hour. With those minutes or maybe even hours of sitting inside your car, there are bound to be some humiliating instances. Here is a list of some embarrassing driving mistakes you might have done in traffic:

Forgetting to Dim Your High Beams

While on the road at night, it might be difficult to see clearly, so you turn on your high beams for a while. But, if you were in traffic and you forgot to dim them, you might be causing annoyance to your fellow drivers. No one wants to get blindsided by such lights, and in worst-case scenarios, you might even cause an accident.

Turning Without the Signal Light On

Drivers find it extremely frustrating when the car in front of them suddenly turns, and their signal light does not indicate such beforehand. You might hear a few honks if you forget to do this essential driving skill.

Stalling

Stalling happens when you let out the clutch too quickly on takeoff. The silencing of the engine can make you feel like crawling into a hole, especially in traffic, and all while you’ve been given the green signal.

Loud Exhaust

If you hear a loud exhaust noise coming from your car, prepare for others to be looking at you. Some people love it when others look at them. There is a thing called noise pollution though, and you might be the culprit with that extra loud exhaust. If you don’t mean it, you might want to cover your face and hide, but maybe it’s also an indication to get your exhaust system checked.

Road Rage

We understand. Traffic can bring out the worst in people. You might have said a few curse words here and there because of unruly drivers. But it is never a shining moment to be shouting incessantly at other people. Humans emotional intelligence quoting the book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman tells us that it is natural to feel anger for others mistakes on the roads. You can find this book and many more on Scribd which is a wonderful service that allows you and a few friends to read as many books and audiobooks per month. It’s basically the Netflix of books. If you would like 60 days of free books click here.

 

 

Playing Extremely Loud Music

Of course, all of us have our own favorite music, but it can be annoying and embarrassing if you play it too loud that other people can hear it. You should be courteous and respectful since no one wants to be stuck in traffic while listening to songs that they don’t like.

Spit on The Road

Some people have the indecency to spit on the pavement. They lean out of their car window or throw their heads back on a motorcycle. This disgusting behavior leads to people behind them getting spit on them. Nobody knows the bacteria in others’ spit, so it is necessary for people to learn that it is extremely rude behavior.

Cut Others Off

Without using their mirrors, some people just decide to merge or turn. They do this because they are lazy or because they don’t care. Usually it is the larger vehicles that do this most, because first of all they can’t be harmed, and second, they often don’t monitor the surroundings that their vehicle can affect.

Do You Do Any Of These Things?

Can you relate to any of those embarrassing things? Please let us know in the comments if you can! They might be moments that are still stuck in your head and are not easily forgotten. They can also serve as reminders for you to practice proper road etiquette. Please make sure to avoid doing these embarrassing acts as much as possible. They are not just humiliating situations. They can also cause serious accidents if you’re not careful.

 

Sources:

The top 12 most embarrassing driving blunders

The Rush Hour Effect and the Worst Times to be Out on the Street

Rush hour - we’ve all heard of this phrase and perhaps we do every day. Indeed, it’s something that a lot of us avoid and that’s mostly so that we don’t end up late to work, school, or appointments.

Most of the times, it’s usually “Leave the house early so you don’t get stuck at rush hour,” or “Let’s leave for the mall after rush hour so we won’t be late.”

Indeed, rush hour is a hassle all over the world and it’s a day-to-day occurrence, especially during the weekdays. Here we outline how rush hour affects our lives.

A Common Problem

On an average, the rush hours all over the world are at 7am - 9am in the morning. This is usually the time where people drive going to work or school. Since most jobs and schools also open at this time, it’s no wonder that there are a lot of vehicles on the streets and roads. For the afternoon, it’s also usually at 3pm - 5pm, a common time work and school also end and where commuters rush to get home or to their after-work or after-school appointments. Traffic is now worse than it's ever been as the number of vehicles on streets at any time has drastically increased over the years.

Almost Everyone Has Cars

One of the biggest contributors to rush hour are personal vehicles. Imagine, there’s a single company with around 100 employees. Let’s say around 80% of those employees have their own vehicles. That’s bound to contribute to the traffic congestion. Let’s take LA for an example, in a 2017 study, it was found that 84% of commuters chose to drive going to work. Your vehicles are costing you more money than you think just sitting around in traffic. The average commuter wastes around 60 liters of fuel a year just sitting in traffic.

The Bigger the City, the Bigger the Congestion

Evidently, the bigger the city, the more businesses, schools, and companies there are. And that means more residents, more commuters, and more traffic congestion during rush hours. Congestion builds through the week from Monday through Friday. Traffic on Thursday is almost as bad as traffic on Friday! The bigger the city, the more traffic there is to get stuck in. In cities of over 1 million people, they spent an average of 71 hours stuck in traffic. These cities also experienced a road network that was congested for approximately 6 hours of the average weekday. According to the INRIX 2018 Global Traffic Scorecard, the top 10 most congested cities in the world are:

  1. Moscow, Russia – 210 hours lost in congestion
  2. Istanbul, Turkey – 157 hours
  3. Bogotá, Colombia – 272 hours
  4. Mexico City, Mexico – 218 hours
  5. São Paulo, Brazil – 154 hours
  6. London, United Kingdom – 227 hours
  7. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – 199 hours
  8. Boston, MA, United States – 164 hours
  9. Saint Petersburg, Russia – 200 hours
  10. Rome, Italy – 254 hours

Not Just About Being Late

While we’re mostly concerned about punctuality when it comes to rush hour, there’s also another aspect where it creates a negative affect and that’s our health and the environment’s too. As more cars congest in the streets, the more we exposed we are to pollution from the exhausts that many vehicles emit. Bad driving behavior like driving and braking too fast can cause even more traffic buildup behind you. This is due to chain reactions.

The next time you get into rush hour, don’t just think about your appointment. Think about your respiratory health too! It is best to drive at a steady pace. Try to avoid rush hour by driving at other times, using apps like Waze to avoid traffic, and use public transport as much as you can. Vehicles and sitting in traffic is also very expensive. What are some of your opinions on rush hour?