Day 3 - 203 -- Traffic Jam

The day went along fairly well -- gorgeous blue skies as the temperature increased over yesterday and it will only get hotter tomorrow. Work brought some small requests that were easily completed. The major project for the day moved slightly forward with some extra reading on the topic. Heading home after work, I chose to go for gas tomorrow morning when the temperature is a bit cooler. I've noted greater traffic in town lately with at least 10 cars passing before I can make the left turn going into work. Heading home tonight was far worse. This was an actual traffic jam winding through the town. When I made it down and around to the traffic light on Main Street, I counted 15 vehicles in front of me and twice that many behind me until they wrapped around a curve and I could no longer count them. Luckily, I turn off just a block past Main Street, but there were far more than the 15 cars lined up going uphill towards a 4-way stop several blocks on.I am glad I didn't have to sit in the traffic for any longer than I did. It took about 20 minutes to go a distance that usually takes about 7 minutes. Walking takes 15 max. So, even small towns get a type of traffic jam -- and all I could think of while idling away on the streets was that the gas light had come on and I didn't want to run out of gas and cause a bigger jam.

I've been in major gridlock in large metropolitan centres in Canada -- even in Nova Scotia -- as well as in Thailand and the US. It can be a stressful situation. Focusing on something other than not moving at a desired rate can help maintain some element of calmness. Feeling trapped is never a good thing and it can stimulate the fight or flight response from the hind brain. Doing this day after day would get old very quickly, so I keep our occasional local episodes in perspective <smile>.

The selection for today comes from a song recorded some time ago and revisited for a more recent commercial. It is good for a smile or two -- and could be another explanation for road rage <smile>. Enjoy!

Traffic Lights -- John Cleese