Tips and Tricks for Long Daily Commutes
Always have two routes to go!!
When you are first driving to a location every day, chances are sooner or later you will need an alternative route. Traffic, road construction, road closure are just a few of the things you will run into when you are driving every day. Alternative routes are also nice to break up the monotony of the grind as well. I recommend you have at least two if not more.
Time Travel
Now that you have a few routes decided for your commute, its time to evaluate them. The easiest way to do this is see traffic patterns on certain days at certain times. Enter Google Maps, my choice for checking traffic in real time as well as in the future. After you search and find the area you want (have) to commute in turn on the traffic option in the right top section of the map menu.
After the traffic is on you will notice the bottom left of the map has the default set to live, but there is a change button. Now here is where the fun starts! When you click change this gives you the ability to change the day of the week and time so you can see most likely what you will run into!! Now armed with this information you can reevaluate different routes that you have chosen.
Google Maps Link
- Google Maps
This website is a life saver for free up to date traffic information.
Check Traffic and Plan Your Route
Always use Google Maps traffic function to check on the roads out there before you begin each day. An early accident at a key point along the way can really cause chaos. Be mindful of different traffic patterns for different days and choose between your routes accordingly.
Sunglasses or Sunglass Clips are a necessity
A final parting gift is to let you know about sun glare and traffic it causes. Always be prepared with a properly functioning visor and sunglasses. You definitely want some type of eye protection when you are commuting. I would recommend either a clip on set of polarized glasses or some type of polarized sunglasses that wrap around. Sunglasses really cut down on the glare, but polarized lenses will cut this glare even more. The last thing you need is to get a headache from squinting on a long commute.
Also some type of music, radio show, and or book on cd will really make getting down the road a lot more pleasant for yourself and everyone else. There are a few more goods you may want to check out here. Good Luck from a fellow traveler!!!
