Practicing Patience on the Roads this Holiday Season

They say patience is a virtue but it’s awfully difficult to summon much of it when you’re stuck in rush hour on Interstate 40, especially during the holidays.

It doesn’t have to be the morning commute either – it seems like there are always backups on the area’s roads, along with gridlock and general congestion that conspires to raise your blood pressure and take away valuable time from work, home or anywhere else.

Believe it or not, Knoxville traffic isn’t as bad as many other cities. Various studies of road conditions in metropolitan areas comparing accident rates, delays and time to different destinations, typically rank Knoxville pretty low. A 2016 study predictably put Los Angeles at the top, and nearby Nashville as 19, but Knoxville secured the bottom with a decent 174th.

But this is only a small comfort when you’re caught in a traffic jam and running late to work or another appointment.

Old timers know it wasn’t always this way. In the 1970s, the area’s convoluted roadway system earned all sorts of bad national press, but major infrastructure improvements straightened things out quite nicely. Nevertheless, the perception remains that the roads have been and always will be messy.

Today, the situation is enough to make anyone grit their teeth and lose their cool. But too much anger has the potential to cause detours in your planned route and you’ll end up going to the body shop, the hospital or jail.

Here’s how to remain patient on the road this holiday season.

• Let ‘em in. When a lane is closed, people who zip along the shoulder to cut in at the last second instead of merging and waiting politely do get there sooner. But in the process, they make a lot of people unhappy with their selfish behavior, sometimes to the point where people ease into that lane and delay/block their shortcut so they have to wait in line like everyone else. In the spirit of forgiving, try not to block other people’s progress. Plus transportation legal professionals suggest that traffic can actually flow better if we all adopt this ‘zipper’ behavior by moving forward and merging at the last minute, rather than sitting and waiting. If everyone is doing it, it’s less line jumping and more “being efficient.”
• Enjoy the moment. Find things you like about where you are, literally, not figuratively. Compare this point to less-fun moments in your world to put things in perspective. “I’m in my comfy car with the music on. I would rather be doing this than ____________.”
• Imagine someone else’s story. Instead of screaming at someone for dangerous behavior, make up a better reason for it. It doesn’t have to be true, but have fun envisioning your own “very special” creative holiday story. Was she a doctor on her way to deliver a baby? Was he a secret agent in a hurry to drop off secret plans? If Christmas miracles are at stake, what’s a little distraction?

Overall, the stress of the holidays can make things crazier on the roads. But trying to stay calm can make your holidays memorable in a good way.

After spending his secondary years of study at The McCallie School in Chattanooga, G Turner Howard III earned his BA at Tulane University. A member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association, he received his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Before becoming an attorney, he earned a Master’s and Doctor of Divinity at Andrews Theological Seminary and Columbia Theological Seminary. He also served as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army in Vietnam. With more than 20 years of experience, his firm has helped clients receive millions of dollars for personal injury, and in many cases, much faster than they ever expected.