Holy Traffic Batman

I have lived in northern Virginia off and on since 1996 and there isn’t another place I would rather be than in traffic. NOT! I love that you can spend 2 hours and only drive 30 miles. I live about 23 miles away from my 9 to 5 but it takes me at least 45 minutes every day, each way. Umm, excuse me; can I please have my 90 minutes of my life back? Wishful thinking! That’s a lot of time, and a lot can happen in 90 minutes. Have you ever tried to rush home to pick up your sick child from school? Did you use your usual route? How was traffic….wait don’t tell me a nightmare.  There are some days when the traffic isn’t that bad, like on a Friday at 2 in the morning. I encourage you to find a few different routes. Try to find routes and become comfortable with them. **511va.org has a new smart phone app. I use 511va.org before leaving work every day. I like the fact that I can look at a live camera, and not some symbol of what is supposed to be or not be traffic. Of course make sure you are not looking at the app while driving! There are thousands of ways to follow the yellow brick road; most of them are not kept secret. I know if I am ever stuck on P95 (that’s parking lot 95), I am quick to follow the crowd take a detour. I have ended up a little of course sometimes, but the adventure was more than worth it. So you want to travel deeper into emergency preparedness you say, well than I have a top secrete tip for you. Now I am only willing to share this with you, because I know you won’t tell a soul. There is a book of sorts, most people haven’t heard of, and even more people have yet to even lay eyes on. It’s called A MAP! No, a map is not an acronym for a smart phone app. You may have to ask someone a little bit older than you what it is and where you can find one. I’m sure it will be the same person that will be able to tell you what a pay phone is. This book will be able to tell you all the roads home.  I know it’s a stretch from the digital world we live in, but trust me, one day you just might need to unplug. I’m going to teach my kids this summer how to use one when we drive cross country and back. I will of course have my GPS, as a back up, you know, in case reading words on paper gets too complicated.

If you are taking a road trip, this summer, remember to always think safety first. Let others know your estimated arrival times and a quick text if you detour. When you check in your hotel, check in with a friend too.  If you have little ones, slap a sticker on the car seat letting others know emergency contact info. Try to do a huge part of your driving early in the morning, this will allow time for any bumps in the road! Know your passengers! If after 2 hours the kids are trying to kill each other, drive slower, just kidding. Plan your trip so that its fun for everyone. Taking pets along, make sure you stop at pet friendly places. It is going to be too hot to keep Fido in the car. Most importantly, have fun, take pictures, sing to the radio and soak up every minute of this amazing chance that is denied to far too many. 

Always Ready (usualy),

Nisi Bennett

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