Traffic! Everywhere, no matter when. This is a hot topic in the early months of a new scholastic year. We all complain about traffic, on Social Media, with our colleagues and also with our friends. But what can we do? It’s true that road infrastructure is not the best one we could dream of, however YOU can do something to help reduce the problem of traffic. Here are some tips, you might not agree with them, so if you have better ones Contact Us and we will add them to the list.
Do not be lazy
Walk, take the bike, but do not be lazy! There is no need to park in front of your house and also in front of your office. Parking 15 minutes far away will save you 20 minutes traffic jam and another 15 minutes looking for parking, so please, do not be lazy. There are some campaigns going on that promote using the bikes – do it! Here’s some of these campaigns – No Traffic 4 Me and Ride to Work. Remember that exercise is healthy.
Use Public Transport
Yes, it’s true, public transport is not so efficient. However the truth is not just that. The truth is that we are lazy. Take a bus and walk instead of waiting for another bus.
Besides buses, there are other means of transport, such as the Sliema Ferries. So if you plan to travel from Sliema to Valletta, or vice-versa, take the boat. Here is the Schedule for the Boat. Fares are quite cheap, as they start from €1.50 for a single trip.
Follow the Law
Driving on the bike lane (it’s illegal), might get you to work 10 minutes earlier, that’s true. But you know what? The next day, that bike driver, is going to return in his car. As he will think that it’s not safe driving a bike, not even on a bike line! So in the short run, it might help YOU, but in the long run, it will hurt YOU back. That bike driver is going to return in his car, the next day, and he is probably going to be in front of you in the traffic, making you get to work even later than the previous day. So trying to break the law to get you to your destination earlier, will in the end work against you.
One other thing, changing the lane every 5 minutes is not going to help. Lane discipline is very important. Also, if you decide to change the lane, make sure to look in the mirror for any motorbikes that might be approaching. Do not forget the blind spot! Making life easier for motorbikes might get more people interested in getting one, which will also result in less traffic jams.
Timing
Time is also a crucial thing when it comes to traffic. Try to talk to your boss to have flexible working hours, or some hours where you can work from home, avoiding to drive is the ultimate way of helping to reduce traffic.
Check Google Maps for alternative Routes
Another tip that we found helpful is to enter your starting point and also your destination in Google Maps and look for other route alternatives. There might be some routes, which are not well known (especially in rural areas) that will be a bit longer with less traffic along. So go on and check for an alternative journey, planning can help you save time!
To Conclude…
You might not agree with any of our tips and you just want to keep on blaming the others. In that case, we respect your opinion, however this is our last tip for you: Be gentle to one another and respect all road users, being angry at everyone is not gonna make your day better, being kind will.
