Why is Acceptance the Answer?

Whether you are driving through rush hour traffic, taking the kids to softball practice, or driving a moving truck across town, practicing acceptance with how other people drive is a wonderful place to begin the trip.

If we all practiced acceptance of how other people drive, it would help to ease the stress and tension that is often associated with driving. When we are tense and stressed, our ability to focus on the task at hand diminishes. This can lead to careless driving, which can cause accidents.

When we accept how other people drive, we can focus on our own driving and stay safe. Additionally, it will make our commute a little less frustrating.

Acceptance is the answer!

What does acceptance is the answer mean?

Acceptance is the first step in finding the answer. Acceptance means acknowledging the truth—that a problem exists. Acceptance of a problem should ignite a fire that demands action. Action as in having a less stressful commute by driving safely and accepting other drivers.

An anonymous person once said, “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment,”.  For our purposes, that “person, place, thing, or situation” is driving and/or other drivers.

How do you deal with rush hour traffic?

To assist in making the time spent in rush hour pass quickly, try listening to your favorite music, an audiobook, a radio show, or a podcast. If the kiddos are in the vehicle with you, make up silly singing games or play “I spy” to distract you from the stress, which in turn, will lower the kids’ stress levels as well. 

If you have to deal with significant rush hour traffic every day, try to think of this as your “me” time. This is a great way to be productive and stay calm while still letting you focus on the road.

When driving in inclement weather, always allow extra time to reach your destination. Driving in the rain, sleet, or snow can be dangerous, so it is vital to be cautious while behind the wheel.

If traffic is really backed up and you are running late, do not stress! Instead, take a few deep breaths and relax. Remind yourself that everything will work out in the end. There is no sense in getting upset; it will only worsen the situation.

Rush hour traffic can be frustrating, but you can make the experience a little more bearable by following these tips.

Acceptance is the key to a less stressful commute!

What time is traffic the worst in Michigan?

Rush hour is typically from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the mornings and 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the evenings, depending on the Interstate, Highway, or roads you take. Popular Interstates, Highways, and Streets include I-94, I-96, M-14, US-23, I-275, I-696, Michigan Ave., Woodward Ave., and Telegraph to name a few that will most definitely encounter high traffic.

Should you find yourself wanting to stay off of these busy areas and wish to take a more “scenic” route, Michigan is full of scenic roadways! For example, when traveling from downtown Detroit out to the “Lakes Area” of Oakland County, the scenic route might include Woodward Avenue instead of I-696 or Haggerty instead of I-275. Or, instead of traveling on M-59, take Elizabeth Lake Road west and see five different lakes along the way.

Just ensure you check the map or GPS ahead of time to see if there is a significant difference in travel time or not.

In fact, if you are feeling adventurous, take a day trip in Michigan along M-119. According to Wikipedia, this is the Tunnel of Trees Scenic Heritage Route, one of the Pure Michigan Byways in the state. Bluff Drive becomes Lake Shore Drive near the Harbor Point Golf Course, and M-119 turns northward to follow the Lake Michigan shoreline at the mouth of Little Traverse Bay. Along an old Ottawa trail, the roadway meanders through oaks, maples, birch, and cedars. Along this area of the routing, the highway narrows in width and continues through the forest without a centerline most of the remainder of the way.

As the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) states on their website, “M-119 is not a road for those in a hurry.” The roadway is known as the Tunnel of Trees because the foliage from trees on either side of the road meets high over the middle of the road, where it forms a canopy so soft that it lets daylight trickle through in small amounts only.

How is Detroit driving?

For many people, Detroit is synonymous with the automobile. Actually, it came in second to last in WalletHub’s rankings of America’s best and worst cities for driving. WalletHub looked at 100 American cities in its report, and Detroit came in 99 overall. 

In the category of traffic and infrastructure, Detroit was ranked 93rd. In addition, the city fared poorly in categories such as:

• average annual hours of congestion per driver (67th),

• quality of roads (85th), and bridge quality (94th).

Detroit was ranked much better when it comes to safety, coming in at 12th overall. WalletHub considered metrics such as fatalities per 100 million miles traveled, drunk driving fatalities, and pedestrian and cyclist safety in the safety category.

Despite its poor ranking in the overall study, Detroit did have some bright spots. For example, in the cost of ownership and maintenance category, Detroit ranked 34th overall. And in the category of access to vehicles and parking, Detroit came in at number 6.

So, what can we learn from Detroit’s poor driving ranking?

Why is Acceptance the Answer?

No matter where you live, there will always be people who drive poorly. Quite simply, we could all practice acceptance regarding how other people drive. By accepting this, we can focus on our own driving and stay safe. Additionally, by accepting how other people drive, we can ease the stress and tension often associated with driving.

Remember, acceptance is the answer, and drive safe!