How to handle very heavy traffic (stop & crawl)

[Doofus McFancypants]

Morning all,

Atlanta was hit with a line of very strong thunderstorms this AM - and while we DO need the rain, this brought downed trees and power lines - not to mention traffic lights out of commission. there were even several trees across I-75. they were backed up for many miles.

As a result, my 12 mile commute turned into 1 dead end (tree across road) and a total of 1 hr 30 minutes drive time.

The main issue was the impact of the traffic lights i think.
when the lights are out - they are treated as a 4 way stop. and with the volume of cars you cannot really EOC - nor can you actually turn off car at light. ( everyone is moving at stop and go at 5 mph_

Any thoughts as to best handle this - other than pulling over and waiting a few hours for the insanity to clear.

I figured as long as i have to idle - i tried to let the out the clutch a little and let the idle move the car forward ( either in 1st or second). once i did get to decent working lights - then resumed normal driving style.

I kinda wish i had a scangage- this by far was the worst commute time i have had in the 3 years being in Atlanta.

[s2man]

I usually handle traffic like that by taking a Valium.

[Daox]

Those situations are very hard to deal with in an efficient manner. For me, bump starting at less than about 15 mph isn't easy and usually isn't too pretty either. In this case, I just idle unless I can keep speed up on a downgrade. When the car in front of me gets far enough ahead I pulse just enough so I don't have to use my brakes. Its far from ideal, but you do have to deal with it from time to time.

[SVOboy]

Like Daox, I would prolly just idle and try to keep my stress levels down...you don't want to burn out on ecodriving because you tried to do it in overly difficult conditions.

[boxchain]

Dood, I got pissed today when my 20 mins turned into 30

I try to keep it in 1st gear as much as possible. Be exceptionally smooth on the throttle and you should be able to crawl in gear. Although I don't have a SG so I don't know what that does to FE.

I wish ppl wouldn't take 4 way stops so literally I like to do it the European way, where you start when the other side is passing. Nobody really stops = traffic keeps moving. And if the car next to me jumps it and goes, I go with it.

I have 4 way stops down to a science since every traffic light in the city was off for about a year recently.

[metroschultz]

You just described the traffic situation here in wonderful Downtown Tidewater. It is a little lighter toward the western fringes. And lots heavier near the Naval Base in Norfolk. Lord help me I live in the center of Va. Beach.
This is why I work nights. To avoid the mob. Traffic is worst from 6a - 9a, then again from 4p -7p. there is always some fool who was trying to go 75 mph while everyone around him is going 40 mph. Big accident = big backup.
That said, all I do when stuck is open my windows and listen to the music and "Go With the Flow". Keep stress at bay. If I get the opportunity to use intelligent driving I will, but usually it is just stop & roll & stop & roll, etc, ad infinitum.
I've lived near;
NYC = bad traffic
DC = bad traffic
Here = bad traffic
You learn to adjust. Make the best of it.
Abba goo dai,
S.

[hondaworkshop]

This is where I love having the automatic. I just creep along at the magic speed that allows me to almost never completely stop or accelerate.

Be predictive, be patient.

Watch for the brake lights way ahead of you and you'll know when to start coasting, even if the car in front of you starts making a big gap...You already know it will be stopping again soon enough. This has an added benefit of stabilizing the flow behind you.

[tasdrouille]

Every second Friday, I have to drive through almost all of Montreal's island. 23 miles in all. At 4pm it usually it takes me an hour, but last Friday it took just over 2 hours. I wished I was driving an EV.

[cfg83]

Doof -

Originally Posted by Doofus McFancypants

...

Any thoughts as to best handle this - other than pulling over and waiting a few hours for the insanity to clear.

I figured as long as i have to idle - i tried to let the out the clutch a little and let the idle move the car forward ( either in 1st or second). once i did get to decent working lights - then resumed normal driving style.

I kinda wish i had a scangage- this by far was the worst commute time i have had in the 3 years being in Atlanta.

Yeah, I find the best thing is to try to move the car without pressing on the accelerator pedal. All movement at a bare minimum. It's the only time I really regret not having a hybrid.

There was one time when my wife was in really bad traffic in Santa Monica. I told her to stop at a Marshalls and stay there until traffic let up. She told me that everyone else in the Marshals was on the cell phone DOING THE SAME THING. They had all given up and were waiting for the traffic to clear up.

CarloSW2

[NoCO2]

Doofus: you and I must have been stuck in the same muck this morning. I live right off Exit 263 on I-75 and I saw the mess on 75 and took Hwy41 instead and at about 9AM it was bumper to bumper, I think I averaged about 5 mph the whole way. The good thing about 41 though is the rolling hills so on the uphills I just stayed way back from the guy in front and just kept chugging along slowly. Then the downhills were great because I could get all the way down EOCing. Instead of having my engine running for the whole hour I was sitting there on my way to the auto shop, I probably only had my engine on for about 30 minutes, I think that saved me a bunch of gas.