Top entertaining tips when stuck in Manila traffic

Getting stuck in Manila traffic is a daily occurrence for most. Besides the agonizing crawl across EDSA and other roads prone to congestion, you have to deal with reckless drivers, large buses and trucks, and just the overall stress of getting to where you need to be on time.

Stress can easily consume you, which leads to road rage and just an overall bad mood. The worst thing you can do is add to your stress, but there’s only so much scrolling on your phone can do. This is why we listed a number of things you can do to keep yourself entertained and busy while stuck in the middle of traffic.

Crank up the music

The best thing about being in your car is you can turn up the radio as much as you want. Belt your heart out to today’s hits, connect your playlist and dance along to your feel-good music, or indulge in that guilty pleasure song you secretly love. Radio stations also have their most engaging programs during rush hours, so you can also pass the time by tuning in.

Listening to music is both an effective and fun way to relieve some stress. So turn it up as loud as you can. However, make sure that it doesn’t drown out your environment — you don’t want to get into an unexpected accident.

Cross off some tasks

Besides your patience, the number one thing traffic can easily consume is your time. If you’re dreading the dwindling time you could be using for productive tasks, you can perform some of the menial ones while stuck in traffic. It can range from anywhere between fixing your makeup, making lists, checking reports, or even cleaning up the inside of your car.

You can also catch up on some hobbies like continuing that audiobook or podcast you have in your queue.

Take selfies

Ever seen those posts with captions like “currently stuck in traffic?” Taking selfies is a fun way to pass the time in between traffic. Play around with different filters and share them with your friends or mutuals on social media. You can even record a TikTok or make some funny Instagram story posts.

Car selfies are very popular at the moment. However, make sure that you still keep some of your attention on the road and your surroundings.

Have a snack

If you’re constantly finding yourself stuck in traffic, pack an ‘emergency’ snack bag in your car. Traffic can last for approximately more than two to three hours. When stress hits, it’s easy to feel fatigued and hungry. 

Pack some light snacks that give you enough energy to survive the traffic, plus some extra guilty pleasure ones for some much-needed stress eating. Don’t forget to include beverages, most importantly being water.

Call a friend

It can get pretty lonely when you’re just wading through traffic alone. While the Anti-Distracted Driving Law limits the number of ways on how we can use our smartphones will in the car, you can still hook up your phone to the infotainment system via Bluetooth for calls.

Should you feel as if you’re slowly losing your sanity,  calling a friend can be a good way to lighten the mood and have someone keep you company at the same time. You can also use this time to catch up or just ask each other fun questions. If you’re not sure what to talk about, you can start by asking them about your day and what stood out to them today most.

Verdict

There’s nothing fun about getting stuck in traffic — it’s time-consuming and stressful. However, it is possible to relieve ourselves from this stress while still keeping yourself entertained. But of course, safety is still the number one priority.

Refrain from any activities that require you to look at your phone for extended periods of time. If you can connect it to the vehicle’s infotainment system, then that’s great. Likewise, avoid activities that keep you too distracted from what’s going on around you. This can potentially result in a road accident or even cause one for another driver. You should definitely have a fun time on the road, but always put yours and your passengers’ safety first.

Do you have any tips on how to be stress-free while stuck in traffic? Share it with us on our social media.

Also read: 10 Maintenance Tips to Extend the Life of Your Car