Enjoy that traffic jam!!!

Hi guys,

So I picked up my phone this morning and the first thing I saw on it was the statement  “To see someone else happy and know that you played a part in that is a beautiful thing” and I immediately came up with the notion that I needed  to be happy so I could make someone else happy too and partake in something beautiful. It was at that moment I discovered that being happy wasn’t as easy as it sounded.  What? With the traffic those of us going to the island have to face every day  and the crazy set of drivers that have filled up the streets of Lagos it’s almost impossible to have a smile on your face while driving. For those of  you who don’t already know, I am SplitLola. A young graduate of Covenant University Otta with a Bsc. in  Management and Information Systems.  I'm a song writer, performing artist, event host and among many other things I’m  a resident of Las Gidi.

I’ve been living in Lagos a little over twenty years and in those twenty plus years, I can’t remember ever going out of my house on a week day without having to face a little bit of traffic so I guess it is safe to say traffic is second nature to a Lagosian.  However the bad traffic situation has reached new heights since the proposed routine maintenance on the third mainland bridge which was scheduled to start on the 1^st of July 2012 but due to some unclear circumstances started on the 8^th of July 2012. Tomorrow the 14^th of July 2012 makes it a week since the routine maintenance on the third mainland bridge in Lagos, Nigeria started and  for those of us who have had to face this simulation of hell on Lagos roads the situation has been nothing short of physical and psychological torment. However in the midst of all that is happening we must find a way to “make light” the experience and as they say enjoy it while it lasts!!!

I’m sure you might be wondering how anyone can ever enjoy sitting in the infamous Lagos traffic but after some research, I have come up with fun ways to ensure the traffic does not end up spoiling our day. One sure way (tested and trusted) is to turn on your car radio and tune to that your favorite music station. If they are doing some talk show or the other, make sure you get a radio station that is playing some good music and just let it loose. The more upbeat the music, the more it will reduce the  traffic jam induced stress. If the stress of your commute has already gotten to you, start with a mellow classical station to calm you down, so that you can regain control. Listen to the music that is playing. Focus solely on the music. Notice the differences of the musical beats and the tones. If there are lyrics, think or sing along to them to focus your brain away from the traffic and onto something more pleasant.

Believe it or not, you reduce the stress of sitting hours in a traffic jam when all the radio stations are on talk radio, by popping a CD into the CD player. Make sure to keep a small collection of CD's in your car at all times. The CDs might vary from various  music CDs to the funny recordings of a comedian. Recording “comedy CDs” is now trending among Nigerian Comedians. Get a number of them and add them to the collections of CDs stashed in your car. I always say “be prepared” so when radio stations have some idiot saying some arrant nonsense on radio, just switch to one of these CDs and laugh your heart out. Make sure to change these CDs every once in a while as even the best old jokes turn stale after some time and may not have the desired effect.  Pop in that CD and it might just save you from that heart attack.

There are more ways of controlling traffic jam induced stress and  one of them is what musicians call the breath exercise. Take in a deep breath through your nose. Hold this breath for 10 seconds and  slowly let the breath out through your mouth. Repeat deep breathing as often as needed to keep your heart beat slow and reduce stress. There are many times during a traffic jam that your heart can start to race. Also try not to focus on preset time lines, where you have to be, and by what time. Setting an inner alarm to the time when you have to be somewhere is just going to add to your stress. There is nothing that you can do to make the traffic move faster so just fucking relax already!!. As “near impossible” as it sounds, think of  other drivers than yourself while you are stuck. Allow someone to pull in front of you instead of forcing them to cut you off. You will be amazed how these little acts of good will will reduce your stress.

I have gone through some really stressful traffic jams here in Lagos, Nigeria  so I decided to do some research and share it with you guys and here’s my conclusion – “Be innovative in times like this, relax and have some fun in that traffic".  I once heard of someone who ordered a Chinese meal in traffic, got the diner to deliver the food to him in traffic and ate the food in traffic so don’t give yourself a damn heart attack, enjoy that traffic jam!!!

Once again I am SplitLola and I’m over and out!!!