Life in the Ville by Jimmy Del Ponte

With all the changes in traffic patterns and bike lanes and speed bumps, driving in Somerville is a challenge. Gotta keep calm!

When I let a driver into traffic and they don’t acknowledge it I don’t get mad and beep like I used to. I have drastically changed the way I drive today. There’s a lot of nuts out there!  I asked the readers how they handle their level of road rage as they drive through the detours of Somerville?

Here is what readers shared.

“Glad I no longer drive the streets of Som. Wouldn’t want to subject my car to those road conditions, especially the speed bump on Lowell St. that I hear about.”

“I grew up in Somerville, I don’t recall speed being an issue back then. I grew up during the muscle car era and quite a few of us would spin our tires from time to time. It just seems it was less congested back then. I can recall Broadway being double lanes from Sullivan to Powderhouse.”

“I’ll have to drive by some day. I was told you have to bring it down to a crawl to get over the bump without damaging your car.”

“Getting upset about something you have no control over does you no good physically and mentally. When I let someone go in front of me, I don’t look for a reaction.”

“There are horror stories out there about road rage and people getting out of their cars. The best way to deal with traffic is to just suck it up because there’s nothing you can do about it. If you let somebody go in front of you in traffic you can’t expect a reaction from them.”

“There are a lot of crazy people out there who have guns and knives and bats in their car and these are the people that are just waiting for a reaction in an excuse to start an altercation. I try not even to make eye contact with the driver because it’s just too risky.”

Looks like we’re just gonna have to get used to all the changes in the traffic system of the city. I guess we’ll also get used to them taking away a good deal of parking spots as they are doing on Holland Street. Grin and bear it. Listen to your radio and just mind your own business because it’s a losing battle. Turn up the tunes and sing along! The crazy traffic ain’t going away.