Things to watch out for and tips to avoid traffic congestion during Holiday

Christmas is fun but driving during this season is a pain

According to Waze, the Philippines is consistently one of the worst places when it comes to traffic congestion, especially Metro Manila whiich is generally considered the worst place for driving. And things are bound to get worse, especially with only a few days until Christmas and a couple more before the New Year.

Just seeing this makes you want to scream sometimes

In order to address this, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has been on overdrive in an attempt make our motoring lives just a little easier. First, they directed malls to open an hour late at 11am instead of 10am on weekdays. The logic behind this was to lessen the mass of drivers and commuters plying the roads during 8am to 9:30am, especially as there are around a hundred malls in Metro Manila, employing some 2,000 employees each.

Second, the MMDA imposed a moratorium on all weekday sales in Metro Manila, beginning Nov 11 this year to January 10 next year.

Third, more traffic enforcers have also been fielded on the roads. In Muntinlupa alone, the local government signed up 48 enforcers in anticipation of the holiday rush.

A traffic enforcer in Muntinlupa issuing a ticket

Despite the MMDA's efforts, however, we in Philkotse.com believe that it still makes good sense for motorists to remember a few key things when driving around in Christmas traffic.

Here are a number of tips on how to better deal with the dreaded traffic congestion this coming Christmas-New Year Holiday.

#1. Keep track of the traffic situation

This might prompt many of you to say, "Well, duh!"

For some of you who’re new to driving however, there are several ways to do this that won’t waste your time.

There’s the ever-present Waze. Phone navigation applications that not only functions like GPS but also keeps track of many other things like traffic or what caused traffic, etc.

Almost every driver in the Philippines has used or is using Waze. It's great!

Another, of course, is social media. It's our very own Philkotse Facebook page and even the numerous car group pages. Many will have commenters who are either stuck in traffic lamenting their situation or are actually posting for the purpose of informing other drivers. And of course, there are the MMDA’s very own social pages.

#2. Be aware of the time

If you’re not living under a rock, you might already be aware that peak traffic times here in the country usually occur in the morning, from around 6:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M and from 4:30 PM to 8:30 P.M.

That is a huge approximation so that’s where our first piece of advice comes into play. And yes, the entire span of a day might have a large chance of becoming “rush hours” especially on the day before Christmas eve, Christmas eve, on Christmas itself.

Also, do note mall hours. As we’ve said, those now open at 11 A.M. instead of 10 A.M.

#3. Prepare some distractions

While we’re sure that many of you have the luxury of just lounging around the house during the holidays, some others will still need to go out or will want to go out and so, will have to deal with the nightmarish Christmas traffic.

In order for you to not lose your mind in the middle of traffic, the most obvious is preparing playlists of your favorite songs. For variety, we also recommend listening to Podcasts, audiobooks, and even your local AM/FM radio. Yes, local radio can be a bit archaic but it does have some up to date traffic reports.

We recommend listening to Jose Mari Chan, the final boss of Christmas

>>> Also check out: You are not a cool Pinoy driver if you haven't tried the 10 following things during traffic jam

#4. Bring a piss bottle

Disgusting as it sounds, do note that there are many thoroughfares around the country that do not allow for you to just pull-over to take a piss.

Yes, there are even gadgets you can buy to avoid making a mess

And yes, while there are many stops like gas stations you can visit to go do either number 1 or 2, that might not be ideal in some situations and might even lengthen your travel time.

That being said…

#5. Make sure your car is in tip-top shape

Before diving…or rather, driving into the thick of holiday traffic, do take your time to check your car’s condition.

Check the air in its tires, the oil levels, brake fluid, coolant, and fuel. You wouldn’t want to be stuck on the freeway or EDSA because you ran out of those right?

Also, remember that traffic requires your car to idle a LOT and idling combined with repetitive stopping and going is quite stressful to an engine. As such, it might be a good idea to have your car’s oil changed and its internals checked before Christmas day.

In fact, we highly recommend checking all of your car's fluids, lights, and tires every morning

>>> Read more: PMS Car Guideline: Keeping Your New Car in Tip-Top Shape

#6. Buy your Noche Buena supplies and Gifts early

To reduce your stress during your well-earned Christmas vacation, we also advise you to buy your Noche Buena supplies and gifts NOW, a week before December 24 and 25.

#7. You don’t have to do it alone

Humans are social creatures and it been proven by science that we get a bit of dopamine and Oxytocin every time we hang out with friends and family members we actually like.

Talking with each other will help pass time and an actual human navigator, aside from Waze, is actually pretty helpful.

Make sure to bring someone along that won't bring up some awkward stuff though

#8. Assume the worse when it comes to parking

This Christmas season, many people are going to be out shopping. Employees have their bonuses and their 13th-month pay, many kids will have pestered their ninongs and ninangs for “Aguinaldo”, and of course, the malls themselves will indulge this by having Christmas sales.

So by this line of thinking, we say that it’s always safe to assume that mall parking will always be full or tight.

Remember however that in places like Bonifacio Global City, Ortigas CBD, the vicinity of SM City Cagayan de Oro, and SM City Cebu, will have other parking spots you can take advantage of. Prepare your wallet though.

Trust us, it gets much worse than this on mall parking lots so might as well head straight to the alternative spots

>>> More parking tips this Christmas: 

• The guide to paid parking and parking spaces for rent in Manila
• Finding a parking spot in PH: How to avoid parking mayhem during Christmas

#9. Wear comfortable stuff

If you’re planning to drive through Christmas traffic, then you might as well get comfortable right? And that’s the beauty of having a car; you can actually store your nifty clothes including your stylish pair of leather boots that haven’t been broken in yet, in the trunk of your car.

Wearing loafers for driving feels great! Your feet will thank you

So, what do we recommend you wear instead?

First, choosing the suitable driving footwear for Christmas season traffic is a must. Next, wear a pair of loose-fitting pants and a shirt. Maybe even your “pambahay” that’s comfortable but still decent looking enough to save you from embarrassment when going from the parking lot to your office or mall’s comfort room to change.

#10. Buy your Christmas items online

While it does have its issues, buying gifts and other things from the internet is one way for you to outright avoid traffic during this Christmas season.

Also, you don’t have to worry about the riders who are tasked with delivering your purchases. They ride motorcycles so they aren’t affected by traffic as much as us cagers are and yeah, most of them are particularly great with their motorcycles.

Did you think this guide for dealing with Christmas traffic helped you?

Make sure to visit our website every day for more tips and advice with regards to safe driving here in the Philippines.