When I took Driver's Ed there was one clear rule: “Do not use your brakes on the highway." Instead, you’re supposed to simply take your foot off the gas pedal and coast to slow down. So far, this has worked great and I’ve only had to use my brakes on I-90 in Spokane maybe once. In Seattle I was hitting my brakes constantly.
Perhaps the worst part is the waiting. It's early morning and it’s going great; traffic is moving and I’m cruising right along when I fiddle with the radio only to look up and have to slam on the brakes when everyone is suddenly trapped in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Instant anger. This got me thinking about some tips and advice for traveling in Spokane or Seattle:
Seattle driving requires a phone charger for your car. If you’re like me, your phone dies much faster than normal, and it’s probably because the Maps App is running the entire time you’re driving.
Imagine you are in Seattle driving for the first time, and you are randomly in Redmond trying to get to Tacoma when your phone dies. Now you are trapped and have to ask for directions, try to remember them or find a way to charge your phone. Save yourself the headache and just bring a car charger.
Radio stations: I take them for granted. I have all my presets for Spokane, and it’s easy to find a station that is playing while the others are in commercial. Sadly, these stations don't transfer from Spokane to Seattle, forcing you to try and browse through the stations while driving – which causes you to be in a constant fear of dying in a sudden traffic jam. I managed to find one station while stuck in traffic, and that was okay... until they played the same songs on repeat and I went insane.
Sitting in traffic, listening to radio static or the same CD for the 100th time, and sweating is not enjoyable. My car doesn’t have AC, but this isn’t an issue because I leave the windows down when I’m driving – or so I thought. When you are stuck in traffic, no air is moving in through the window. When traveling through the Seattle area, take the necessary precautions.
Spokane is a little bit simpler. Right off the bat, don’t worry about having to exit left off the highway; the only exits are on the right side of the road. The most frustrating part of driving on I-90 is when someone is ahead of you going 10 miles per hour under the speed limit for no reason. This is a simple fix because you can just pass him or her. If you miss a turn in Spokane, just go around the block and you’ll be there in a minute.
Whether you are driving in Spokane or Seattle, always be safe and avoid distractions like texting and driving.
