Caught in the act: From car karaoke to peeping on other drivers, Vancouverites admit coping with traffic has put them in awkward situations

Beat the Traffic survey results find 33% of Metro Vancouver drivers spend at least an hour a day in traffic

VANCOUVER, Oct. 6, 2014 /CNW/ - Survey results released today reveal the majority (66%) of Metro Vancouver drivers think traffic is a nightmare and one-third (33%) are stuck in it for at least an hour every day.  Beat the Traffic commissioned the survey, which uncovered how Metro Vancouver motorists cope with traffic and gridlock.

While 86 per cent of Metro Vancouver drivers have succumbed to the fact that traffic is just a way of life if you live in the Greater Vancouver Area, the survey finds they've found interesting ways to make the best of their time while in gridlock. Fifty-four per cent of survey takers confess to being "car stars" and singing along with the latest hits, though 41 per cent say they find it embarrassing to be caught by other motorists. Another 57 per cent prefer to people-watch to pass the time, which can awkwardly backfire, as 18 per cent of Metro Vancouver commuters admit to being caught picking their nose by another driver.

The car appears to be a popular place for multitasking, as over half (53%) of Metro Vancouver commuters admit to eating or drinking while sitting in traffic, with 30 per cent who believe it saves time to eat breakfast while sitting bumper to bumper. Even with tough laws about using the phone while driving, over a quarter (29%) per cent of survey takers feel that using a cellphone is okay if the car is stopped. Looking to maximize this time, 24 per cent talk on the phone, while 17 per cent use traffic congestion as time to read through emails and text messages. What drivers aren't doing because of the time spent in gridlock is spending time with family and friends (54%) and exercising (36%), according to the survey.   

"A whopping 81 per cent of survey respondents said that they'd rather keep moving on a longer route than sit idling in city traffic," said Mark Thompson, Managing Director of Beat the Traffic. "A high volume of cars and bottlenecking at the bridges can cause painful congestion issues, and that's where Beat the Traffic steps in to help."

Beat the Traffic is a traffic information service that provides commuters with comprehensive information in order to make their commute as effortless and as efficient as possible. Powered by a blend of crowd source, public and private data suppliers and live operators Beat the Traffic provides comprehensive real-time traffic coverage through its mobile app and at www.beatthetraffic.com.

Beat the Traffic offers the following tips to help daily commuters get to their destination:

• Know before you go.
  • Check real-time traffic information relevant to your daily route before you leave the house; that way you know what to expect on your route before you start commuting.
• Plan out alternative routes.
  • Beat the Traffic recommends smart route based on real-time road and traffic conditions, so you can adjust your commute to avoid traffic jams
• Travel during non-peak periods.
  • Commute with half the amount of traffic on the road by leaving a little earlier or later.

About the Survey
From September 18^th to September 19^th 2014 an online survey was conducted among 805 randomly selected adult British Columbia residents who are Angus Reid Forum panelists. The margin of error—which measures sampling variability—is +/- 3.4%, 19 times out of 20. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current education, age, gender and region Census data to ensure a sample representative of the entire adult population of British Columbia. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

About Pelmorex Media Inc.
Celebrating 25 years, Pelmorex Media Inc. is the parent company of The Weather Network, MétéoMédia, Beat the Traffic and Eltiempo.es. Pelmorex operates in Canada, US, Spain and the UK. The Weather Network and its French counterpart MétéoMédia are Canada's most popular weather and information services on TV, web and smartphone apps. Pelmorex owns Eltiempo, Spain's leading multi-platform weather information provider. With strong roots in weather, we continue to leverage technology and science to help consumers plan their day by expanding the Pelmorex family to include Beat the Traffic, a leading multi-platform brand that finds the fastest route from point A to point B. Pelmorex also operates Canada's National Alerting Aggregation and Dissemination System (NAADS) which aggregates and distributes emergency alerts issued by authorized government agencies. Pelmorex has been named Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for eight consecutive years.

SOURCE: Pelmorex Media Inc.

For further information, including additional survey findings, please contact: Sara Stratton, High Road, [email protected], 416-644-2258