Things To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Stoplights abound and just like standing in line at the grocery store, sitting behind all the other vehicles at a stoplight is just a boring time waster. However, I have some great activities for those times that you are sitting at a stoplight just waiting for it to turn green. You don’t have to stare at that blaring red light any more!

I have to maximize my time because there simply are not enough minutes in a day for me to accomplish everything! Think about it the same way you would coupons when you are checking out with all that delicious food and saving loads of money. It is the same concept except that the savings is time.

 

Number 10 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Check the air in the tires.

Don’t get out of the car! You can only do this if you are at a non-busy stoplight and there aren’t any cars around you. Open the car door, hold onto the steering wheel with your right hand and lean all-l-l-l-l the way out the door. The goal is to look under the door to see the front tire and then turn to look at the back tire. If the rubber is smooshed a little on the tire, you know you need air and can assume that the two passenger side tires need air as well.

If you have long hair, there is an added step. You will need to hold your hair up with your left hand as you lean out the door. If you don’t do this step, your hair will drag on the pavement or in the gutter dirt.

 

Number 9 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Since I’m sure you carry paper towels and window cleaner in your car like I do, another task you can complete is cleaning the windows of your vehicle. Since you do not want to remove your seat belt, only clean the driver’s side window, half of the front windshield and the rear mirror.

Be sure to save the paper towels because they will probably be mostly dry by the time you reach your destination. After you park, you can take a minute to clean the other half of the windshield or wait until you get back in the car again.

 

Number 8 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Clean the trash on the seats, beside the seats and on the floor. Of course I’m sure you have a car bag for trash, so this will be a speedy chore.

Remember, you can’t take off your seat belt, so objects like umbrellas or tennis rackets will help you reach the stuff that is too far to get to by hand.

 

Number 7 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Another item that should remain in your car is cleaner that is safe for the plastic and leather that make up the inside door covering.

With a clean paper towel, clean the driver’s side door. You have plenty of time to concentrate on the little crevices, so polish the whole thing until it shines.

 

Number 6 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Spray the same cleanser that you use to clean the door panels on a clean paper towel and begin cleaning the dashboard. This may take several red lights, but be sure to get all the nooks and crannies. Since you want to maximize the time spent in the car as well as have a clean vehicle, be sure to wipe down the steering wheel, around the steering wheel, inside the air vents, all the buttons, and every surface of the dashboard itself.

This spot is very visible to everyone, so a spiffy clean dashboard is definitely a spot to keep clean.

 

Number 5 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

The haven of all paper mess in the vehicle is probably the glove box. The main thing to remember about cleaning out the glove box is that you don’t want to lose sight of the stoplight which is very easy to do when involved in the excitement of accomplishing so much good in the automobile. My suggestion is to remove the contents of the glove box and put it all on the passenger side seat. This will enable you to take one piece at a time and still be able to glance up quickly to see if the light has turned green yet.

I’m sure you will find many old receipts or salt shakers from the fast food drive-in. In my case, I find napkins, plastic spoons and paper covered straws because my pit stops are usually ice cream joints or Krispie Kreme Doughnuts.

Anyway, you might actually fill up your garbage bag with just this one chore, so make sure you always keep extra bags in the glove box. Not only does it ensure that you will have plenty of refills for the trashcan, but also prevents you from putting too much trash in the glove box in the first place.

 

Number 4 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

The sun visor can cause a concussion if too many things are attached too it. Not only will it get too heavy and make it impossible to stay up tight against the roof, but the things that are over stuffed on it will begin to fall off at random times. Driving down the highway and suddenly having a pen or small memo pad fall on your nose or in your eye could be quite dangerous.

The best course of action, of course, would be not to store anything on the sun visor. If that statement stresses you out because you just have to have all fifty CD’s stored in that CD storage thing, then just don’t stick all the other stuff between the CD storage thing and the sun visor. Remember friends, this is just a suggestion and I’m not trying to boss you around.

 

Number 3 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

Pick up all the coins that you previously felt was a waste of effort to retrieve. Yes, all those pennies that you let fall in the floor that are now under the mat or slightly under the seat can be reached with ease. Just lean over and pick them all up. You need the exercise anyway because you are always just sitting at red lights or in front of the computer! Stay optimistic with this task because you could find enough change for a dinner at a five star restaurant if you have been really lazy about dropping coins.

 

Number 2 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

This is definitely number 2 on my list of things to do while sitting at a stoplight. We all have clothing slide and move out of place, so now is the perfect time to adjust your bra straps, pull the undies out of where they don’t belong, button all the buttons, zip the zippers, slip the belt through all the loops, pull up the socks or stockings, tie the shoes, adjust the buckles looser or tighter on the shoes, fix the cuffs, straighten the tie, make sure no food is in your teeth, primp on the hair and add lipstick or any other cosmetic on the face. Just don’t spray perfume in the vehicle because it will get all over the clean windows and dashboard!

With everything adjusted, laying flat and in the right place, you can step out of the car with confidence because nothing is showing that shouldn’t be exposed. Plus, you will feel more put together and ready to greet anyone you might know in the parking lot.

 

Number 1 Thing To Do While Sitting At A Stoplight

By now you know that I am actively engaged while sitting at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green. That is why I do not see you when you are in the car next to me waving like crazy trying to get my attention or picking your nose. Yes, I really do hate waiting as much as I hate wasting time while I’m waiting. I also like things clean, so I try really hard to keep the car around me sparkly. I think sparkly is happier than gooped on dirt, don’t you?

Anyway, the number 1 thing to do while sitting at a stoplight while waiting for it to turn green is…take pictures. You did read that correctly. I said, take pictures. Not just any pictures, but pictures that you can send to your family and friends with an accompanying text message from your cell phone.

Not only will this keep you connected with the people you care about, but it also will give them a laugh because you aren’t going to take pictures of the scenery. Oh no, don’t take pictures of anything outside of the car. The photos you are going to snap are the mundane vehicle parts on the inside of the car, your clothing and you. Either fill them with lots of gushy love thoughts or put on the Robin Williams’ humor and think of funny text messages to go with these award winning car phone photos.

For instance…

I can’t get home fast enough to see you.

Singing…My world is empty without you babe
 

Did you Ketchup with your chores yet?
 

Not doing your chores can be as dangerous as air bags.
 

PMS in full swing. I’ll be home in 10 minutes.
 

I had beans for lunch. You may not want to ride to the grocery store with me.
 

 

And that, my friends, is a list of the top 10 things to do while sitting at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green. I bet you are already anticipating your next car ride!