This Boise Traffic Hack is a Game-Changer for Late People

Another day, another accident in the valley.

If you live in the Treasure Valley, you know car accidents are a dime a dozen these days. Surface streets, parking lots, I-84—if there isn't a crash around every corner, you know there's an accident just waiting to happen.

Yesterday, I was late for a thing in downtown Boise because of a car accident. I wasn't late for a meet-up, a casual get-together, or lunch with my smokin' hot hubby. I was late for a meeting with business a client, and it was mortifying.

FYI: it was other Boise drivers who made me late

On average, my drive from Star to downtown Boise takes me around 30-to-40 minutes in the morning. A few years ago, a straight shot down State street would've been a snap. In 2024, it's more like navigating a minefield.

Did you know that in 2023, there were 3,800 car crashes in Ada County between January and August? If I had to gamble on it, I'd dozens, if not hundreds, happened on State. God only knows how many made me late, or maybe even you.

Confessions of a Chronically Late Person

To be fully transparent, I have ADHD. I'm also the living, breathing definition of a late person. Always have been, and despite the effort I've exhausted trying to overcome my chronic tardiness, I probably always will be.

I'll say this much for myself, I try really hard to make it on time for work events. I try even harder to not use my ADHD as an excuse when I'm late.

I might run a few minutes behind on a regular day at the office, but for something like a client meeting, I'm so afraid of being late that I typically get there way, way, way, too early. I'm talking an hour-and-a-half early, friend.

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This might be the best traffic hack ever. 

After yesterday's debacle, I was done and out of ideas on how to beat the game.

Then it came to me this morning. As was getting ready for my next client meeting, I popped the address into my iMaps a full 90 minutes before the appointment time.

Friend, I've lived in the Boise area for a decade. I know my way around town and how long it takes to get from one place to another. Accidents are literally the only wild cards that throw me off.

But that's all in the past now. Today, I knew exactly when to leave my house because of real-time crash updates that kept changing my time of arrival. I wasn't late. I wasn't crazy early. I was perfectly on time, and it was beautiful.