We have become a country of commuters. Our vehicles have become our second homes on wheels. We take pride in the creature comforts: no-spill cup holders, seat warmers, and even mini-TVs to keep our energetic children entertained while we weave through traffic. This chapter contains plenty of on-the-road shortcuts designed to help you steer clear of rush hour stress, carpooling snafus, and shopping trip headaches.

THE CLEVER COMMUTER

Fast Fix for Frosty Windshields
Welcome to Minneapolis—the cold capital of America. Dale Anderson, M.D., a doctor at a local urgent care clinic, is proud of being a lifelong resident of Minnesota, despite the winter storms that leave his car's windshield looking like an ice rink. Rather than try to muscle off the ice with a plastic scraper, Dr. Anderson reaches behind the driver's seat for the sturdy plastic tumbler that he keeps in his car specifically for ice-clearing duty. He uses the rim of the tumbler to scrape away the ice. "I've found that the plastic tumbler is easier to grip than an ice scraper, and it won't scratch the windshield," notes Dr. Anderson. "It removes the sheet of ice on the windshield quickly." So on your next trip to a discount store or home center, visit the housewares section to select your own "ice tumbler" in your favorite color.

Bag Your Windshield
Hate to spend time brushing snow off your windshield after a storm? With a little preparation, you'll never have to do it again. When the weather report says snow, cover the windshield with a heavy-duty plastic garbage bag. Cut the bag open along the sides so it'll fit all the way across. Close the front doors on the edges of the bag to hold it in place. When you want to drive, just open the doors and remove the bag—and all the snow with it. This trick works for the rear window, too.

Guarantee a Swift Start
Back into the garage when you come home from errands or work so that you can easily exit the next morning. This habit will also save you time and aggravation if you run into mechanical problems, such as a dead battery. With the engine facing front, the battery is within easy reach to apply jumper cables. Also, be sure to turn off the lights, radio, heater, or air conditioner before you turn on the ignition. With less drain on your car's battery, you'll save a few seconds per start-up.

Keep Your Key Warm
On a cold winter morning, there's nothing worse than being late for work and being stuck outside your car because the door lock has frozen. You can try heating the tip of the key with a disposable lighter, but you're just as likely to burn your fingertips as heat up the key. Here's a trick that'll warm up the key enough to defrost the lock—and keep your hands warm while you drive, too.

Before winter arrives, pop down to the local sporting goods or camping-supply store and pick up a few chemical warmers.

These little pouches are available in two sizes—hand and shoe.

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Lavender Cools Traffic Tension
Newspaper sportswriter Marcia C. Smith of Santa Monica, California, spends a lot of time in traffic around Los Angeles. But she never loses her cool while driving. What's her sanity-saving secret? She spritzes the interior of her car with lavender at the start of each ride. Some car supply stores and catalogs offer this "anti—road rage in a bottle," but you can save money by making it yourself. Just put a few drops of lavender essential oil (available at health food stores or drugstores) in a small plastic spray bottle. Fill the bottle with distilled water and shake to mix the oil and water, then spritz away.

Take Advantage of a Traffic Jam
Life on the road comes with some frustrations, such as traffic-clogging fender benders and rush hour traffic that moves like molasses. Use these jam-up times to your advantage by recognizing them as terrific times to think. Mentally draft a letter to your sister or decide on the menu for tomorrow's dinner. Brainstorm ideas for sprucing up your flower or vegetable garden. Decide which outfit you will wear tomorrow or identify the perfect birthday present for your best friend.

If your memory is less than perfect, ensure that your thinking session doesn't go to waste by keeping a small tape recorder in your car. When traffic slows to a crawl, switch on the recorder and do your thinking out loud. That way, you can be mentally productive while still keeping your hands on the steering wheel. Either way, keeping your brain in gear will help you feel far less stress than focusing on the traffic delay.

Breathe Deep during Traffic Tie-Ups
Relieving tension during a traffic tie-up is as easy and natural as breathing. When you're tense, you tend to hold your breath or breathe shallowly. Restore your serenity by following the lead of Joely Johnson, a part-time yoga instructor who has lived and driven in high-traffic San Francisco, Philadelphia, and New York City. Joely keeps her cool during traffic foul-ups by practicing deep, relaxing breathing, a technique she learned from yoga. Concentrate on taking a deep breath through your nostrils so that your chest rises. Then exhale through your mouth slowly to the count of 3 seconds. Repeat.

Dial Around for Traffic News
Preset your car radio for a news station that reports traffic and weather every 8 to 10 minutes. These frequent updates can help you steer clear of major traffic congestion by offering better alternative routes.

Play a Little Game in Traffic Everyone feels the urge to switch lanes in a traffic jam to try to get ahead. The problem is, there's no predicting a traffic jam. Lane switching in heavy traffic is dangerous, and it usually doesn't pay. You can prove this to yourself the next time you approach a congested stretch of cars on the highway. Watch for a motorist who's dodging from lane to lane and make note of the car's appearance or license plate. Stay in the lane you're in—don't switch (unless traffic signs say you must)—and note your progress versus that of the lane switcher. Very often, the same car that rushed to pass you will be halted in another lane as you catch up. You can smile to yourself as you note your car edging ahead.

Cruise through Those Tollgates
Save time and money when traveling on toll roads by paying the tolls in advance. In states such as California, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania, savvy commuters no longer have to fumble for loose change to feed those toll baskets. Instead, they use their banking debit cards to pay for the tolls electronically. Each month, they receive an update on their toll charges. Plus, these toll payment plans offer discounts for commuters, as well as technology that allows them to slow down—but not stop—when passing through the tollgates.

Marcia C. Smith, a newspaper sportswriter who live in Santa Monica, California, drives daily on toll roads. She estimates that by using the toll plan, she saves about $5 a month in tolls plus uncounted minutes of frustration and boredom waiting in line to pay them.