KUALA LUMPUR, April 30 — With Ramadan approaching, most of our Muslim friends will be fasting for a month before the Hari Raya celebration. During this season, it can be trying and exhausting especially when it comes to traffic jams. For a smoother drive, Waze has provided some tips to help you plan ahead during the holy month.
In the morning, you can expect heavy traffic when everyone is heading for work, especially from 8am to 11am. For those who are up early for breakfast and prayers for “Sahur”, Waze recommends that you leave home earlier before 8am.
If you’re planning to hit fast food restaurants for a late-night supper or an early morning breakfast, Waze has a recommended time for that. During 9pm to 5am, fast food restaurants should be less crowded than usual. It is best to avoid between 4pm to 7pm since most people are getting ready to “buka puasa” at this period.
Usually, for shopping malls, it is consistently crowded from 12pm to 4pm, and they are the most packed from 5pm to 6pm. This is because people may have plans to “buka puasa” at restaurants at the malls. If you need to do your shopping, it is best to head to the mall from 7pm onwards.
If you want to withdraw money from the nearest ATM, it’s better to do so after 4pm. Although the bank officially opens at 9.30am, many would be making their way to ATMs from 7am to 9am. The bank is expected to reach peak traffic between 12pm to 3pm during the office break hour.
As for petrol stations, you’ll find out that there are little to no queue at early hours, before 8am to be exact. You can full up your tank with ease before heading to work.
According to Waze, you should avoid going to petrol stations at around 3pm to 6pm, where most people will opt to refill their tanks on their way home. If you want to refill your tanks in the evening, you can consider doing so after 7pm, where the fuel stations get less and less busy by the hour.
If you don’t have Waze, you can download the app on Google Play Store or on Apple’s App Store. — SoyaCincau
