Word for Road Free of Traffic?

Welcome to A Way with Words.

Hi.

Hi, who’s this?

This is Josiah Sendeball calling from San Antonio.

Welcome, Josiah. What can we do for you?

Well, I had a question about traffic.

What would we call not traffic?

Because I hear people say, like, wow, look at this great traffic.

And I’ve just been wondering, like, what would the word be for not traffic?

Where are they when they’re saying, look at this great traffic?

Are they driving?

Yes, they are driving.

Then they are the traffic.

If you’re driving, you are traffic.

I was wondering what would the word be called for not traffic, if there is a word for that.

So we’re talking empty highways, empty streets.

Mm—

And Josiah, do you spend a lot of time in traffic?

Are you in a carpool or something?

Yes.

Okay.

So you hear adults commenting on the traffic and saying, wow, this is great traffic, meaning there’s not much traffic?

Correct.

Oh, wow.

Interesting.

Huh.

So can you have traffic if you’re the only car on the road?

Is that still traffic?

I would say yes.

I guess so, sure.

I don’t know of a word for no traffic except no traffic.

I win.

I guess you do, Josiah.

It’s kind of a philosophical question there.

Yeah, open freeways, open road.

On Google Maps navigation that I use to get around what I’m doing, I just tell my wife it’s green, meaning that there’s no traffic.

Because the highways are colored green.

You know what we’ll do, though?

We have a lot of creative listeners,

And if somebody remembers something or comes up with something, Josiah, we will pass it along.

All right?

All right.

Thank you very much.

I really appreciate your call.

Thank you.

You too.

Take care.

Bye-bye.

Bye.

Maybe you’re sitting in traffic and you’re pondering a question about language.

Why don’t you call us about it once you get home?

877-929-9673 or send us an email.

That address is words@waywordradio.org.

And you can find us on Twitter at Wayword.