Local Commuter Amuses Atlanta Traffic in New Card Game

Traffic in Atlanta can make people crazy, mad, or angry. But the ridicule and gridlock on the streets of our metropolitan area offers time for reflection and creativity, if we allow it.

That’s exactly what videographer Evan Simmons experienced, and now the Georgia native is trying to launch “Atlanta Traffic: The Card Game.”

“Several years ago, there was a period of time where it felt like there were so many completely absurd things that were causing trafficking,” Simmons told the AJC and 95.5 WSB. The tipping point in Simmons’ creation came when his friend told him that the I-85 bridge south of GA-400 had burned in March 2017. “I was like, ‘What are you talking about – how did the The highway is burning, isn’t it? ?”

Simmons is an avid board and card gamer, so the calamity on I-85 got his gears turning. Naturally, he really got to the point of his game while stuck in another traffic jam on I-85. He later began designing draft versions of the cards while he waited for jury duty.

Ideas germinate in the mundane.

“The goal is to complete your ride, so you’re trying to get miles done,” Simmons explained. “You have a cost in minutes that you’re basically paying to get those miles and those minutes are constantly changing.” But like games like Monopoly, the deck of cards and other players can slow down this progress. “But as traffic events come your way, that time increases more and more. So you’re constantly struggling with how much time you have left on your route.

Each player aims to travel at least 40 miles and must blindly choose route cards that correlate minutes traveled and miles earned. We wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the “Spaghetti Junction” map only covers five miles in 30 minutes.

Then, each turn, a player must draw enough cards to have five in hand. There are four types of cards: “Minutes” helps a player reduce travel time; “Delays” are played by someone to slow down someone else; The “benefits” automatically benefit one’s own itinerary in a more spectacular way; and “Catastrophes” – played immediately to everyone’s detriment.

Some of these red “Disaster” cards are hilarious and a little too on point. The clues are particularly funny.

These universal pain games include “Hurricane Evacuation – Who Invited Florida?” “, “Power outage – apparently airports need electricity”, “Championship game – 16th time’s a charm, right? ”, “Spring Break – everyone is heading to Florida, yeah. », “Snow – forecast is for ½ inch, better buy some bread!” », “Global pandemic – but hey, no traffic” and, of course, “Bridge Fire – who knew highways were flammable?

Players can travel faster with “Super Speeder” and “Speeder” cards and opposing players can slow them down with “State Patrol” games. Multiple players can stack “Pileup” cards on a single player to condemn their path. And someone can cast a “HERO” card to eliminate a “Fender Bender” or “Breakdown” card played against them.

Some of the “Delays” cards include various exotic animals roaming free, events and school zones, and even a plane landing on a highway. I-985’s ears were ringing.

The “Perks” cards are also humorous, some of which reward bad behavior, honor good behavior, and take digs at both MARTA and the Atlanta Light Rail.

Simmons created a green “Benefits” card just for our visit: “Skycopter Card”. This allows a player to avoid any delays. The comical clue perfectly sums up why the WSB traffic team and I continue to work so hard to cover the roads: “Radio is not dead!” »

Once a player completes a route, they get credit minutes for it. The first player to complete 40 minutes wins.

“The ideas keep coming to me as I hear real trafficking stories,” Simmons said. This means that “Atlanta Traffic” is still a card game in development, open to the addition of events and rule changes. And there are only 10 copies. But Simmons has bigger plans. He wants to buy this game in local stores.

Simmons created a Kickstarter campaign for this game, in which people can pledge funds in exchange for advance copies of the game. The game sells for $18 or four for $64 on the crowdfunding site.

If Simmons reaches its financial goal by the end of May, it plans to ramp up production and release the turntables in select stores and online in November. Some production and distribution companies specialize in games like his, and Simmons has those printing plans and quotes on hand if they hit their $8,000 goal. If the campaign misses the target, Kickstarter presale backers will get their money refunded.

As for Simmons’ ultimate goal: “I would love to see him in the gift shop at the Atlanta airport – at Hartsfield-Jackson.” » Welcome to Atlanta. “(Bad traffic is) unfortunately maybe the most well-known thing in Atlanta and it’s really unifying. It’s something we all encounter.

To learn more about this game, visit ATLtraffic.com. The Kickstarter campaign’s subtitle sets the tone succinctly: “A quirky, unfriendly game for 3-8 players, based on the daily perils of commuting to work in Atlanta, Georgia.” As the game’s subtitle says, “Inspired by true events.” Indeed.

Doug Turnbull, the PM Drive Skycopter anchor for Triple Team Traffic on 95.5 WSB, is the Gridlock Guy. Download the Triple Team Traffic Alerts app to automatically hear reports from the WSB Traffic Team when driving near hot spots. Contact him at [email protected].

Credit: Jason Getz / [email protected]

Credit: Jason Getz / [email protected]