A Traffic Jam Near Philadelphia Turned Into A Caribbean Party, Just Because

When you’re stuck in a traffic jam, you have two choices: You can either stress out and lose your cool, or you can take the Caribbean islands approach known as “No problem” and have a steel drum party. A group of motorists outside of Philadelphia did the latter, and the video of the event is going viral.

Sunday afternoon, a car flipped over in the eastbound lanes of I-76 near King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, (down the road from Philadelphia), according to NBC Philadelphia. Traffic came to a standstill as police shut down the highway so emergency personnel could deal with the wreck. Hundreds, if not thousands, of cars came to an abrupt stop and were lined up in an epic, bumper to bumper traffic jam for well over an hour (it could have been worse; according to this Inquisitr report, a traffic jam in China lasted nine days).

Musician David Gettes, of the Trinidad North Steel Drum Band & Company, was on his way home from the Muhlenberg International Festival in Reading when he got stuck in the traffic jam. Lacking anything better to do, he popped out his instruments and started playing.

“We were struck in the traffic. We saw people around us frustrated. I know the magic of the instrument (steel drum). It was not taking any toll on me to do that so why not.”

Justin Berk of Baltimore happened to be nearby with his video recorder when the music started.

“It was better than being stuck in a snowstorm. I’ve been stuck in a lot of traffic jams and got out and people started talking to each other.”

As Gettes and his partner played percussion and the steel drums, motorists stranded in the traffic jam got out and started dancing. Someone produced a wooden rod, and the impromptu concert turned into an impromptu Caribbean-style limbo and dance party.

The party lasted for about 15 minutes until traffic started moving again. In the video, at around 1:24, you can hear a stranded driver say “We’re done? Awww!” A few more partiers keep the limbo line going, until another motorist can be heard saying “The break lights are coming on,” bringing the traffic jam limbo party to an unfortunate (but welcome) end.

[Image courtesy of: The Daily Beast]