I agree with you megalomania, but the increase in traffic has been an ongoing problem. The infrastructure needs to be upgraded, so maybe there are plans in place to do that in the near future. The way to beat the traffic is to do what you did, pick a favorite location with places you enjoy going to and keep to that area for several days before moving to your next destination on SXM. To drive across the island on a daily basis is labor intensive and can waste valuable holiday time. If someone stays in Orient Bay you'll be fine because there are many restaurants right there. And, if you want to go to Grand Case for the day or Anse Marcel or Loterie Farm a taxi can be had for a reasonable rate. Or, stay in the Simpson Bay area (where there are also great restaurants) and hit the beaches in that area (Kim Sha, Maho, Mullet, etc.). Of course, if you rent a car then trying to time your trips becomes important to avoid peak traffic times. But, it does seems like traffic is always heavy these days regardless of when you drive.