by Catie Talarski
From Richard Florida, in The Atlantic:
Commuting is a waste of energy and time, and carries with it enormous economic costs. Commuting costs America an estimated $90 billion dollars per year in terms of lost productivity and wasted energy, according to the annual Urban Mobility Report… Every minute shaved off America’s commuting time is worth an estimated $19.5 billion dollars. That translates into $97.7 billion for five minutes, $195 billion for 10 minutes, and $292 billion for every 15 minutes saved nationally.
daveynin, creative commons
While researching tomorrow’s show on the dreaded Interstate 95, I’ve come across a few time-filling activities for all you folks stuck in hours of traffic on a weekly basis.
Of course there are the obvious physical activities: stretching, butt clenching, or deep breathing exercises. But how about car care, teeth cleaning, or exploring all those buttons on your blackberry? Do you want traffic info sent straight to your phone? There’s an app for that. (TIP: Download it BEFORE getting stuck in traffic).
Spike has their own list of outlandish stuck-in-traffic activities including nose picking, honking for no good reason, and having an existential crisis. You could also catch up on phone calls and texts, but use caution! In Connecticut (like Massachusetts) you can still get a ticket, even in traffic. You don’t want to increase your chances of rear-ending another car, after all. Then you’ll be even more late to work… and your boss won’t like that.
yummiec00kies, creative commons
If you’ve tried ALL these tips, and are still impatient and full of rage… know that the web is full of resources to help people just like you.
Or you can channel your rage towards Congress.
But, in the meantime, at least you can find a delicious place to eat.
(Check out the NPR series “I-95: The Road Most Traveled“)
Excellent article. I’m sure anyone who has lived in the city driving, has dealt with traffic.