Commuting - Commuting is bad for you

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View Full Version : Commuting is bad for you


gbcb
08-15-10, 06:31 PM
By car, it seems. No mention of any other options...

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/08/commuting-is-very-bad-for-you/61481/


jharte
08-15-10, 06:51 PM
What we've known for so many years...

I'm proud to be part of the 'other' group who look for ways to relieve stress, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, and strive to have better attitudes. It's not easy some days but so well worth it!

Jerry H

DX-MAN
08-15-10, 08:44 PM
Not trying to flame you, but OF COURSE it's about cars only; as far as 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of America is concerned, the car is the only way to travel. (Yes -- hyperbole -- it's part of my dubious charm.)

I did notice, after returning from 3 years overseas in the late 80's, that what was accepted as a normal commute had more than doubled. To this day, I've never had to commute more than 10 miles to my job. (The Air Guard doesn't count, 2 days a month, '90-92........)


aley
08-15-10, 09:00 PM
It's too bad they didn't do a survey of various types of commuters (those who walk to work, those who bike, those who take the bus, those who drive, etc.) to see how alternatives affect the results. If I trade my 30-minute bike commute for a 45 minute bike ride, a 30 minute bus ride, or whatever, how does that correlate with health and happiness? That's probably a more involved study than Gallup would get involved in, though.

B. Carfree
08-15-10, 09:25 PM
Not trying to flame you, but OF COURSE it's about cars only; as far as 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of America is concerned, the car is the only way to travel. (Yes -- hyperbole -- it's part of my dubious charm.)

I did notice, after returning from 3 years overseas in the late 80's, that what was accepted as a normal commute had more than doubled. To this day, I've never had to commute more than 10 miles to my job. (The Air Guard doesn't count, 2 days a month, '90-92........)

It looks like you may have one or two extra numbers to the right of the decimal. Maybe.:D

DX-MAN
08-15-10, 10:24 PM
B, I tried... I really TRIED... but it just got the better of me.

aley
08-15-10, 10:35 PM
(Yes -- hyperbole -- it's part of my dubious charm.)

Hyperbole is the worst thing ever created, and people who use it should be hung up by their toenails.

(:P for those with limited senses of either humor or irony.)


I did notice, after returning from 3 years overseas in the late 80's, that what was accepted as a normal commute had more than doubled. To this day, I've never had to commute more than 10 miles to my job. (The Air Guard doesn't count, 2 days a month, '90-92........)

Not everyone has this luxury. I put up with an 85-mile commute (each way - 170 miles total) for a year after I switched jobs a number of years ago because of the time required to sell my house. Half of my department at my current job last week got laid off - if it's a choice between a 20 mile (or 60 mile) commute, and not having a job, I think I know what most of them will do. The more specialized you become in your job, the greater your risk of having to take a long commute to find a job.

Spire
08-15-10, 11:12 PM
I think a proper study of this sort of thing is in order, not a causal (but somewhat useful) study like presented here. It could make the case for more working from home, etc.

gbcb
08-16-10, 12:00 AM
Not trying to flame you, but OF COURSE it's about cars only; as far as 99.9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999% of America is concerned, the car is the only way to travel. (Yes -- hyperbole -- it's part of my dubious charm.)

I did notice, after returning from 3 years overseas in the late 80's, that what was accepted as a normal commute had more than doubled. To this day, I've never had to commute more than 10 miles to my job. (The Air Guard doesn't count, 2 days a month, '90-92........)

Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Living in a place where I can count the number of car owners I know on one hand, it's easy to make the opposite assumption: OF COURSE you don't have to commute by car!

acidfast7
08-16-10, 01:42 AM
Yeah, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Living in a place where I can count the number of car owners I know on one hand, it's easy to make the opposite assumption: OF COURSE you don't have to commute by car!

Where I live most people own cars and commute to work by bike. Sure, the bike paths are great, but what really makes it nice is that drivers are so aware (unlike my experience in the states.) I was actually looking out the window and realize that we only turn on our car once per month (when we travel somewhere and don't want to use the train).

gbcb
08-16-10, 02:00 AM
Awareness is a big thing here, too. The drivers are frequently terrible, but they're rarely surprised to see a bike and are usually pretty good about sharing the road. But the more expensive the car, the less likely they are to want to share!

KD5NRH
08-16-10, 05:26 AM
Not everyone has this luxury. I put up with an 85-mile commute (each way - 170 miles total) for a year after I switched jobs a number of years ago because of the time required to sell my house.

Just think; if you rode that every day, you could pick which companies you wanted to sponsor your new job :D

And one of the perks would be getting to ride the latest and greatest bikes.