Tuesday, April 10, 2012

The hidden costs of commuting

Reader Jen emailed me a link to a piece provocatively named "The Killer Commute." See it below.

Thought provoking tidbits:
- We spend an average 38 minutes/day, 165 hours/year, getting to and from work.
- 1 in 6 of us commutes more than 45 minutes each way.
- 34% of drivers honk their horn every day, 27% yell, 19% give the finger, 17% flash their headlights... 2% try to run somebody off the road!
- Couples in which one partner commutes for >45 minutes are 40% likelier to divorce.
- When you're driving, your risk of heart attack triples.

I didn't take the time to fact-check all of those assertions, but there are links on the website. This is undeniable - your commute takes a toll that's above and beyond the dollars-and-cents cost of your transportation. In any case, I'm a strong proponent of living close to where you work, so as to minimize your commute time and maximize your choice of transportation modes. I feel very blessed to substitute a nice bike ride every morning and afternoon, in place of a motor-vehicle commute with its expenses, both monetary and otherwise.

Killer Commute
Created by: CollegeAtHome.com

4 comments:

Clancy Anderson said...

I love infographics. Pretty amazing statistics. So those numbers are just for vehicle commutes. I wonder what the numbers are for bikes?

Chris said...

Brutal. I wish I lived close to where I work, but for a number of reasons, it's just not possible. But I still try to maximize time on the bike. I can't ride the whole way, but I have a folding bike that I keep in my car, and I ride once I'm a reasonable distance from the workplace. I definitely prefer it to driving...not even close.

Unknown said...

That's really interesting. Thanks for sharing it.

Marcus said...

Cool. This may come in handy for Safe Routes to School Presentations.