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How does commuting fit in this? The problem of commuting is related to the fact that majority of commuting is synchronized to within 2 ~2-3 hour periods. As lon

How does commuting fit in this? The problem of commuting is related to the fact that majority of commuting is synchronized to within 2 ~2-3 hour periods. As long as we have this happening, the 'naive' argument is that commuting actually argues for longer work days with less days of work. 4x10 or something, so the travel:work ratio is better. Even a more flexible work schedule (for everyone) is not necessarily the solution. The fact that most people will be working during the day will mean that there will always been surges ~8-10 and ~4-6. It might lessen it's effect, but it'll still be there, and after the initial adjustment period, will seem every bit as unproductive and annoying. Commuting isn't going to get better unless a very large percentage switches to work at home, or lives within walking/biking distance of their workplace, or everyone accepts some great overlord who coordinates everyone's travel and work time to minimize peak traffic (I'm sure the relevant algorithms already exist).

yason 16y ago
The problem of commuting is that it exists. Instead of a reliably short walk to work, with a detour to the coffee shop included, commuters have to drive an hour in heavy traffic. Each alone. Why is that then? Because offices and homes are built so far away from each other, and if you wished you couldn't easily build mixed use office+apartment+commercial blocks under many of the typical zoning laws.
- mkramlich 16y ago
  There is a hypothesis out there that says that this phenomena, at least here in the US, may have been the result of an intentional conspiracy by parties that had a strong financial incentive to require millions of people to commute in vehicles over very long distances each day. Who would benefit? Oil companies and car manufacturers, primarily, though also suburban home builders and real estate speculators, road contractors, etc. Who helped promote the conversion, in this scenario? The preceding, in partnership with the government and mass media. There were legitimate "non-conspiratorial" reasons why someone might want to live in a suburb rather than a downtown urban area (such as White Flight or new married couples wanting to raise their kids in an area far away from the perceived dangers of city life, such as bums, gangs, "perversion", etc.) But at the same time, there were certain industries and companies that stood to gain very well financially if the whole suburb-highways-long-commute-and-back system took off.
krschultz 16y ago
Not necessarily. I work in a relatively small town with 2 companies in it, both companies employee >10,000 people each. You'd think that there would be horrible traffic but there isn't. One company starts the day at somewhere between 6 and 8, while the other company starts the day between 8 and 10. It is just a coincidence I think, but it really works out for traffic. I know most people are horrified at the thought of showing up at work at 6am, I went from a job where I started the day at 10am to this one and was shocked. I typically get in around 7am even though my boss is in earlier. But we're leaving at 3 or 4pm, and I get to go surfing after work (helps to be 5 minutes from the ocean). It has its advantages.

yason 16y ago

The problem of commuting is that it exists. Instead of a reliably short walk to work, with a detour to the coffee shop included, commuters have to drive an hour in heavy traffic. Each alone. Why is that then? Because offices and homes are built so far away from each other, and if you wished you couldn't easily build mixed use office+apartment+commercial blocks under many of the typical zoning laws.

mkramlich 16y ago
There is a hypothesis out there that says that this phenomena, at least here in the US, may have been the result of an intentional conspiracy by parties that had a strong financial incentive to require millions of people to commute in vehicles over very long distances each day. Who would benefit? Oil companies and car manufacturers, primarily, though also suburban home builders and real estate speculators, road contractors, etc. Who helped promote the conversion, in this scenario? The preceding, in partnership with the government and mass media. There were legitimate "non-conspiratorial" reasons why someone might want to live in a suburb rather than a downtown urban area (such as White Flight or new married couples wanting to raise their kids in an area far away from the perceived dangers of city life, such as bums, gangs, "perversion", etc.) But at the same time, there were certain industries and companies that stood to gain very well financially if the whole suburb-highways-long-commute-and-back system took off.

krschultz 16y ago

Not necessarily. I work in a relatively small town with 2 companies in it, both companies employee >10,000 people each. You'd think that there would be horrible traffic but there isn't. One company starts the day at somewhere between 6 and 8, while the other company starts the day between 8 and 10. It is just a coincidence I think, but it really works out for traffic. I know most people are horrified at the thought of showing up at work at 6am, I went from a job where I started the day at 10am to this one and was shocked. I typically get in around 7am even though my boss is in earlier. But we're leaving at 3 or 4pm, and I get to go surfing after work (helps to be 5 minutes from the ocean). It has its advantages.