In the past decade or so, researchers have produced a significant body of research measuring the dreadfulness of a long commute. People with long transit times suffer from disproportionate pain, stress, obesity, and dissatisfaction. The joy of living in a big, exurban house, or that extra income leftover from your cheap rent? It is almost certainly not worth it.

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Slate states the obvious about the shittiness of long commutes in only 1000 words.

This is why every dollar (of the many) I spend on my apartment, a ~5 minute bike ride from work, is money well spent. Each day I bypass gridlocked traffic on Coronation Drive while cruising along the riverside bikeway. What good is your big house, big backyard or the extra money* in your pocket when so much of the time you could be spending enjoying those things is instead spent in traffic?

Ridiculous beyond belief is the phenomenon of purchasing a luxury car with the money you save by living in the suburbs so the two hours you have to spend in a car each day are more enjoyable. A supreme example of solving the wrong problem.

* When you remove the cost of car ownership (insurance, registration, maintenance), tolls, fuel and parking the perceived increased cost of living is probably false.

Via indefensible.

(via valhallaisland)

(via valhallaisland)