this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2024
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Fuck Cars

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They are trying hard to make you not notice you're spending a week of your life driving each year.

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[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 month ago (3 children)

I'm actually amazed it isn't higher. That would imply the average commute is less than 15min each way.

[–] ArbitraryValue 10 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

About 26 minutes each way according to my math, but that's still a great commute. My commute by mass transit was three times as long.

In my experience, there are three common sorts of commute:

  1. Fast by car.

  2. Slow by car.

  3. Slow by mass transit.

I guess type 2 commutes aren't common in Canada, so they don't bring down the average?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) (1 children)

Depends on city. Me driving from outer metro to Vancouver is 1:30 due to traffic. Taking the bus is 2 hours because of walking time where bus route doesn't fully service area. Would probably be equal with full service.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago (1 children)

For me, that's a small enough difference that I'd be fine with taking the bus even if it's a longer commute time, because I can zone out/nap/read/whatever on the bus, but not if I'm driving

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Yeah, I prefer it too. Read, catchup on email, enjoy the scenery

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

it's 111 hours driving just TO work. it's at least that much again to get home (more, probably, due to running errands and such on the way home).

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

I read it as meaning they spend 111 hours commuting, otherwise why not just say 222 hours.

[–] yonder 3 points 1 month ago

I'll bet that the choice of commute time is made to be over 100 to feel big but not so big that people get sad at how much time they waste.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 month ago (1 children)

lmao I thought it was a PSA against cars

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Or in favor of remote work.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 month ago

111 hours is the average commute in Toronto

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Ive started walking to work in june as part of an activity challenge at work and even now, I havent touched my car as much. Thankfully my walk is only a half hour which is nice. Im able to read on my phone and Id say about 95% of it I can walk on sidewalks. This might change come winter but its better than never I suppose

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 month ago

Allow me to suggest a pair of winter boots with thick soles, then buy self tapping sheet metal hex screws. Screw them into the soles. you will have excellent traction on snow ot ice, but slipoery on tile surfaces.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

allow me to evangelize noise cancelling headphones: at this point they can likely be found for astoundingly cheap and they are good enough that the cheapo ones i got feel like magic, turn on ANC mode and it's like you put in proper construction site earplugs except you can also listen to music. I don't know how i managed to survive without them.

If you already have a pair, i hope this enlightens someone to the technological marvel available to us.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 month ago

During COVID I was shown how easy it was to work from home. Now everybody is back at the office again, because they said it is so important to have the personal contact with your peers.

Now I know about my coworkers bike tour and about another's gardening project. And all I had to give up for that is about an hour of additional sleep and the money and resources that goes into my car.

Insanity.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

The text made me imagine that this was a campaign against commuting where it isn't necessary, like for many office jobs. Imagine my dismay when it was instead some sort of bullshit "points" scheme.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 month ago

Yeah, I love my car and driving but rush hour ain’t it. Driving should be optional. Having lived where I can do stuff on my phone on the subway, having to watch out for idiots is the worst part of the day.

City driving also ain’t it. Cars should be about actually driving, not stop and start.

[–] [email protected] -4 points 1 month ago (2 children)

Lord, all they're saying is, "If have to be on the road anyway, might as well use our gas and get benefits."

OP: How the hell are they trying hard to make you not notice when the hours driven are the central theme of the message?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

Be more constructive next time.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago (1 children)

Maybe I'm not expressing myself clearly. They are gamifying it, therefore incentivizing doing it more: earn more points!

[–] [email protected] -3 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

Let's say I'm spending money on gas in any case. Why not purchase gas where I'll get something extra in returns?

It's like raging against using coupons, or any other incentive. I'm not spending more at Amazon, but when I do, I might as well use my Amazon CC and get a 10% kickback.

And who in their right mind is driving more than they need to in order to realize a paltry percentage gain?! "Man! I just need to put in another 100 miles and I'll get $5 bucks! I got 2-hours to kill!"

Everybody acts like they're being gamed when they offer us small ways to game them. I was installing satellite for a Sikh dude one day. He was schooling me on using his American Airlines CC for free miles. He paid the bill in full, every month, no interest or yearly fees, totally free. Dude flew his family back and forth to India for FREE. Why not? You gotta spend money on goods, right? Might as well get something back if you can.