Fuck Cars
A place to discuss problems of car centric infrastructure or how it hurts us all. Let's explore the bad world of Cars!
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I have a more metaphysical take on it: One's level of suffering is proportional to the distance between where one's body is located, and where one's mind is. It applies in a lot of different scenarios, and I think is kind of the secret behind the mindfulness movement. (If your mind and body are in the same place, you are much happier.)
The way that this applies to cars is in two ways: 1) The driver's body is physically located in a torture chamber, essentially. Sure, they put in a cushy recliner, and an entertainment system, but those can only do so much to mitigate how awful it is to drive. 2) The speed of the car promises a quick trip, so the driver's mind is already at their destination, and the separation makes them miserable and furious.
Yeah, yeah, that's pretty woo-woo. It's just a metaphor for the impatience drivers feel because, in their minds, they're already walking in the door, they're already ordering food at the restaurant, they're already kissing their spouse, they're already answering work emails, or whatever it is they have at the destination. And you, pedestrian, you are directly responsible for keeping them from it.
But I notice the real effects myself. Last weekend, I went up north to my vacation spot, where I've found that riding my bicycle to the beach is subjectively much faster than driving. It's almost like teleporting! Objectively, it takes longer, but when I'm riding my bicycle, I'm mentally on the road riding my bicycle, so the trip doesn't even register as part of the beach experience the way driving does.
I do believe you're absolutely correct in essence, even if the mechanisms are subject to debate.
I switched to only getting around by E-bike 90% of the time, and the effect you describe regarding bicycle trip time subjectivity is absolutely real.
Taking 45 minutes to go 15 miles away feels a lot faster and relaxing than the 20 minutes it would be by car. People wave at you and you at them, that's still a thing!
About the only time the American psyche is confronted with the prospect of mindfulness and driving, is during the now nearly mythical "road trip" and even that experience has long since been reduced to listening to nav voice as you drive fast from point to point.
Often their mind is already at a destination that they hate (work), making it even worse.