You may have noticed, I have a complaining gene, which I try to keep under wraps, but sometimes, I just can’t keep it in.
So, noticed how bad traffic seems to have gotten lately?
I love Fridays. I do the radio, Emily Rooney does TV, so I’m done at 2, usually off in search of mindless pursuits.
But last Friday, I had to pick up something for one of my kids in Milton. So, rather than tempt rush hour, I left the studio in Brighton at 2:30, ready to travel the 14 mile route and be back in Cambridge, by what, 3:30?
At 6:40, I parked my car in Inman Square. 4 hours and 10 minute round trip.
No accidents, no rubber necking delays and no, the opening ceremonies for the Olympics, were not being held that night. I checked.
Just traffic, bumper to bumper, unmoving, stultifying traffic with people texting, reading the paper, putting on makeup, while my blood pressure rose to 400 over 200.
Which got me to thinking about the masochists who commute every day. We in Massachusetts spend more time doing that, 55 minutes round-trip on average, than those in 46 other states.
55 minutes, enough time to have a drink at an outdoor cafe, go to the gym, or watch this show, twice.
5 hours a week, 250 hours a year, 2,500 a decade. 125,000 hours in a work life, assuming commuting doesn’t shorten your life.
It is so bad, given the choice between commuting or, I don’t know, listening to Donald Trump talk about, well, anything, I'd take the Donald.
