It seems that at least once a month in Washington DC (and presumably also in other major metropolitan areas) we can read about the "annual report" of one or another of the institutions that for some reason take it upon themselves to measure traffic.
Although the latest such report claims the DC area has actually seen some improvement in the amount of time we sit in traffic tie-ups, we remain high on the list. According to this report we spend about 45 hours "wasted" in traffic each year. "Wasted" is not defined but appears to mean time sitting without moving.
Reality check: If we break that down, it comes to less than an hour a week, or only about 12 minutes a day in the typical five-day work week. Is that really cause for whining, wailing, and gnashing of teeth? How long should it take us to get to work or other destinations? Until we get StarTrek intergalactic people-transporters, is 12 minutes [possibly 6 minutes each way] such a big deal?
If it is, let's blame ourselves, for all our one-passenger vehicles, and our weird inclination to decide where to live without factoring in transporation costs. And then go worry about something really important, like the fact gasoline may have gone up a penny this week.
We are a car-centered society; the price we pay, evidently, is to dwell endlessly on these rather petty concerns.

