The numbered days of the solo commute

Proposed congestion taxes could make driving alone a luxury of the past.

from the July 25, 2007 edition

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And why not? Traveling alone, they reign as king or queen of their chariot. Want to listen to Mozart or NPR? Prefer more air conditioning – or less? Like to leave early or late? Take back roads or thoroughfares? The choices are theirs. They also have no need to converse with car poolers. They can simply savor the silence and prepare mentally for the day.

In the George Mason study, researcher Mitchell Baer found that commuters are more satisfied with their morning commute than their afternoon commute.

Sometimes commuting gets comical. I have watched women apply makeup, including mascara and eyeliner, curl their eyelashes, and style their hair. I have seen men shaving. One man was even brushing his teeth at a red light. Another was apparently paying bills, writing a check by balancing his checkbook on the steering wheel. Eaters and coffee-guzzlers abound. So do cellphone users.

Cars have become extensions of our kitchens, bathrooms, and offices – apartments on wheels. No wonder they're filled with more and more creature comforts. Some include heated and chilled cup holders and in-vehicle coolers. Others are equipped with satellite radios, navigation systems, wireless communication, and seats that heat, cool, recline, and massage. What's next?

Although the proposals for road taxes are fraught with political battles, it's probably only a matter of time until some cities, desperate to reduce urban traffic and pollution, institute the fees. Add these daily congestion charges to the already high cost of gas and parking, and many drivers will need to abandon their solo commutes.

If considerable numbers of us convert to public transportation, another challenge awaits. Already some suburban commuter rail stations face parking shortages. Early birds fill the limited spaces. Those who arrive later must either walk to the station or be dropped off and picked up.

Even bicycles – another alternative for some – need help from cities. Few bike lanes exist, and riders must share busy roads with cars. Even so, the George Mason study finds that commuters who are able to bike or walk to work are the most satisfied.

As environmental concerns grow, and as cities eventually price some drivers off the road, future generations, accustomed to telecommuting and other ways to work, might look back in disbelief at this Golden Age of the Solo Commuter. Maybe then the roads year-round will resemble the ones we now enjoy only in the rare days of summer. And maybe then a commuter's view of nature in all its summertime glory will no longer simply be filtered through a car window.

Lowell would surely approve.

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