In message .com, at
04:34:54 on Mon, 31 Oct 2005, Andy remarked:
Background : A significant percentage of commuters travel privately
when making the journey to and from their place of work. They travel
the same route at the same time, day in day out. Often encompassing the
stress and boredom of congestion and road-works. Their time spent here
can add considerable time to their day and can thus be described as
being 'wasted time'.

It's not wasted time if it's quicker door to door than using public
transport.

Nor is it wasted if they can listen to the radio (or other forms of
"entertainment" if preferred).

I used to listen to the R4 "today" programme for the hour I drove to
work, and "PM"/"6-O-Clock News" on the way home. As a result I was much
better informed about what was going on, and didn't regard the time as
wasted at all. In fact, it was quite relaxing. No need to get stressed
out by delays, any more than similarly regular delays on public
transport. Indeed, one is much more the master of one's destiny in a car
as you can take an alternative route so much easier than if you are
stuck on a train.

If I'd taken the train, the journey would have been more like 1.5hrs,
and it's much more effort to listen to the radio whilst buffeted around
on a commuter train, and getting to and from the station, compared to
sitting in a comfortable car.
--
Roland Perry