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0 pointssirmarksalot12y ago0 comments

The stress of commuting isn't from the physical act of driving, but from having to negotiate a crowded space. Regardless if it's a highway, bus, or a sidewalk, when you're in a crowd, you're forced to play a zero-sum game with the people around you. Even in cultures where people don't drive, the commute is listed as one of the largest stresses people experience.

Self-driving cars are great because for the first time, you have a machine that commutes for you. There's no competition to get in the car, no competition to sit down in the car, and once the car starts moving, you don't have to care about how the car navigates the competition on the road.

It's true that on the large scale, it's less efficient than public transportation, but on an individual level, it's the best option.

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npizzolato12y ago

>The stress of commuting isn't from the physical act of driving, but from having to negotiate a crowded space. Regardless if it's a highway, bus, or a sidewalk, when you're in a crowd, you're forced to play a zero-sum game with the people around you.

I disagree. The stress from driving doesn't come just from navigating a crowded space. It comes from the potential consequences of making mistakes. If I bump into someone walking on foot, it's no problem. Once I'm on a bus/train/etc. you have your own space. Granted, it might not be a lot of space, and sometimes it might be uncomfortable, but it's hardly stressful.

Bumping into another car when driving is a completely different beast. Now I need to deal with insurance companies, and it might cost me a lot of money. Or I hit something inanimate and I'm still doing a lot of damage to my car. That's where the stress comes from.

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