Comfortably Gridlocked

A researcher has cited the preponderance of luxury amenities in cars as decreasing the amount of carpoolers and making it easier for drivers to "adapt" to and accept gridlock.

1 minute read

April 5, 2007, 11:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"Drivers are getting more cozy in their fully equipped cars and becoming accustomed to gridlock, which one traffic analyst said is leading to the demise of carpooling."

"'[You have] entertainment systems, you have language lessons, you have cellphones,' said Pravin Varaiya, an engineering professor at the University of California at Berkeley. 'It's your little space and you have some free time, if you can call it that.'"

"Instead of changing their travelling habits and arranging carpools of three or more, drivers instead adjusted to gridlock, he noted."

FULL STORY: Rather than carpool, drivers adapt to gridlock: analyst

Wednesday, April 4, 2007 in CBC News

Transportation North America

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