Road rage due to traffic jams is not a new phenomenon to New Yorkers. Commuters in the City Of Dreams now annually waste approximately 53 hours being stuck behind the wheel due to road congestion. Economic growth and prosperity also earned the Big Apple another distinction - that of being dubbed one of the worst traffic cities in America. New York traffic now ranks fifth on the Top Ten list for worst traffic in the USA.
This dubious achievement does not come as a shock. Americans have felt the impact of an ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads on various levels during the past decade - on their pockets, stress-levels and time management. Routes to work and back that used to take them a mere 20 minutes, now take almost an hour.
The latest statistics put New York City at number five on the Top Ten List for worst traffic conditions in the USA. According to the report, New York commuters now waste 20% more time being stuck in traffic than before - an average of 53 hours per year! The loss in productive time is not the only factor to consider. Road rage incidents are reaching epidemic proportions across the world and are contributing to the already alarming death toll rate due to road accidents.
According to the latest reports based on the acclaimed INRIX Traffic Scorecard, there has been a 20 percent increase in the average travelling time of New Yorkers due to over-crowded roads. This data, gathered from various sources and statistics, is considered to be the most accurate and reliable indicator of traffic conditions in metropolitan cities in the United States. Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco and Austin topped the list, with commuters of the City of Angels now losing a whopping 64 hours per year due to combusted roads.
Most people know the frustration and feeling of helplessness one experiences when one is in a hurry and suddenly forced to a crawling pace or standstill when the road is blocked due to an accident or construction work. If this frustration and stress become part of one's daily routine, it inevitably leads to so-called modern illnesses like cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.
Attempts to motivate commuters to travel in groups or via public transport and to use alternative, less congested routes, are mostly futile due to a lack of compensation or proper motivation. Most people prefer to travel with his/her own car via the shortest routes to save time and petrol. It seems that law enforced tolling systems whereby commuters are forced to pay for less congested roads are the only workable and sustainable solution at this stage.
The fact that New York is not the only city affected by this problem does not make it easier. The opposite is more true - if a top world city like New York has no idea how to combat the problem, what hope is there for third world cities that do not have the money, means or expertise and where the population growth is ten times bigger than in first world countries?
Public campaigns in favor of more fair tolling plans to address the over-populated New York roads are met with skepticism and antagonism following a previous pricing plan that failed badly, but thus far it seems to be the only option. This system of charging fees to reduce traffic congestion has proved to be workable in cities such as Singapore, London and Stockholm, but public opinion in New York will have to change drastically before it can be introduced there.
This dubious achievement does not come as a shock. Americans have felt the impact of an ever-increasing number of vehicles on the roads on various levels during the past decade - on their pockets, stress-levels and time management. Routes to work and back that used to take them a mere 20 minutes, now take almost an hour.
The latest statistics put New York City at number five on the Top Ten List for worst traffic conditions in the USA. According to the report, New York commuters now waste 20% more time being stuck in traffic than before - an average of 53 hours per year! The loss in productive time is not the only factor to consider. Road rage incidents are reaching epidemic proportions across the world and are contributing to the already alarming death toll rate due to road accidents.
According to the latest reports based on the acclaimed INRIX Traffic Scorecard, there has been a 20 percent increase in the average travelling time of New Yorkers due to over-crowded roads. This data, gathered from various sources and statistics, is considered to be the most accurate and reliable indicator of traffic conditions in metropolitan cities in the United States. Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco and Austin topped the list, with commuters of the City of Angels now losing a whopping 64 hours per year due to combusted roads.
Most people know the frustration and feeling of helplessness one experiences when one is in a hurry and suddenly forced to a crawling pace or standstill when the road is blocked due to an accident or construction work. If this frustration and stress become part of one's daily routine, it inevitably leads to so-called modern illnesses like cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.
Attempts to motivate commuters to travel in groups or via public transport and to use alternative, less congested routes, are mostly futile due to a lack of compensation or proper motivation. Most people prefer to travel with his/her own car via the shortest routes to save time and petrol. It seems that law enforced tolling systems whereby commuters are forced to pay for less congested roads are the only workable and sustainable solution at this stage.
The fact that New York is not the only city affected by this problem does not make it easier. The opposite is more true - if a top world city like New York has no idea how to combat the problem, what hope is there for third world cities that do not have the money, means or expertise and where the population growth is ten times bigger than in first world countries?
Public campaigns in favor of more fair tolling plans to address the over-populated New York roads are met with skepticism and antagonism following a previous pricing plan that failed badly, but thus far it seems to be the only option. This system of charging fees to reduce traffic congestion has proved to be workable in cities such as Singapore, London and Stockholm, but public opinion in New York will have to change drastically before it can be introduced there.
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