I’ve been doing the commute in Dublin for a year now, and I’ve gotten into a rhythm. I used to have a pretty good idea of how long it took to get to work (about 30 minutes, for those interested) and a decent idea of how it was taking to get home. But then Will discovered a couple of features on the car that really fed my desire for “metrics†(a term that those working for A company will be familiar with).
The dashboard displays quite a bit of information in addition to speed and the tachometer. It also tells me the time, the temperature and until Will changed the setting, the number of kilometres left on the tank. Imagine my surprise (and delight) when now had time counter – how long the car had been running since you started it. Now I could know precisely how long it was taking to get to and from work – no remembering or guessing required.
What did I do with the knowledge that one day too me 29 minutes to get to work and the next 32? Why, absolutely nothing! But I enjoyed being able to tell Will when I walked through the door each night that it was a 42 minute drive home, versus the 56 minutes the day before.
Just as I was getting accustomed to knowing the number of minutes my commute was taking, Will found another feature and switched up the game. Now, the car tells me my average kilometres per hour for the trip. While I am enjoying the new metric, I am a bit more depressed about my commute. I’ve learned over the past week that my average kilometres per hour is horrible. Yesterday I averaged 18 kph on the way home. Let me put that in terms Americans might be more familiar with. There are 1.6 kilometres per mile. So I averaged 11 mph on my drive home. Yep – 11 mph. You drive through parking lots faster than that in the States! And I was on major roads!
So I think I would like to go back to the old metric. Total time is more mentally pleasing that realizing my average speed home is “parking lot†versus “road.†Of course, having been on the Edens this month, I realize that not all Americans have it good. Just most of them.
1 Comment to “Herself, the obsessive commuter”
2 July 2008
In the days of $130 oil, you need to put MPG on your dashboard, and then try to beat it each day. I’ve started accelerating gradually, driving slower, and avoiding excessive idleing. I’m saving at least 10% on gas from where I was before. That way, you can turn your obsessive compulsive disorder into something that benefits your wallet.