Almost a year ago, we argued that the lockdown provoked by the first wave of worldwide presented us a world without oil, not a world without cars. That is an important distinction, especially in times in which personal transportation is more necessary than ever before. Byron Hurd, an author at Autoblog, took the analysis even further. With home office proving to be a viable option, he proposed to kill the commuting culture.

Hurd’s opinion is that we have been forced to see that driving to work every day is unnecessary for a good number of people. What in the past was restricted to technology companies is now evident to other businesses in which physical presence is not a requirement as it is in manufacturing, construction, and so forth.

Empty Oxford Circus in London with no traffic or pedestrians

The article also mentions that the shift towards electric vehicles is inevitable. Yet, even if all cars were electric, they would not be a solution for all problems that come with traffic. The rush hour would just be cleaner and more silent, even if trees are more responsible for particulate matter in Los Angeles than vehicles, as a recent study presented.

There’s no room for so many cars in many places. It may be a struggle to find a spot to park your automobile. Not everybody can afford to buy and keep a vehicle, and the electric ones are still expensive. What if you could solve that simply by working from home?

Good use of energy is, above all, to use it only when it is essential. If you can perform your job with internet access, a computer, and a telephone, why drive one hour or more to work from Monday to Friday and waste the same time getting back? This is what Hurd argues.

The writer also stresses that commuting is not just a waste of precious time that you could use with your work, for example. It is also a waste of resources. You spend money on fuel or electricity, apart from wearing the wear parts of your car. You risk traffic accidents and stress, for example.

Make sure you read Hurd’s article to understand the points he raised without a middle man. It is an interesting point of view that deserves the attention of anyone concerned with the rational use of what Earth has to offer. Some changes only happen when we are forced to see that things could be different. It is just a pity that had to have a role in that.

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