And you thought you had it bad with your commute.
Yes, the Long Island Rail Road and the Southern State Parkway can be exhausting. But more and more, Americans are choosing to travel far longer distances to work every day.
Sure, Long Island has a handful of marathon commuters, like those who travel all the way from the North or South Fork each workday into New York City. But elsewhere these exceptions are becoming more a norm.
In a fascinating article from the New Yorker last April, Nick Paumgarten looks at this culture of extreme commuting. His article has just won a prestigious Sidney Award, given to the writers of the best in magazine essays. Paumgarten's look is a cautionary tale, as he writes about the tremendous social costs of people commuting so far for so long.
Here's his award-winner:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/04/16/070416fa_fact_paumgarten
--Noel Rubinton