5% more people now have a commute that takes over an hour ago than was the case in 1996. So says the radio this morning. Why should that be in a country when we're improving technology and supposedly can move things quicker and more efficiently generation by generation?

The radio highlighted traffic and congestion as a cause, and that's where the article lead - indeed, for business journeys where I have to drive I had been reviewing my 2008 strategy and I'll now be staying away in a lot more areas, and staying an extra night when I present (for example) a course in Cambridge. It's foolish to drive when tired, and I know there are times I'm getting close to my limit.

But there are other causes of longer commutes too - changing demographics and the cost of housing in the stockbroker belt have pushed some commuters further out - people traveling in from Chippenham and Hungerford and Andover - a handful in 1996 but a significant flow in 2006. And then there's local issues which I have dealt with here - a longer post with pictures!

Over the past month, I've watched how The Coffeeshop has grown in popularity - in posts and viewers who are starting to take more interest in their daily time with the railway - after all, "an hour each way" is 8% of their time which is pretty darned significant! I expect that site will be even busier come the December changes!

On the positive "side", perhaps this is an excellent time for our Business Hotel. As I write, we've only been running for a year but most rooms were sold last night and we've a busy week ahead. We provide the businessman with what he or she needs to have a good night's sleep, facilities to prepare personally and businesswise for the day, and to do a really good job.

And on that positive note, I should get ready for my Perl Course


(written 2007-10-29 09:12:41)

 

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National Speaker - now to get the talk ready
A Golf Club Decision - Perl to Java
What software version do we teach?
Good, steady, simple example - Perl file handling
Better technology makes for longer commutes?
What we teach - expained for the non-technical
The little gestures that can really count
Sparse and Greedy matching - Tcl 8.4
Buffering of inputs to expect, and match order
Tcl / regsub - changing a string and using interesting bits