A traffic light really isn't that long

I post a lot about driving and traffic, don't I? I suppose it's because of my 30-minute each way commute to my new job. Sure I listen to music and podcasts and make phone calls, but I also have down time. And as a compulsive problem solver, I can't help but think about how things are, why they are that way, and how they could be better.

Take traffic lights, or the flow of traffic in general. It always feels like they take forever, because every second we are stopped we spend thinking about how much further we could be if we were moving. In reality, they don't take that long. Don't believe me? Try this.

Have a task you are trying to get done in your car at a traffic light. Read a news article. Trim your fingernails. Make a to-do list. Something small but do-able. You'll never get through it at the light. You'll be waiting less than a minute, and that's not much time in the grand scheme of things. Though it's an eternity when you're mentally stewing about the progress you could be making.

One more observation (and in full disclosure, I'm guilty of this myself). If people were acting consistently, those who are driving super fast and aggressive would park their car, leap out of the driver's seat, and go sprinting into their destination. Why does the rush end when the car is parked?