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Rush Hour
Each working day 500 million people across the planet experience the miracle and misery of commuting. Whether undertaken by car, bus, train or bicycle, the practice shapes our days and creates a time and a space for a surprisingly diverse range of activities.
In RUSH HOUR, Iain Gately traces the past, present and future of commuting, from the age of Dickens to the potential of the driverless car. He examines the contrasting experiences of commuters in Britain and elsewhere in the world: from the crush-loaded salarymen of the Tokyo metro to the road-rage afflicted middle managers of America.
Notwithstanding its occasional traumas, commuting emerges as a positive aspect of modern life. It has dictated the growth of cities; been proving ground for new technologies; and given countless people freedom of movement and the opportunity to improve their lives.
In RUSH HOUR, Iain Gately traces the past, present and future of commuting, from the age of Dickens to the potential of the driverless car. He examines the contrasting experiences of commuters in Britain and elsewhere in the world: from the crush-loaded salarymen of the Tokyo metro to the road-rage afflicted middle managers of America.
Notwithstanding its occasional traumas, commuting emerges as a positive aspect of modern life. It has dictated the growth of cities; been proving ground for new technologies; and given countless people freedom of movement and the opportunity to improve their lives.
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
384 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 15, 2017
The problem always dogging humans is that we forget how we got here. Exactly what forces came to pass that formed the world we currently enjoy? To bridge that gap, we make assumptions, create mythologies and generally fail to grasp the nuance of what unfolded before we got here.
This is why books such as Rush Hour are essential reading. It is mind-blowing just how extensively commuting influenced every aspect of modern societies. Gately does a great job unveiling the then and now of our commuting world - and also slays quite a number of falsehoods (such as that we generally hate commuting) along the way.
The third part, dealing with the future, is a little light. But it lines up well enough with the rest of this book. Absolutely worth your time reading, with easy prose and a light touch covering what is one of the most important stories in human development.
This is why books such as Rush Hour are essential reading. It is mind-blowing just how extensively commuting influenced every aspect of modern societies. Gately does a great job unveiling the then and now of our commuting world - and also slays quite a number of falsehoods (such as that we generally hate commuting) along the way.
The third part, dealing with the future, is a little light. But it lines up well enough with the rest of this book. Absolutely worth your time reading, with easy prose and a light touch covering what is one of the most important stories in human development.
January 20, 2021
As someone who works in the transport industry, this book provided very good insight and background on commuting patterns and how it has evolved over centuries. It also explains the impact on society and how the general landscape changes together, a cause-and-effect cycle between economic/social change, urban planning and commuting patterns. The author also provided opinions on the future of commuting, which was very interesting to think about now that we are just 6 years after the book was published and experiencing a global pandemic. Overall a good book for anyone who would like to think more about our modern lifestyles which circle around commuting.
March 11, 2019
A decent book about the history of commuting starting from horse & carriage in England/
May 5, 2019
My, how we've changed the world around us just for a little breathing space.
September 26, 2019
Very good history telling and rich in historical facts, but the wordings are a bit too complex and the sentences sometimes are too long making it quite some challenge in reading.
April 5, 2015
You can read my full review here
From the perils of crush loading on the Tokyo metro to road rage in the United States, ‘Rush Hour: How 500 million commuters survive the daily journey to work’ by Iain Gately examines the past, present and future of travelling to and from work. Commuting is an activity which takes up a significant part of everyday life for people across the world. This book outlines how it has developed and, in an era of advanced communication methods, why we still do it.
‘Rush Hour’ is a sweeping social history of transport and how its usage has evolved alongside other lifestyle changes in modern society. Gately sometimes stretches the definition of commuter to mean a general traveller for the purpose of explaining some of these developments. Although predominantly focused on commuting in Britain and the United States, Gately also outlines how commuting has developed in other parts of the world such as the Soviet Union and China where freedom of movement has been much more limited.
For me, the most interesting and thought-provoking aspects of the book are the chapters exploring the psychology of human behaviour whilst commuting on different methods of transport. Gately argues that commuting is ultimately a positive aspect of modern life. Although I was very sceptical at first, he makes a reasonably convincing case in favour of the daily grind and why we put up with it.
‘Rush Hour’ is an engaging and entertaining read about the perils and the somewhat dubious joys of travelling to work. Highly recommended for commuters everywhere.
From the perils of crush loading on the Tokyo metro to road rage in the United States, ‘Rush Hour: How 500 million commuters survive the daily journey to work’ by Iain Gately examines the past, present and future of travelling to and from work. Commuting is an activity which takes up a significant part of everyday life for people across the world. This book outlines how it has developed and, in an era of advanced communication methods, why we still do it.
‘Rush Hour’ is a sweeping social history of transport and how its usage has evolved alongside other lifestyle changes in modern society. Gately sometimes stretches the definition of commuter to mean a general traveller for the purpose of explaining some of these developments. Although predominantly focused on commuting in Britain and the United States, Gately also outlines how commuting has developed in other parts of the world such as the Soviet Union and China where freedom of movement has been much more limited.
For me, the most interesting and thought-provoking aspects of the book are the chapters exploring the psychology of human behaviour whilst commuting on different methods of transport. Gately argues that commuting is ultimately a positive aspect of modern life. Although I was very sceptical at first, he makes a reasonably convincing case in favour of the daily grind and why we put up with it.
‘Rush Hour’ is an engaging and entertaining read about the perils and the somewhat dubious joys of travelling to work. Highly recommended for commuters everywhere.
May 18, 2015
It's an easy and entertaining read about commuting. The author is quite optimistic and positive about this daily routine so many of us are subject to.
The first half of the book is dedicated to the history of commuting - from trains in the UK and the US to the cars and bikes. The book is mostly centred on the UK and the US. Although it was fairly interesting to read, I would have preferred that part to be shorter. On the other had the second part of the book - about the actual commuting, how it affects people, their behaviour, etc. to me felt too short. I would have preferred to read a lot more of that. I found the chapter on how drivers/metro personnel etc. perceive rush hour commuters quite fascinating. But the chapter felt way too short to me. Overall, an interesting read for commuters and non-commuters alike although at times it may leave you wishing for more material.
The first half of the book is dedicated to the history of commuting - from trains in the UK and the US to the cars and bikes. The book is mostly centred on the UK and the US. Although it was fairly interesting to read, I would have preferred that part to be shorter. On the other had the second part of the book - about the actual commuting, how it affects people, their behaviour, etc. to me felt too short. I would have preferred to read a lot more of that. I found the chapter on how drivers/metro personnel etc. perceive rush hour commuters quite fascinating. But the chapter felt way too short to me. Overall, an interesting read for commuters and non-commuters alike although at times it may leave you wishing for more material.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews