Can changing your departure time reduce your commute?

Who doesn't hate, HATE, sitting in traffic? I certainly don't enjoy it and have significantly altered my work hours to avoid the 9-5 grind to and from the office. I haven't calculated the amount of time I save and due to the amount of sloth in me, will never get around to it. Fortunately, Brandon Hansen of Northwest Houston isn't such a lazy good for nothing like me. He has totally geeked out and analyzed how varying his departure time affects the length of his commute. We're talking chart and graphs with some mathematics thrown in to top it off. It's really good work. You may want to read his findings to help plan your commute and get a little bit of your day back.

Here is the Slashdot.org posting that alerted me to his study:

"OmniNerd has an interesting traffic article demonstrating how leaving early for work may cost you time. Brandon Hansen uses a year's worth of data collected on his urban drive to and from work along with statistical analysis to show the effects of varying departure times and considering external factors like nearby school districts' schedules. In the end, a minor shift in his departure time results in saving driving hours equivalent to over a third of the vacation time given annually by his employer."

Civil Servant Fit Club, some follow up

HPD physical fitness test for hiring.

Starting Point
(Counter Clockwise)
The Physical Agility Test consists of two separate timed events.
The first event is a timed obstacle course that must be completed within 90 seconds or less. The course consists of an 800 foot run (6 total laps). During the first lap, the applicant must pull himself/herself up and look over a 7 and one-half foot wall for 10
seconds, complete a 5’3” running jump, and climb a 3’6” wall.

Immediately upon completion of the obstacle course the applicant must do 6 push-ups and 30 sit-ups within 120 seconds. Should the applicant fail any of the events, the entire test must be retaken. Two additional attempts may be given after a failure; should the third attempt fail, the applicant must wait 30 days before retaking the test.

At the current time, I have not found any information on how often fitness is evaluated after entering the force.

It looks like HFD applicants have a little tougher requirements for qualification.

Starting Point
(Counter Clockwise)
The Physical Agility Test consists of two separate timed events.
The first event is a timed obstacle course that must be completed within 90 seconds or
less. The course consists of an 800 foot run (6 total laps). During the first lap, the
applicant must pull himself/herself up and look over a 7 and one-half foot wall for 10
seconds, complete a 5’3” running jump, and climb a 3’6” wall.
Immediately upon completion of the obstacle course the applicant must do 6 push-ups
and 30 sit-ups within 120 seconds.
Should the applicant fail any of the events, the entire test must be retaken. Two
additional attempts may be given after a failure; should the third attempt fail, the
applicant must wait 30 days before retaking the test.

Civil Servant Fit Club

Since Houston infamously was named "The Fattest City on Earth" a couple years running not too long ago, a friend brought forward the interesting idea to compare which city had the fattest police, firemen, etc. I thought this was a great thing to ponder after seeing most local parks patrolled by officers in cars or gators. (Gators are souped up golf carts which somehow makes them less embarrassing to be seen driving.) Most teenagers could easily out run these Harry Callahan wannabees if they had to use their own power to get around. It's like a force of Ironsides, but it was a donut or kolache that put'em in the wheelchair.

Well, enough complaining about others when I can't lose the extra 10 clinging to my middle. Now let's focus on Houston, forget the rest of the country. Which group of civil servants is the most fit? I'm interested to see of the Harris County Constables are fitter than HPD or if the Fireman can out muscle the Metro Police. Does anyone out there have a source for this info? I'd really like to see it broken down in to male, female, avg height, and avg weight. Please if you have the info or a lead on where to find it drop me a line and I'll try to compile it.

Mayor White, you may need to revisit your traffic management program

Holcombe/Bellaire Blvd signals have been unbearable in the evenings this week. It should not take 30 minutes to travel from Bertner to Fannin. I realize maintaining traffic signals is probably a complex affair, but it seems like every time a gnat farts in Wyoming a signal goes out on Bellaire or Holcombe. Tomorrow should be a double mess with the possibility of rain. Even a trace amount kills a light somewhere on that street between 610 and Alameda.

Please Mr. Mayor remember all that anti-congestion know-how and bravado you expressed during your election? How about showing a little of it now? Oh and while you're at it, tell the Texas Medical Center to hire real police for traffic management instead of the security guards they are currently using. HPD officers seem to have a better grasp on the idea that they are there to expedite the movement of vehicles.

Sidewalks and Signals Update

Maybe I was a bit harsh about the signals yesterday, five minutes is a long time today it took 2 min. 20 sec. and 3 min. 5 sec. the two times I crossed Fannin at University. It felt longer, but three minutes plus is unacceptable. Do you realize the chaos that would be caused if cars had to wait on a light that slow? Mayor "I'll sync the lights" White would need bodyguards.

Now on to sidewalks that stink, I haven't been around the entire Medical Center but there are some areas where the walkways need replaced.

These sidewalks need improvement:
1. Both sides of John Freeman Boulevard
2. Main between Holcombe & Dryden
3. Bertner from Hermann Hospital to St. Luke's Hospital

Let's take a walk

That's just what I did at lunch today in the Texas Medical Center. I love to walk and appreciate urban areas that cater to pedestrians. The Medical Center has the highest concentration of people afoot in the entire city. It is also the largest employer in town, so there are a lot of shoes a flappin' around here. Given this information you would think that sidewalks and traffic signals in the Medical Center would be optimized for the pedestrian. Think again.

In most areas the sidewalks are adequately wide to handle the flow of people; however, certain sections are very narrow and tend to be below grade. Besides causing a traffic jam when it rains they become mini-reflecting pools unsuitable for use except by ducks. Hopefully the constant construction and influx of more jobs will stimulate a rapid expansion of the sidewalks.

Now let's talk about traffic signals. These things are screwed up beyond belief thanks to MetroRail. If you are crossing Fannin anywhere between Methodist Hospital and Children's Hospital expect to get a tan in the process. It can take up to 2 minutes for the lights to cycle through and give the walk signal. Throw in a passing train and you can be standing on the corner waiting for 5 or more minutes. To add insult to injury, occasionally the police hand out Jaywalking tickets to the tune of up to $200. They had a big push on tickets last summer claiming it was a safety issue and that on average 25% of pedestrians were breaking some ordinance or other. Maybe they should look at the root of the problem instead of trying to curb the symptom. Fix the signals so that people can cross the streets in a reasonable amount of time!

That's just not right!

This blog is only 24 hours old and it's already on the recieving end of some nasty smack-talk from a fellow blogger. So I don't have all the functions turned on yet, is that so wrong?

Well, he's an ok guy I guess for a native Houstonian and it seems our blogs have a parallel focus. Check his thoughts on the way things should be over at Houston City Watch.

Is this thing on?

tunk, tunk, tunk.
testing... testing...

...screeaaacchccTTTZZZZaup...


oh, well that's a fitting start to a blog about things I don't like much. Honestly, I like a lot, but no one ever really talks about good things. Generally topics will be news items or things I notice about my town, Houston. I'll be genuinely shocked if anyone reads this and if you do, let me know so that I can develop of huge ego and some megalomaniacal tendencies.