First, Alabama has some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. That being said, I had several errands to run yesterday and couldn’t help but make the following observation. While traffic flow in semi-rural Auburn Alabama is swift and fast moving, sales staff and cash register attendants are slow and unhelpful. I’d suspect the opposite to be true in urban areas. It’s a compensating differential. If you choose fast traffic you pay for it with lower levels of human capital. There are both benefits and costs to living in areas with high populations. The question that remains is which do you prefer and why? I feel better prepared to waste time in my car. I can listen to music or plan my day. When I wait in line at a store counter I’m frustrated and the only solace is laughing about it with the other people in line. I think living in a big city with high human capital despite the traffic flow is a net gain.
The Imprisoner's Dilemma
comments on political economy, punishment theory and mass incarceration
I agree and disagree. I would rather waste my time in a car. At least you have the radio, private cell phone conversation, and can yell curses and swears at the people in front of you which you could not really do standing in a public line. And nothing drives me up a wall like when you go to pay for something and it costs $11.26 and you hand them $22 and the cashier looks at you like you are retarded. The only thing in that makes it so I am NOT Gelin more than a retarded cahsier is a person who is driving in the left lane, blocking traffic, going 5 mile per hour under the speed limit, talking on the cell phone, not getting over. The reason for this is because it is soooooo not courtious. The cashier probably did not have a choice about his brains but if the person in the left lane would pay attention and be polite, it would be much better. So I am at a loss with this one.