"Columbus Gets High Marks for Low Stress"

Trumpeted a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch which proudly reported that Columbus fared well in a recent Forbes Magazine survey of most stressed out cities. We finished 5th--only Minneapolis, Portland, Milwaukee, Boston are LESS stressful cities to live in.

It's pretty sad that researchers are even measuring this.

You might ask, "How the hell do they measure a city's stress level?" Well, in this case the researchers examined six metrics, including the unemployment rate, time spent at the office, 3 health-related factors dealing with exercise and access to health care AND COMMUTE TIMES

Very interesting. I'm betting the commutes referenced in the study are via cars, not via bikes (since everyone knows bike commuting relieves stress). But to include commutes as a major factor determining a city's stress level is very telling and points to the obvious solution--get on a bike!

I think it's also interesting that 2 of the cities ahead of us in the study, Minneapolis and Portland, are the cities leading the pedaling revolution in the U.S. (FYI, Minneapolis recently unseated Portland as the bicycle capital of the U.S.)

So, one more reason to become a twowheeler--CHILL! 

Comments

[Defensive Cycling]

Personally I take all these reports with a large pinch of salt. They're not scientific despite creating certain metrics to conduct a measurement. for a start an indivdual's stress levels are unique to that individual and are caused by a multitude of factors, some real some perceived. I don't know how you would measure the stress levels of a city.
I agree with you that cycling is a great stress reducer. I've been cycling for over thirty years and I know it keeps my stress levels down. At the height of my stresful period in life (three kids, a dog and mortgage and 12 hour shifts just to keep our heads above the water) I would get on my bike and cycle for hours through back country lanes. When I got back I was happy as a pig in you know what.
My wife would wave a bill under my nose and I'd say "No problem, I'll sort that out, one of the kids would say "Dad can I have...."
I'd reply "No problem, I'll get you one"
Cycling is the cure for many of all our ills. We was out with some friends a while ago when one of them said to me; "Paul if you had to give your bike up or your wife what would you do?" I excused myself and went to the toilet.