Total daily travel time stays constant regardless of transport speed

Evidence

This pattern is also confirmed by the effects of the automobile on time resources: the possession of a passenger car did change the amount of time spent underway, but not in the direction of less. Instead, the acceleration-induced gain in time is invested in more frequent or longer travels so that in time budgets the time allotted for transportation seems to be invariant relative to the speed of movement. — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 241

Categorization

• XREF: This is the empirical travel-time-budget finding (Zahavi / Marchetti constant) that underpins urban planning theories, connecting to how transport infrastructure investment fails to shorten commutes. — connects to: Faster transport and communication do not inherently cause more frequent use or time scarcity — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration: A New Theory of…, 234; Wave period stays constant across media while wavelength and speed change — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 216; Steady driven motion oscillates at the drive frequency, never the natural one (+1 more)
• SEED: Angle: technology promises time savings but societies reinvest them — a paradox essay uniting household appliances, cars, and the internet.

Broader Connections

• Faster transport and communication do not inherently cause more frequent use or time scarcity #corroborates (0.95) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 234
• Wave period stays constant across media while wavelength and speed change #exemplifies (0.80) — Eric J. Heller, Why You Hear What You Hear- An…, 216
• Recurring time-pressure complaints indicate constant acceleration, not a high absolute pace #expands (0.80) — Hartmut Rosa, Social Acceleration, 266
• Steady driven motion oscillates at the drive frequency, never the natural one #exemplifies (0.75)