A Humane Commuting Society

Scene: Crowded subway car during morning rush hour.

Conductor: For your safety and the safety of passengers around you, please do not block the doorway.

General indignation and eye-rolling among passengers.

Exasperated conductor: Step all the way in. Move to the center of the car. You are delaying the train for every passenger.

More eye-rolling. A few knowing smirks—including by the "offender," who just wants to get to work on time.

One passenger: Run them more often so they aren't as crowded, jackass.

Laughter and smiles all around—and you know that's not easy on a subway, in New York, at 8 in the morning.

It's not quite as simple. The crumbling New York City subway system is largely running at capacity during rush hour.

Here's one possible approach for a more humane commuting experience:

Charge drivers for the congestion and pollution they cause.
Remove free parking everywhere in the city. It's not free to you, if it takes you 20 minutes to find a spot. It's not free to the city, if they can't use the space for something else. It's not free to anyone around you either, if that parking spot acts like viagra for cars: increase the number of "free" parking and watch cars multiply.
Use the money to invest in more and better subway cars, tracks, and other amenities (free WiFi?) that make you want to take the train.
Build more and better bike paths for those who like to save money and burn fat, rather than the other way around.

If you dare, add another:

Charge a congestion fee for the subway: At 8 a.m., they cost twice what they cost now. At 7 a.m. and again at 10 a.m., they are almost free.

Just don't do any of these without the others. Transport is a system and requires a systemic approach. And it all starts with getting the incentives right.