Gendered Aspects of Time Related to Everyday Journeys

Abstract

Time is a significant dimension of the everyday journey. The temporal aspects of a journey are both quantitative and qualitative. The perception of time has been related to different time order systems in various societies and to differences within the spheres of production and reproduction. In this paper the differences between men and women in attitudes towards different time aspects of transport are analysed and discussed, with the empirical results based on a survey from Oslo 1993. A random sample of 1,053 persons, 18 years or older, was interviewed about everyday activities, travel and attitudes related to transport. The analyses show that there are diversities between groups of men and women in the perception of time and time use associated with the means of transport. On average, women have a more positive attitude towards public transport than men, and women also are more willing to accept longer travel times if one has to use public transport instead of the car. It is argued that the dominant time order related to production, the temporal practice in everyday life and the experienced time could explain some of these differences. In relation to these aspects of social time, men's and women's position and perception are different.