Jim Gaffigan on that unavoidable certainty of life: Traffic

The comedian will do anything to avoid traffic, which provides misery from cradle to grave

• May 17, 2019

Jim Gaffigan on traffic

Comedian Jim Gaffigan will do anything to avoid coping with traffic, which has a way of making life miserable, from cradle to grave.

• May 17, 2019
• 2:18

America's scenic drives

It's easy to get caught up in getting to where you want to go, while missing all the beauty and intrigue you pass along your journey. Conor Knighton explores America's national scenic byways, from Oregon, Utah and Colorado to Louisiana.

• May 17, 2019
• 4:14

Jay Leno in the driver's seat

Traffic during rush hour in Washington, D.C., is among the worst in the nation – so lethargic that even a venerable Ford Model T, driven by comedian and car aficionado Jay Leno, would have to slow down to keep up. Special correspondent Ted Koppel joins Leno as he slowly makes his way through the nation's capital, while offering a discourse on America's transportation history.

• May 17, 2019
• 5:53

Artistic manhole covers

On the streets of Japan, you may find remarkable artwork right under your feet. The Japanese have turned black metal manhole covers into well-rounded works of design. Nearly every city and town now has its very own manhole covers, usually based on a local claim to fame, drawing fans (called "manholers") in search of photos or copies of these unique pieces of public art. Ben Tracy reports.

• May 17, 2019
• 3:39

Flying cars are finally taking off

After decades of promises, flying cars are becoming real. Richard Schlesinger looks at vehicles that will soon be hitting the road (or rather, hovering a couple thousand feet above), which look more like helicopters than what "The Jetsons" promised.

• May 17, 2019
• 4:11

Self-driving cars

There have been many headlines about the future of self-driving vehicles – cars that would never get drowsy, never get impaired by alcohol, and never be distracted by cell phones. Well, that future is closer than you think, as David Pogue finds out when he surveys a landscape that features the Tesla Autopilot, and Lyft's self-driving taxis. Pogue also talks with Jason Torchinsky, author of "Robot, Take the Wheel: The Road to Autonomous Cars and the Lost Art of Driving."

• May 17, 2019
• 4:30

Gridlock: Seeking new solutions to an age-old problem

As Americans spend an estimated 97 hours a year stuck in traffic, costing tens of billions in lost productivity, answers to our traffic nightmares are being explored, both high-tech and old-school – from the Virgin Hyperloop One magnetic transportation system reaching speeds of hundreds of miles per hour, to gondola rides above congested city streets in Mexico. Lee Cowan reports.

• May 17, 2019
• 5:52

Bizarre commuting tales

Traffic engineer Sam Schwartz, who's credited with coining the term "gridlock," believes the current traffic situation has never been this bad. So, is it any surprise that some commuters have turned to more imaginative methods of transportation to work, like a unicycle? Or a self-built, foldable boat? Susan Spencer reports.

• May 17, 2019
• 4:25

Traveling America's scenic byways

Reason enough to get off the interstate: America's most scenic routes allow you to get caught up in where you are rather than where you're going to

• May 17, 2019

Flying cars: Ready to take off

After decades of promises, flying cars are finally becoming real, though they won't look like what "The Jetsons" promised

• May 17, 2019

Street art: Japanese manhole covers

Colorful designs adorn the lids to the sewers in towns across the country, inspiring flocks of fans, called "manholers," to engage in manhole tourism

• May 17, 2019

In the slow lane with Jay Leno

The comedian and car enthusiast takes a vintage Ford Model T out for a spin in Washington, D.C., where gentle political humor these days seems similarly antiquated

• May 17, 2019

Tuning in to the evolution of car radios

From pop hits to preachers and pretty much everything in-between, the car radio has been a part our lives for almost 100 years

• May 17, 2019

Crazy commutes: Employing alternative methods to beat traffic

Tommy Lutz's 12-mile commute from his home in New Jersey to the Manhattan offices of Google is accomplished by a foldable bicycle and then, once he hits the Hudson River, a foldable boat

• May 17, 2019

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