I agree with the insanity part.
I know people who commute over 100 miles a day and spend literally 4 or 5 hours a day in their car. Hardly the way I'd want to spend a quarter to a third of my waking hours.
Part of the problem is that I don't think most people realize what they are really spending on commuting; Yes, they might know what they spend on fuel, but they aren't thinking about what they're spending on depreciating out a car every 3 years or sooner.