WASHINGTON – Traffic in the D.C. area can cause headaches and some choice words. But new research suggests people can change their mood by changing the way they travel.

It’s not how fast they go, it’s how they get there. Clemson University researcher Eric Morris studied how emotions like happiness, pain, and stress vary when people get around.

If travelers “feel like a room without a roof,” as Pharrell would say, chances are they’re bicyclists. Morris’ study found they are the happiest compared to other travelers, because they make fitness a priority.

“Bicyclists tend to be a self-selected group who are very enthusiastic. You’re not going to get too many people who are just casually biking who aren’t really into it. Bicyclists tend to be young and physically healthy. Physically healthy people report themselves to be happier,” he says.

Car drivers and passengers are the second happiest. Walkers and train passengers ranked near the middle. The saddest commuters are bus riders.

The study was published in the journal Transportation.

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