Did you know that in this country, people swim to work to skip traffic jams?
Navigating rush hour traffic can be a real nightmare for commuters in India's metro cities, where being stuck in traffic for hours is all too common. With work-from-home policies coming to an end and office commutes back in full swing, the frustration is mounting. But imagine swapping your car for a swim: in Switzerland, some folks actually swim across a river to get to work!
In Bern, Switzerland's capital, summer means riding the strong currents of the Aare River for both locals and tourists.?
They float along with their belongings secured in waterproof bags.
This unique commuting method has become quite popular, and is highlighted in a recent Instagram post by Pubity that has gone viral, amassing over 240,000 likes.
Residents use foldable or rollable dry bags to carry their clothes and work items, changing into swimwear at convenient riverfront entrances.?
Apparently, this tradition took off after Switzerland's late 20th-century initiative to clean its lakes and rivers, making them perfect for swimming and commuting.
How did people react?
One commenter joked, "Imagine explaining to your boss the reason you're late is because you nearly drowned on your commute."
Another added, "Imagine showing up to work wet from the river. but also imagine they had a nice shower before starting their shift too cuz maybe they're awesome and have showers."
However, some Swiss commenters clarified that this isn't the Aare river but the Rhine: "The Rhine is the river that runs through Basel, not the Aare. The Aare runs through Canton Bern. Also, people don't commute to work this way, they just go for a swim in the summer."
Even if commuting by river to work were a thing in Switzerland, it's hard to imagine it happening in India anytime soon. Picture Mumbaikars swimming through the drain-like Mithi River in BKC or Delhiites wading through the frothy Yamuna¡ªyikes!
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