The Great Unwashed
I know public transport isn't the only alternative to driving, but it's what we use most at the moment.
It is certainly affording some great learning experiences for my little carbon cop and I; he is fascinated by the notion that the seats at the front are meant to be given up for elderly/ pregnant ladies/ people who need more room etc... It's been great to see him transition from scowling at people for not offering their seats, but being unwilling to do it himself, to - finally - happily squeezing on to my knee the other day to allow a senior lady to sit with us.
A real parenting result in the character stakes!
Certainly a far cry from the lack of courtesy usually evident when driving a car around these parts.
It must be said, though, for the sake of transparency that now that Summer is showing herself the Bondi bus run has become a lot less fun and a lot more sweaty, crowded, loud, slow and inconsistent. I am having to allow a good extra 20 min each side of the journey to not run late. And I dread those moments waiting in the city where seemingly three of every other bus other than the Bondi one turns up, and you watch the crowd of people who you know are waiting for the same bus as you gather, and you know it will arrive packed, and late and possibly not have room for you arrgghh!
Another good opportunity to practise kindness to all...I guess! ;)
But still, this whisper remains car-less!
Comments (11)
I haven't had a car for about a year now, and I also find that once you get used to it, it is indeed both easy and liberating. Being close to public transport (buses and trains for me), and having a bicycle, certainly helps a lot.
I find that the biggest challenge is shopping. You have to get used to shopping the old-fashioned way: i.e. only buy what you can carry home. My favourite technique is to cycle to the shops, and then to ride home with a backpack full of groceries, and with a shopping bag slug over each handlebar (be sure to balance the weight evenly if you do this). Online shopping / home delivery is also an option, but I haven't tried it yet.
good on you jeremy! and thanks for the tips. yes i have just been buying as i need mostly. am looking fwd to getting a bike in near future and experimenting with that!
While i applaud the carless whispering Vaike i find the backup of having a Goget Car Share membership means the carless experience is much more manageable (and of course a pushbike which is my main form of transport).
Occasionally when im moving something heavy or just need to do 20 things in one day all over town i'll grab a Go Get for maybe $20 for 4 hours (plus 50c a km roughly) and i'm sorted. Given a car you own might cost you between $20- $30 a day just sitting there i your garage this works out way cheaper and more convenient.
This might make it easier for some people to take the step.
yes indeedy, i have joined GoGet too and find it uber-easy to use - thanks Dave!
Over here in the UK Tom and I have joined a similar car sharing scheme called Commonwheels. We have used it just a couple of times for short trips, but plan on a longer trip in July when we'll drive and take the ferry to Ireland instead of the cheap Easyjet flight. It costs a bit more money, and is still nowhere near environmentally, but compared to flying I feel I am doing my best.
Hey Kimberley, havent heard of Commonwheels - however i do like the look of Street Car in the UK - they worked with a service design company live|work to develop their system so it's top notch from what i understand.
Good on you Vaike! Obviously it is a great experience for your son, too, and a lovely joint venture.
I am on the verge of my 17th birthday and have still not obtained my license, although I do intend to get a license for emergencies, I have thoroughly thought things over and done research and discovered that the price of a yearly bus pass is half to a third the cost of running a car for a year (based on the milage of the average driver) and I particularly enjoy riding bikes places, as I ride virtually everywhere I go, therefore I have really doubted the need to own a car in my adult life. Articles like this only encourage me in my pursuit of a life like this!!! Thank you!!!
hey william, that's so awesome! i feel in a way that your comment brings my experiment full circle (although it's far from over)! hopefully my little guy will grow up to be as considered as you. at the moment he alternates between the odd whinge of 'not another bus!' and 'does it mean we're poor because you're not buying a car?' (actually, no, i am better off financially without car!), but much more predominately is the 'all those people are polluting the planet!' indignance he directs to the drivers we see.
(clearly i need to balance out this experiment with a healthy does of the importance of being kind, which i do)
i'm so excited by your considered approach to transport. i think it's in many areas that the shift is from an unquestioned sense of entitlement to a fair and un-biased examination of the world we are in, here, now in its entirety, and the wisest choice to make from that :)
guess what?! it's taken a long time but finally the planets aligned: i had a bike, a helmet, i had time and i was feeling brave: i rode to work!!!
details and pic to come...
Power to your pedals! How did it go Vaike? I look forward to the details :)
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