Car v. Public transport.

[al78]

the effect of having invented the car in the first place has led to the development of lifestyles and working practices that wouldn't be possible without one.

Substitute "car" for pretty much any modern day invention and that statement would still be valid.

It is an inevitable consequence of progress, that initially, new technology gives us increased freedom, but that freedom then disappears as our systems/way of life evolves to become dependant on that new technology.

It is also unfortunate that as technology advances, it allows increased efficiency, but optimised for a narrower range of conditions so that when sudden departures to those conditions occur, the systems go tits up far worse than they would have done with simpler, but less efficient technology (a good example of this is the effect of heavy snow on transport in the UK).

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Good morning Brandane. I don't know whether you want an answer or not after your bit of a rant there. Certainly in some areas public transport is on the poor side. In the area where I live the transport links are very good, running very early in the mornings and very late at nights, and although the teenagers are much the same as up your way it is not a usual occurrence for the trains and buses to be awash with "fluids". It just happens that you live in an area where the transport links are not good for the journeys you wish to do so that forces you to use your car.

AHEM, may I point out that I live on the North Clyde Route. Yes, I have heard the Ayrshire routes can be bad, but where I am, just a few miles away as the crow flies and with the same operator, it's perfectly fine!

A case in point here:

When I was working at a special needs school, all of the kids were picked up by minibus every day and most of the staff (depressingly) drove - I took the train and was one of the few who actually got to work on time every day.... and I had to walk up quite steep hill from the railway station too! (that hill in winter when it was all icy was certainly interesting!).

It just showed how bad the roads were - I could get out and walk and STILL beat the cars!
Accidents and road works were common place, and I remember one morning, most of the kids and staff didn't get in until after 11 am because of an accident!

Imagine the outcry if that was public transport, but because it's on the road it's somehow 'different'.

Pathetic, absolutley pathetic!

Car better than Public transport?? Bwahahahahaaha!! in this case it most certainly was NOT - I think I had about ONE minor incident on the train the entire time I was working there! (how many delays did people using the roads have exactly?).

... And to then add insult to injury, what did we get in the staffroom??
Yep, that's right, discussions about how bad the roads were!!

 

[dellzeqq]

Because I live 25 miles from work! There is little or no work in the area where I live, and I am not willing to relocate for a job which is insecure in the current climate, and pays peanuts in any case.

then you've made a choice, and the result of that choice is that your carbon emissions have increased, and that you've become part of the congestion problem

 

[al78]

then you've made a choice, and the result of that choice is that your carbon emissions have increased, and that you've become part of the congestion problem

Well if you call a choice surviving or going under, then yes, I suppose he does have a choice .

In the current fragile economic situation that exists at the moment it is not practical nor reasonable to expect people to give up a steady job just because it is inaccessible by non-car means of transport. The priority at the moment is to be able to hold a job in the first place. When our economy recovers to the point where people can give up jobs and have a high chance of getting another one quickly can we start to suggest to people like the OP that they could perhaps find a closer job.

 

[taxing]

I think you're taking the messages about using public transport personally. They're not telling you personally that you need to get a bus to work, they're telling everyone that they need to get a bus for work, and are hoping that for some people it will be practical and they'll do it. It's like adverts for anything else, when I'm watching telly I don't start fuming because an advert just told me that my child should eat Ready Brek for a healthy start to the day when I don't have a child. Adverts always take that personal tone, knowing that for a lot of people they won't apply.

I've always managed just fine with public transport. If you're limited to public transport you have to consider how you'd get to work before you apply for a job, that's all.

 

[rosscbrown]

I think I've got the best of both worlds. I live between Edinburgh and "near Lockerbie". In Edinburgh, public transport is fantastic. Buses, trains and the like.

Out in the sticks I live 1.5 miles from the nearest bus stop - with a massive THREE servies A WEEK. Five miles from the nearest 'meaningful' bustop with an hourly service post hours.

But the best thing? A seven mile (30min max) cycle from a mainline railway station. 1 hour to Glasgow or Edinburgh and only four hours to London.

Both locations have a their benefits and drawbacks - living out in the sticks is not as simple as in the city. In the city I can do my grocery shopping at 4am, in the sticks a little more forward planning is needed.

 

[dellzeqq]

Well if you call a choice surviving or going under, then yes, I suppose he does have a choice ..

he's not claiming it's that stark a choice. Why are you?

 

[John the Monkey]

When I was working at a special needs school, all of the kids were picked up by minibus every day and most of the staff (depressingly) drove - I took the train and was one of the few who actually got to work on time every day.... and I had to walk up quite steep hill from the railway station too! (that hill in winter when it was all icy was certainly interesting!).

It just showed how bad the roads were - I could get out and walk and STILL beat the cars!
Accidents and road works were common place, and I remember one morning, most of the kids and staff didn't get in until after 11 am because of an accident!

That's broadly my experience too. Last winter, my commute on the first day of snow ended like this;


Snow Brompton by John the Monkey, on Flickr

I was pretty miffed when I was sent home at 2pm because "no one" could get in to work!

And yep, it does seem to be far more of a lottery for the driver than the train user regarding "accidents" &c.