To despair at our obession with cars

[SelkieQualia]

They are awful. Noisy. Polluting. 4 million people die every year from the effects of air pollution. Housing developments are built around them, which means that the most vulnerable people in our society - young people, the elderly - are made even more dependant on those who drive.
Why do we tolerate such terrible public transport and cycling infrastructure?

Imsoreadyforbed - taxi?

@Momicrone

Imsoreadyforbed - taxi?

Cost a fortune and if your in labour (in my area) they won't take you or expect you to pay a hefty deposit in case you make a mess

Besides, you have to go through the ritual to summon a taxi.
"Hiya, I ordered a taxi for 430?"
"What's the name love?"
"Abc"
"OK. And the address?"
"123."
"Yeah, says he's 5 minutes away. "

Put phone down. Watch clock. Begin to give up. Light a fag and behold: taxi arrives.

You are deluded. Without a car I would not be able to get to work, earn money and have a secure home.

People like you who make sweeping statements without any thought for others circumstances are shameful.

The government will never make public transport better to get people to use it, they'll just make it even more unbearable to use your own transport, too much stick and not enough carrot.

@Dinoteeth

Car sharing isn't the answer either, the days of people working 9-5 and starting and finishing at the same time are long gone.

I know two other people who live in the area who work in the same industrial estate. We all work different hours, and have little people who need collected. So even if two of us could car share what do we do with the four kids that get collected on the way home?

This is another planning issue I think. The fact that so many kids living in the same area go to different schools, sometime quite far away, makes for all the more transportation issues.

The bus from the nearest town to my parents village will be taken away soon, leaving some villagers without a means to get to work, to college, or to just meet a friend somewhere. But it's heavily subsidised and the local council just won't stump up the £150k (according to the reply to my angry email) it takes to keep it running. Most users are on council issued bus passes, like my parents. My mum can drive and has a car, but liked using the bus because a) it was free for her and b) parking in town is scarce and expensive.

There's no joined up thinking when it comes to providing good transport outside the big cities. Councils say they can't afford it, then complain about the volume of traffic. Trains are expensive. You'll get off a train somewhere then have to wait an hour for the bus on the next leg of your journey. Buses go all around the houses, so a 30 minute journey can take twice as long (and more). I have traveled around the South of England on public transport and it requires an enormous amount of planning and expense. In my normal life, I don't need a car, but just getting from AtoB on public transport is a Royal PITA.

This is another planning issue I think. The fact that so many kids living in the same area go to different schools, sometime quite far away, makes for all the more transportation issues

Different schools isn't the issue, two adults car sharing can't also collect 2 kids each in the same car, that's 6 people in the car plus the headache of car seats.

The biggest planning issue is the out of town office park, its easy to get to by bus from the city centre, but not from the surrounding towns and villages.

Public transport works great if its like a bike wheel all the spokes going to a central hub.
Out of town everything, means we have more of a Spiders Web, people in the East trying to get to the north, people in the West trying to get to the East.

There needs to be some serious joined up thinking nationally about how to plan. We shouldn't have councils trying to attract employers from other areas.

I do agree OP, even in areas where public transport is ok it would take heaven and earth for people to forgo the speed and convenience of their cars.
I live 10 minutes walk from the bus stop, it’s then about 25 minutes journey to work, the buses are about every 10 minutes. £1.65 each way. I think that’s really good, but most people in my position would still rather make the 10 minute car journey. Except traffic means that it’s almost never takes 10 minutes, and there is very limited parking so you end up having to park a 15 minute walk away. I’m happy to get the bus, put my (quiet!) headphones on and use the time to go on my phone/read/do admin but because that does take more than the perceived 10 minutes in the car my colleagues do not find that acceptable.
It is frustrating that motoring is considered the default, and you’re seen as a bit of a weirdo if you don’t drive. And as per the OP, rubbish public transport and poor cycling infrastructure is just accepted as the way it is, very few people challenge their MPs about this but if there’s roadworks/changes to parking/petrol queues then there’s uproar. Having fewer cars on the road surely benefits everyone (including people who need to drive for work, need to carry stuff or have mobility problems).

My partner works under 15 mins away by car (8 miles, motorway so bike is not an option) the bus take over 2 hours and costs £6 each way (2 different companies no multi pass available) wonder why he drove until eyesight problems meant he couldn't, I now drop him then drive back past my house to get to my work, 15 mins other direction, I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. People need cars because of woeful public transport

If the government were serious about reducing car use and the subsequent reduction in income from the motorist, they would make public transport more attractive. Public transport is unreliable, doesn't always go where you need it to go, and is very expensive per mile compared to a car if you already have a car. The only one of those three things you could easily change is the cost. Why not make public transport free? Or very cheap. It costs £7 to go by bus to my nearest city, 8 miles away. It is no incentive whatsoever to not go by car

In a city I wouldn’t have a car because public transport is more convenient. In London it’s cheap and frequent and easy to access and goes all night.

Where I live the buses are hourly, expensive and don’t even go through the heart of the villages now meaning people have a half hour walk to the bus stop. Not great if elderly. The last bus is 6pm so often before some people finish work. There is no bus to the other local town. We just had a village plan survey and I said on there about public transport issues. Until it’s cheaper and runs later it there is no incentive to use it over a car. I’d quite like a night option as could go out and everyone could have a drink, for example, instead of needing a driver each time. Taxi is silly expensive too. There is little traffic here, rural roads move fast. All my children have passed driving tests at 17 so they can get to college etc more easily.

I would love to cycle to work this morning. I won't because it's just too dangerous, and I end up walking most of the way. It's actually easier to walk than cycle. Im seriously considering an adult scooter (not an e-scooter) but have repeatedly read on here I will look ridiculous and be laughed at. I'm too old to care about being laughed at these days.

I’ve only been driving a few years so am well used to walking cycling and public transport. Unfortunately I drive a lot now as there’s no viable alternative when I take the kids out to certain places. Sometimes it takes longer to get the bus than walk and I don’t cycle as much since my bike was vandalised and the council got rid of the cycle paths to make more room for cars.

We need cheaper, nicer public transport and cycle lanes.

I think you have to go back to Tory policy of the late 60s when they decided to destroy the rail network in favor of motorways.
Years of de industrialization mean lots of towns have no jobs. People have to travel. No trains mean you have to use a car. There is no alternative.
Ditto the rise of out of town shopping superstores with free parking coupled with the rise in parking costs in towns mean it's a no brainer. Why get the bus into town - if there is a bus when you can drive to the outskirts and get everything you need in a few hours.
We need some radical investment in a national train and tram service in every town and city that's subsidized so it's cheaper than using a car otherwise people will simply not use it.

Car manufacturers get was a big employee in U.K. during 1960s and any government was going to encourage the usage of a car, as sales would be great for the economy. The same had happened in US

In fairness to the OP this thread typifies why this planet if stuffed and it's only a matter of time before it's game over.

Don't get me wrong, I've no plans to give up my cars or to save the planet with my EV as I bought it to save money primarily. Recycling is a token gesture too as it's never going to be enough so best to enjoy ourselves while we can and apologize to our kids

My partner works under 15 mins away by car (8 miles, motorway so bike is not an option) the bus take over 2 hours and costs £6 each way (2 different companies no multi pass available) wonder why he drove until eyesight problems meant he couldn't, I now drop him then drive back past my house to get to my work, 15 mins other direction, I wouldn't do this if I didn't have to. People need cars because of woeful public transport

It’s exactly for this reason the obsession with cars should be moved to an obsession with good quality, effective public transport so people that are unable to drive themselves can still move about easily and quickly

One bus on the road moving 50 people is far better than 50 cars contesting the roads with 59 people sat queing

But why should people who can’t literally drive be penalised

iamsoreadyforbednow It was you that suggested cycling as an option, I’d have thought getting a taxi would be a better option, home birth, ambulance or as my gran did - get the bus

Op hasn’t suggested banning cars but asked why we accept such woeful alternatives

It’s not an all or nothing, but a question as to why we accept the bad public transport that so many people outline in their posts and state that’s why they use a private car but never answer why they accept it

Octomingo, I suppose having a fag in labour might help with the pain! I'm not suggesting a taxi is easier or suitable for all but some women who don't have cars will go to hospital in taxis.

Chocolate orange, yes I think what beeching did to the railways was awful. So many gorgeous little towns in the uk with defunct railway stations

@Blossom64265

Not everyone is happier around other people. Many of us experience great distress in groups or crowds. We thrive on solitude. Not everyone is NT. Being on public transit or in a crowd I can’t exit is dangerous for someone like me with an airborne fragrance allergy because there are people who still think using scented products doesn’t violate the social contract.

I'm not NT. Public transport systems with "quiet carriages" are a godsend!

@Sleepyblueocean

"If then public transport is subsidised, efficient and runs properly for all?"

Bear in mind that all cannot use public transport because it will never be accessible for all. Yes it needs to be better but those who cannot use it should not be penalised because of that.

No one is suggesting pealing people who can't use public transport. Currently, however, the system does penalise those whi can't drive. And I suspect that the number of people who can't drive is much larger than those who can't use cpublic transport.

OP I completely agree. I grew up in Manchester where the public transport is amazing, so my relatives in their 70s and 80s rarely use their cars. It's brilliant! We now live in a small town with dire public transport. People say they want to retire to places like ours, but we are planning to retire to Manchester just for the buses 😄