Until I was 13 and we moved to Australia we didn't have a car. It was walk/bus/train it for everything.
We lived in Petts Wood, Kent until I was ten and then we moved to Forest Row in Sussex. School for me was always a good half hour walk away (those were the days when a six year old could walk by themselves).
I can manage without a car today if I had too. The same as I can manage without a mobile. I believe that we in Australia have become so soft that we need convenience everything; heaven forbid that our 'dial a pizza' becomes too expensive due to petrol costs that we have to get up off of our butts and go and pick it up ourselves!
The news doing the rounds today is of the CSIRO report that petrol might hit $8 or more a litre by 2018.
Ye Gods and Little Fishes!
The world is about to end because we may have to catch a bus to work!
Dammit people, think outside your own little bubble for a minute; you have ten years to prepare and change your lifestyle. Start now and keep adapting so that the impact of ever increasing oil prices is minimal to your family's life.
As I have said 'elsewhere', Go learn a new skill: quilting, knitting, gardening, tanning leather, forestry, cobbling shoes or even learn to keep fish. Don't just sit down as prices rise and whinge. Australians are do-ers; Go bloody do something then!
I think this turned into a vent!
8 comments:
Hi Crone.....I grew up without a car....my parents still use the bus.......I am in a remote area so I need a car but have converted to LPG....which is better than petrol.
I only use my car when it is necessary and I have tried to make as many adjustments to lifestyle as I can....still not good enough for me though!!
I agree, we live in a world full of softies now....I hate to say it Crone but the najority won't bother to change....sad but I think it is a fact.....
Hi Darling Crone
You are absolutely right! I remember as a 7 year old, if we missed the bus, it was a 2 mile (3.2km) walk to school. We often walked, anyway, because we enjoyed being out in the open air.
We only have one car and most times that is left parked in the driveway while we catch the bus to work. I find it much more relaxing and easier to catch the bus, when we don't have to worry about what others are doing on the road and don't have to find a parking spot and pay $7.50 a day for the privilege. It just makes more sense to bus it.
Many more people are catching the bus now and our bus is often full to overflowing. A couple of times now the bus driver has had to refuse passengers because the bus is too full.
I've also noticed lately that some of the "regulars" - people who catch the same bus each day are now making a social occasion out of it. The atmosphere on the buses is becoming much more jovial as a result. I think this is a good thing - maybe it will be a way in which we can become a real community again.
Thanks for the "vent"! xx
hmmm. We did have a family car growing up but Dad worked 2 jobs so it was mostly with him. I remember elaborate exchange plans when Mom needed the car for a doctor's appt, or something similar, involving getting us kids up at 5am to bring him to work 60 miles away returning to take him out to lunch - no food allowed on the job - and returning again to bring him home in the evening.
I walked a full mile to school from the time I was 5, by myself ;) and when I was old enough to want to go do things with my friends, and when I wanted a job, I took the bus. I still would if we lived near a bus route. Thankfully I am only 10 minutes from work so I can't complain about fuel prices too much. Currently, here in the States, I'm paying $4.17/gallon - I think that equals $1.14/litre or $3.61/British petrol gallon. Of course I'm not sure what kinds of taxes and fees our Gov't adds on. If I had no local, state or federal taxes to pay for each gallon I'd get it for about $1.70.
Holy Mother of a comment! I wish you lived closer! we could kvetch over your home grown coffee :) Ha!
And you could make the pancakes and bring the maple syrup!
Ohhhhh, you also knit! Man, I love how blogging has brought so many like minded people into my 'world'!
Mwah!
Yep, that was a vent, and a bloody good one too LOL
I couldn't agree more, I oten wonder about those we are leaving behind, the naysayers who think life will be cushy for the rest of their days, they have a rude shock coming!
Blessings:)
a friend in the US was compplaining to me that they now pay four american dollars a gallon for petrol
convering our english pounds into USdollars we pay the equivalent of twelve USdollars for petrol and fifteen USdollars for diesel
flippin ridiculous! i dont need to say we only use the car when we have to, do I?
leanne x
I only hope that the rise in fuel costs will lead to an increase in money invested in public transport. Where we live public transport is shocking! There are only 2 services in the morning and at night - and it would literally take me a minimum of 2 and a half hours ( I just google transited it!)one way!!!!
I'm all for public transport (my husband is a driver for the PTA) but it's got to be workable!
I agree with you CG. We all need to lobby for a better PT service. Nature Witch's comment about increased usage must be happing all over Australia and it will only get higher as petrol becomes more unaffordable.
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