Thursday 24 May 2012

Free Travel

One of the great things about public transport this year has been the new "10 journeys, then travel free" offer. And this week i've taken great advantage of it.


As the name suggests, only the first 10 journeys in a week are paid for. This week (as well as going to work) i made trips out on Monday and Tuesday nights. So leaving work on Wednesday was my 10th trip.

Today i had free travel. Same goes for Friday. And anywhere i want to go this weekend.

The other great thing about it is that it caps my travel costs. I live in zone 2 of the public transport network (a $3.58 fare during peak time) so the maximum i ever pay in a week is about 35 bucks. Obviously this compares very favourably with the costs of running a car.

Tuesday 22 May 2012

Panic stations

Today at my work there was a helpful email advising employees of the closing down of a nearby car-parking facility. In the minutes afterwards i heard at least 3 fairly alarmed conversations of car-commuters unsure of their future plans. While having sympathy, i do find it a little amusing.

"Independence" is one of the things people tell me is an advantage of car driving. But in reality, travelling by car just means being dependent on a range of different things. Parking is just one of many.

It will be interesting tomorrow to see if people are late for work, after spending time (and petrol) hunting out a parking place and walking from that place; or whether they just leave home earlier to allow for that - which is also ironic for the people who say they drive because it's "quicker". (More on that another time)

Sunday 20 May 2012

Path Peace (x2)

Travelling side-by-side along the bikepath, my fellow rider and i realised someone right behind us. Oops, we were blocking the way. I went ahead, so he could pass us.

"Thanks mate!" he cheerfully said, disappearing into the distance.

"No worries" i assured him (though i'm not sure if my voice carried to him).

It was a pleasant and polite exchange, which i was regaling to my fellow rider - whilst making the point that interaction on pathways is the opposite of the irritated honking and road rage that goes along with cars.

As we (I) talked, the bikeway and pedestrian path merged into one (with sides marked for walkers and riders). A couple with a pram were approaching us, but the man pushing the pram was distracted by the scenery and didn't realise he was on the rider side, until he saw us.

"Sorry mate" he offered, while skillfully manouvering himself and the pram back to walker territory.

"No problems" i replied (he'd done so with plenty of time to spare).

"OK, point proven." was the comment from my fellow rider (as if i'd organised the pram guy merely to prove me earlier point). Though she also added that part of the difference is that cars have the "potential to kill someone". That kind makes people more on edge.

I guess she's right. It's also another good reason not to be part of that scene.
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ps. "path peace" is my term for the opposite of road rage.

Sunday 6 May 2012

The Pain of the Pump

A friend sent me this cartoon, illustrating the financial pain of having a big car:


Whilst the hybrid owner is quite happy, the person with no car would be whistling even more :)