Hello Hasbeen,

My main point about getting away from the topic was the part written by Jay of Melbourne:

"This situation is becoming worse, not better so your ideas are less likely to come to fruition as the population booms and the hinterlands of our cities fill up with welfare dependant Third world migrants."

It does very little, if nothing to address the question: Are you willing to throw away the car keys? - There clearly other pages on this website for 'race' related issues.

The only time 'race' applies for me on this topic - is with car races!

Not likely. I can't afford to live close to work and public transport besides being uncomfortable and often quite unpleasant would chew up at least an extra 1.5 hrs a day in commute time.

Add to that all the things that need doing out of hours which are not a convenient distance from public transport ( or involve moving things that don't don't go well with busses, trains or bikes ) and my car is still an essential.

Then of course there is that percentage of public transport patrons who make travel by PT such a delightful experience. The joy of sharing a seat with someone so obese that they wrap around you, the joy of experiencing the cultural values of those who are probably classified as disadvantaged. The occasional opportunity to interact as a captive audience for the clearly mentally ill.

Nope not much incentive to give up the car keys.

R0bert

Dear Nathan,

I am not willing to throw away my outer private vehicle before my inner one expires.

I don't drive much, my trips are typically short and I value the privacy of my own car, avoiding untoward sights, sounds, smells and electromagnetic interference that one encounters in public places, being reliably on time, controlling the temperature and the radio program (if any), singing loudly to my hearts' content and having the freedom to stop and use a toilet if I need to. If I acted freely on public-transport as I do in my own car, then I don't think you'll be happy to have me there!

I would be happy to pay more taxes on my petrol - I don't use much anyway.

Nevertheless, if riding a bicycle became legal again, then I would have much less need to use my outer vehicle all the time and it should also help me to lose weight.

BTW, one way to have people stop using their outer vehicles is to make it easier for them to get rid of their inner ones - perhaps you should consider decriminalising euthanasia as well, even encouraging it as a solution to all our environmental problems!

Well Robert what will you do when you can no longer afford the petrol
or you are unable to buy it because you are not allocated a ration ?

Nathan, you live in la la land mate.

Have you ever considered just how many jobs are created from the very situations you have referred to.

Now, if you can find a way to replace the jobs, and retain the revenue then by all means go for it. But remember, without cars, chances are you would not have a job yourself.

Bazz if it gets that bad I'll have to suck it up. Hopefully if I can't afford fuel a lot of the other traffic will be gone as well and commuting by bike would not be such a risk to life and limb.

There are a lot of choices that we make based on what we can afford when we weigh the benefits and alternatives. If I had to I could probably sleep rough long term but that does not mean that I would willingly throw away my house keys now because one day I may not be able to afford a home.

People get by without limbs, mobility, senses but that does not make doing so a desirable choice for most of us.

R0bert