What weeds? I just see fun.
I have found owning and running a car has always been an expensive business. A time consuming affair as well. For me, keeping the car on the road has always felt very much like keeping the lawns mown and the hedge trimmed. There are so many other more important things I would rather be doing.
My family have only ever had one car. To have a second car would just double the expense and hassle. Sharing a single car seems to work fine. We are able to mix and match all the transport options. Car, bicycle, public transport, car pooling. I would love to explore the possibility of doing a car share scheme with our neighbour.
During this winter’s sports season I noticed more willingness amongst parents to car pool. It makes sense. It’s how we use to do it. It requires some form of engagement. Face to face. What do we talk about?
In contrast, I’m starting to notice a number of parents purchasing a car for the teenagers in their household. Is car ownership in NZ that cheap? It sums up the ‘Car is King’ transport culture that exists in New Zealand. It comes as no surprise that cities with a strong cycling culture also have significantly higher costs associated with driving and car ownership.
If it feels like it’s costing you and arm and a leg to keep your car on the road, here is some research to suggest you are not imaging it. How does working for 2 hours a day to pay for your car sound?
And these are just the financial costs to the individual. It ignores the environmental and social costs. According to this article in the NZ Herald, thanks to our addiction to motor vehicles, 3000 people in the world are killed every day and 10 times that are seriously injured.
I am really hoping that our Auckland of the future will provide us with something a bit better than what we currently have. It wouldn’t be hard.
Cycling-the non-vehicular way.
