Need to save money? Don’t get rid of your car as a solution…
“If we sold the car, and perhaps took the bus, we would save a
lot of money” My wife innocently stated at dinner. And I ignorantly agreed...
After trial and error, we rose from the mist of confusion
with bus passes and no car… Firstly, I will tell you that this was not in any
way a quick or easy decision. But, as my wife and I rarely use the car, except
for work, we thought it would be a ‘great’ idea to jump back into our university
days and once more rely on public transport to ferry us around the place. Big
mistake.
When your sat on chewing-gum, with your foot in a ‘sticky’
substance, and you’re sure the guy next to you is either ridiculously drunk or
is genuinely about to die. The fact that, “Public transport is at least twice as
energy efficient as private cars as a full bus produces 377 times less carbon
monoxide than a full car” means nothing to you. And the white glowing memory of
you fresh, crisp, air conditioned mini cooper seeps into your mind and creates
a humorous contrast to the hot prison carriage which you have found yourself in
at the present.
Arriving at my destination, having just pressed the “stop” button, I
realised I had to get past the oaf of a man to my right in order to escape the
grasp of this odour-ridden joke of a bus. The quotes on the bus walls explaining
that their busses are; “quick and easy” and are “always there for you!” bring a
smile to my face. I turn politely to my fellow passenger, and gently inform him
that I have to get off the bus. With intense annoyance he swings his legs round
and sits sideways on the seat, creating a tiny passage,if you like, for me to squeeze
through. I for one don’t enjoy body contact with repulsive strangers, especially
on a Tuesday morning, but this crossed the line. Whatever odd transport-connected
line I’m on about I don’t know. But as I sat there on this man’s lap, having
just fallen down, I thought to myself “Never again”. And thus began the
continuous argument between me and my wife as to why we should consider, once
again, buying a car.
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