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| Living Without a Car |
| Public Transport § During peak hours public transport is mostly reliable and frequent. Delays do occur in the same way the private motorist is sometimes delayed. § Outside of peak hours the reliability of public transport can be lower, services are less frequent and rail maintenance work is done. § Private bus services are often infrequent outside peak hours and especially so at weekends. Other: Sharing costs, Taxi § Some places are quite difficult to reach by public transport so it may be possible to share costs with friends who have a car. § We find a taxi is a useful backup for getting around, especially if you have a heavy load. § Many shops will deliver in our local area. |
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| Public transport can free you to focus on things other than the road ahead or the car behind |
Try to develop a relaxed attitude to travel and maybe take something to do Some ideas: § As far as possible we try to plan our journey and check that our timetable information is up to date. § We find portable CD or MP3 players, with ‘bud’ style earphones, make useful travel accessories, and yes, it is possible to listen without annoying the person next to you, if you keep the volume down. This is also necessary to protect your hearing. § Read a book, take a note-pad and pen to work on a project or jot down a letter. Some use a laptop computer or study while they travel. § On longer journeys we take suitable refreshments, but are aware of any restrictions regarding consumption on public transport. § Many shoes are not made for serious walking! You may find more suitable shoes or boots at Sports or hiking/camping stores. Some people wear sports shoes to work then change into dress shoes. § It is worth considering the purchase of a quality wet weather coat. We find backpacks to be useful, and take a lightweight-folding umbrella in case the weather changes. |
| Alternative Transport: Walking, Bicycle § Building regular activity such as walking or cycling into your daily routine can be a good way to enhance a healthy lifestyle. |
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| Where can I live without a car? Where you live becomes important if you want to live without a car. Some ideas are : Check timetables including weekend services. Can you get a seat? Are evening services adequate? Consider safety issues for likely walking and cycling routes. § Making a list of services and facilities you need frequently and occasionally is a good place to start. Include recreational facilities. Check if you can reach these in a reasonable time. (“Reasonable” might be 5 – 10 minutes to an extended hours general store, 10 – 20 minutes walk to a railway station and 20 – 30 minutes walk to a shopping centre.) § If my job or studies take me away from my local area, I want to live somewhere on a transport corridor which connects with them. What is a reasonable travel time depends on such things as: the comfort of your journey and how you spend the time; but in the end its a personal decision. |
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| Reasons for choosing to live without a car vary. It could be because of a strong concern for the environment, you don’t enjoy driving, to help with a healthy lifestyle or for financial reasons. The following thoughts are based on our experience in living without a car in urban Sydney, Australia, which is not an easy city to live in without a car. |
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