I live in Brooklyn, where getting from place to place is often a matter of public transportation - people not needing a car. I often consider other areas of the planet where driving is a necessity to get work, school, medical care, shopping, etc. FYI - public transportation may be cheap but is not often easy - people complaining about many issues related to service.
Other observations: Some people are afraid to drive, other are substance abuse users, some drive without a license or insurance, and then this ... which links with the article below - people who can't afford to own a vehicle - especially if they are among the thousands unemployed since the recession began. So here's the Catch 22 -- how do they find work without a car and, should they get a job - how do they get to work until they can afford a car again? Solutions often include - a bicycle, motorcycle, someone driving them to and from work, or as a last resort, walking to work, which is often not possible.
Sometimes, clients who live here in NYC and just making a living - having no car and little savings - tell me they want to move away from the city, the first thing I ask about is driving. How will they afford to buy and maintain a car? Some have never considered that and are just seeking a peaceful place away from it all. They pause and reflect on a car - then say their decision to move will have to be delayed until they can get a car - another option being someone they know is giving them a car or selling them one very cheap. That begs the question - how long does an old car last?
As a driver since age 18, I have always wondered what life would be like without a car, and couldn't imagine it. I've had different makes, models, and colors, dictated by my needs at the time. To me, a car not only represents a mode of transportation, but a place to be alone to listen to music or a CD, to ponder life and telepathically talk to spirit, to call someone if it's safe, and many other things drivers take for granted that make life more tolerable down here.
To me, a car is like a home way from home - often a home office for the business person - everything set up for their needs and getting easier with new technology. One's car reflects their state of mind - clean and clear, or messy and cluttered. The only thing I carry in my car is an umbrella and a sweat shirt jacket. Take a look at your car when you next go there and do a psychological profile of what you carry around.
Unemployment Problem Includes Public Transportation That Separates Poor From Jobs Huffington Post - July 11, 2012
In the two months since he lost his job driving a delivery truck for a door company, Lebron Stinson has absorbed a bitter geography lesson about this riverfront city: The jobs are in one place, he is in another, and the bus does not bridge the divide. Stinson lives downtown, where many of the factories that once employed willing hands have been converted into chic eateries. The majority of jobs are out in the suburbs, in the strip malls, office parks and chain restaurants that stretch eastward. Most of this sprawl lies beyond reach of the public bus system, and Stinson cannot afford a car.
At the end of the day ... we've got to learn to teleport ... my favorite missed skill.
