Public Transport and walking

[real red]

Just wondered how bad things would be for people who currently have a car if they didn't have one. Or if you don't have a car, how bad things are already. Some things you might have to on a regular or occasional basis are tough without your own wheels. For example if you need to use a "proper" Post Office for any reason.

So how long would it take (and how much would it cost if you know) to do some of these things?

Going to work: Work from home, doesn't count.
Going to the supermarket: 10 minute walk, bus, 5 minute walk.
Going to the doctors: 5 minute walk, hourly bus, 1 minute walk.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: Impossible without getting a lift or a cab (or about three buses and a lot of walking).
Visiting important family member: Parents, who live about 6 miles away - 10 minute walk, bus, another bus, 1 minute walk. Last bus to theirs is about 6pm.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 10 minute walk, bus, short walk.
Goint to a post office: 10-15 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: 5 minute walk (but a crap chippy). 15 minute walk to good chippy).
Getting an Indian takeaway: About a 20 minute walk.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: 10 minute walk, bus, 5 minute walk.
Anything else that's a bastard:

[AngryofTuebrook]

I don't have a car, but cos of where I live none of those things are much of a problem.

The only real difficulty is visiting my family - especially at weekends - which is like planning an attempt on the twin peaks of Kilimanjaro.

[Karl]

I don't own a car.

Going to work:10 minutes tram.
Going to the supermarket: 5 minutes walk.
Going to the doctors: 5 minute walk.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 10 minutes tram then 5 minutes walk.
Visiting important family member: Parents, live about 50 miles away so train which takes aout 1hr 20 mins. Girlfriend the same but in Lincoln.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 10 minute walk.
Goint to a post office: 10-15 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 30 seconds walk.
Getting a bag of chips: Not sure.
Getting an Indian takeaway: About a 5 minute walk.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: Why would I want to?
Anything else that's a bastard: Greengrocers, fishmongers and butchers are all within 5 minutes walk.

[Anny Road]

I drive everywhere I go and if I cannot park at the door of the place I am going I will drive around and around untill I get a space.

Ive done my stint sitting on buses next to looneys and piss stained old people. Getting youy finger stuck in someone else chewing gum is not my idea of fun.

[real red]

Originally Posted by Anny Road

I drive everywhere I go and if I cannot park at the door of the place I am going I will drive around and around untill I get a space.

Ive done my stint sitting on buses next to looneys and piss stained old people. Getting youy finger stuck in someone else chewing gum is not my idea of fun.

I think you were saying that MacDonalds was hours away from you wasn't it?

As for buses now, they've probably got worse than they used to be. The loonies are now all desperate for you to hear their favourite heliumated hamster "singing" some absolute shite. They treat you to this via their mobile phones.

Chewing gum washes off. Chav music drills into your brain and leaves holes.

[Thants]

Going to work: 45 mins. 30 walking plus free happy bus.
Going to the supermarket: 2 minutes walk
Going to the doctors: 15 minutes walk
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 30 mins walk.
Visiting important family member: 20 mins walk, hour Train or bus then 30 mins walk.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 25 mins walk
Goint to a post office: 10 mins walk
Getting a pint of milk: 1 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: 5 minute walk (but a crap chippy). 15 minute walk to good chippy).
Getting an Indian takeaway: A good one, 40 mins walk. They deliver.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: I don't eat shit.
Anything else that's a bastard: Going to badminton - Drive

Only parents and badminton make me drive. Or going to the countryside. I car-share with my ex so I feel more green than all of your personal car bastards.

[Captain]

Going to work: 10 mins on bike, 3 mins getting home.
Going to the supermarket: 2 minute walk.
Going to the doctors: 5 mins.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 10 mins.
Visiting important family member: Parents: 3 mins walk, 10 mins subway, 20 mins train, 1h50min flight, 15 mins drive.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in:5 mins
Goint to a post office:3 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips:2 minute walk
Getting an Indian takeaway: Don't know.
Getting a Maccy D / BK:2 minute walk.

[Vladi]

Going to work: 10-15 min walk
Going to the supermarket: 10 min bus
Going to the doctors: 10 minute walk
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment:20 min bus
Visiting important family member: 10 min walk to Mum's.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 20 min walk or 10 by bus
Goint to a post office: 10 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: 5 minute walk (but a crap chippy).
Getting an Indian takeaway: 15 min bus.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: 20 minute walk, 10 by bus.
Anything else that's a bastard:

Ashamed to say I still drive to work even though it's well within walking distance but it's mainly so I can come home for my dinner/tea, rather than having to grab a dodgy boring sarnie every day.
I have decided to walk more than I used to though, whereas I always used to drive up to Huyton village for a haircut or the bank, I've vowed to walk it in future after being forced into it when my clutch went last week and actually enjoying the change.

[Cath]

Going to work: 40 min walk or 40 mins on 2 buses
Going to the supermarket: 20 min bus + 10 min walk (Chavco is closer but i refuse to use it) but would probably use internet delivery.
Going to the doctors: 15 minute walk
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 40 mins on bus
Visiting important family member: His Ma 1 bus + 3 trains + 15 mins walk taking 3 hours. My Ma 1 bus + 2 trains taking about 6 hours
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: Do banks still exist? I use internet
Goint to a post office: Now I know these don't exist.
Getting a pint of milk: 5 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: chips are available in my kitchen assuming the supermarket's delivered the spuds
Getting an Indian takeaway: 15 min walk.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: Can't remember the last time I went to one.
Anything else that's a bastard: Doing my job. I shift heavy boxes around couldn't do this by bus.
Going to the footie: Used to do this by train and it was a pain in the arse. 1 hour stood on a 2 carriage train with loads of Citeh fans and still needing a cab up to the ground and back. £6 for parking and sitting in the warmth of my own car listening to 5 live is a much more enjoyable experience.

I hate public transport. Smelly and unreliable. If I go into town for a drink I either take my car and get Mr Cath to give me a lift to collect it in the morning or get a cab both ways. The tram's a bit better than the bus but it doesn't go anywhere much I want to go. The only time I use trains is meetings in London. London is very different for public transport than provincial cities. I can't see the point in driving around London and if I take the train I can visit a few bars.

[Section_31]

Going to work: ten minute bus ride
Going to the supermarket: 10 minute bus ride
Going to the doctors: 10 minute bus ride
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 40 minutes - two buses
Visiting important family member: Don't see any family - but ten minutes on a bus if i could be arsed.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in:10 minutes bus ride.
Goint to a post office:10 minute bus ride.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips:2 minute walk.
Getting an Indian takeaway: 30 minute walk
Getting a Maccy D / BK:ten minute bus ride.

Fate worse than death the bus these days, feel like I'm in 'The Equaliser' when I get one, they seem the exclusive hang-out of scum and kids.

Quite enjoy the train though and usually take the old Lime Street option if I'm off to town to save the trouble of parking etc.

[RedKnight]

I need my car.

[Anny Road]

Going to work: 2 min drive.
Going to the supermarket: dont use supermarkets.
Going to the doctors: 20 min drive.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 5 min drive (if serious free helicopter)
Visiting important family member: Parents: 11 hr drive
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in:5 min drive
Goint to a post office:3 minute drive
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute drive.
Getting a bag of chips:2 minute drive
Getting an Indian takeaway:10 min drive
Getting a Maccy D / BK:6 hour round trip by fast car.
Going to the match 11hr drive (one way)

[George Costanza]

Just to really piss on everyone's bonfire. I'm hopefully going to be buyign an Aston Martin DB5 next week. Current;ly own a DB9 and a RS4 of whch i'm selling.

Last time on public transport was the Grand Natioanl; 3 years ago when i had to get a train and a coach.

never again hopefully

[Paul]

Originally Posted by RedKnight

I need my car.

Me too. I'm all for being environmentally conscious, but if it really makes life that much harder, who the fuck is going to do it? Science and technology up to this point has been all about making life easier - you can't put that process into reverse because of some potential future doom-laden scenario (see smoking for evidence). The way to sort this shit out is through science and technology. We need clean, cheap fuel and biodegradable everything. Then we can consume away to our hearts content.

[real red]

The cost of public transport is such that if you've already got a car you might as well use it. A local family outing can cost a tenner on the bus - who's going to pay that?

Public transport needs either to be free or a nominal amount to encourage existing car owners to use it more. Not to mention it needs improving.

[wiiksie]

Going to work: Work from home, doesn't count.
Going to the supermarket: 2 minute walk.
Going to the doctors: 2 minute walk.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: No idea, probably 20 minute bus ride/45 minute walk.
Visiting important family member: Hour/s drive.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 2 minute walk.
Goint to a post office: 2 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: 2 minute walk (but a crap chippy).
Getting an Indian takeaway: Phonecall.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: 10 minute walk.

Originally Posted by Paul

but if it really makes life that much harder, who the fuck is going to do it?

I think sooner or later people are going to have to accept that for environmental change to work, everyone is going to lose some convenience. I'm all for that.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by weeksie

Going to work: Work from home, doesn't count.
Going to the supermarket: 2 minute walk.
Going to the doctors: 2 minute walk.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: No idea, probably 20 minute bus ride/45 minute walk.
Visiting important family member: Hour/s drive.
Going to your bank to pay a cheque in: 2 minute walk.
Goint to a post office: 2 minute walk.
Getting a pint of milk: 2 minute walk.
Getting a bag of chips: 2 minute walk (but a crap chippy).
Getting an Indian takeaway: Phonecall.
Getting a Maccy D / BK: 10 minute walk.


I think sooner or later people are going to have to accept that for environmental change to work, everyone is going to lose some convenience. I'm all for that.

Why can't we put all the brain power that we've used to fuck things up with technology over the last century or so to a positive use? Why can't governments accept that for environmental change to work, they need to make fusion technology work to its full potential as soon as possible? If the will (and therefore funding) was there, it'd happen. We need a new space race, but one with even more laudable goals.

[Dirk]

Going to work: 10-30 min walk, depends which way I go.
Going to the supermarket: 10 mins on bus, 30 mins walk.
Going to the doctors: 20 mins on bus.
Going for a hospital outpatient appointment: 40 m