tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post2704306658725703606..comments2024-03-28T17:40:31.828+01:00Comments on From My Mental Library: Why I Do Not DriveLibrarianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-71075832688279721502010-05-18T20:58:13.984+02:002010-05-18T20:58:13.984+02:00Oh yes, that is indeed interesting, Warwick, thank...Oh yes, that is indeed interesting, Warwick, thank you! Of course I have checked out how Stuttgart stands in those graphs :-)Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-80991096013133805772010-05-18T10:24:26.417+02:002010-05-18T10:24:26.417+02:00The thing is that cities have been around for over...The thing is that cities have been around for over 10,000years and cars only for just around 100years; European cities have been around a lot longer than things like automobiles and road lobbies. So, if you wanted to re-design them around cars you'd have to move a lot more history around than you would in places like America and Australia.<br /><br />I'd say that the basic rule of thumb for day-to-day modes of travel is whether or not you can get where you want to go in just over half an hour or less. If you're doing much more than an hours worth of transport a day then you're probably using the wrong mode. Though of course you can read a book on a long bus ride...<br /><br />P.S. He's a .PDF that does a nice job of graphing the transport situation in different cities around the world:<br /><br />http://www.istp.murdoch.edu.au/ISTP/publications/kenworthynewman/istpurbandata.pdf<br /><br />I find it quite interesting, but maybe that's just me...Warwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10309117179218303322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-79718451546547445922010-05-16T03:20:00.538+02:002010-05-16T03:20:00.538+02:00It's funny how different life is there, as com...It's funny how different life is there, as compared to the U.S. Though, I'd say that there are a few areas here that are also mostly public transport or primarily folks who walk to point A to B. New York City being one of them. Though, the way of life I've had, I've almost always depended on a car to get where I need to go. With the exception of Junior (middle) High School and High School where I was told I had to walk to school. I then lived in Northern New York, which by the way, is absolutely NOTHING like New York City, and lived about 5 miles from the schools. My mom brought me to school in our little Chevy Corsica when it was snowing or raining, otherwise, I was on my own. Now, I can't imagine it!! Don't get me wrong, I still like to go for walks, and runs, but if it's a case where I have to "be" somewhere, hop in the car I go! This may explain how the citizens of the U.S. have become so out of shape! ;)Melhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00053169905144052535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-47557332377697353152010-05-07T06:49:23.020+02:002010-05-07T06:49:23.020+02:00Warwick, I know what you mean about increasing you...Warwick, I know what you mean about increasing your employability. It would help me, too, in that respect; most employers simply do not believe a person can easily (sometimes even easier) get from A to B without a car!Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-69256850838473800912010-05-07T04:49:13.425+02:002010-05-07T04:49:13.425+02:00I probably live in one of the worst cities for som...I probably live in one of the worst cities for someone who doesn't like cars to live in. For a major city Perth has one of the lowest urban densities and one of the highest car ownership rates out there. Here they are pretty much a necessity.<br /><br />I was at a job interview the other week for doing night-fill at a local supermarket and of course the interviewer asked me whether I had my own transport. He didn't really even seem all that convinced when I tried telling him that I only lived like ten to fifteen minutes walk away.<br /><br />I'm tempted to get driving lessons and maybe get a scooter or something, but I don't know how much money and time that's going to take. It's somewhat double edged in that it would increase my employability but since I'm not employed I don't know that I have the resources available to do it.<br /><br />Personally I think that a city that is designed for cars is not one that's designed for people, and is nowhere near as efficient as a place that simply has a good public transport system. It just seems wasteful and dangerous to me.Warwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10309117179218303322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-85411838819255952662010-02-20T19:53:36.865+01:002010-02-20T19:53:36.865+01:00GeraniumCat, in the area where I live, the upkeep ...GeraniumCat, in the area where I live, the upkeep of a car is quite expensive - for the money people I know spend on their (not very flash) cars every month, I could afford a taxi every time I needed to get from A to B where public transport would not be convenient.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-58599326078896441852010-02-20T19:30:54.722+01:002010-02-20T19:30:54.722+01:00Ah, a kindred spirit! I don't drive either, de...Ah, a kindred spirit! I don't drive either, despite living in the country. I was thinking about it only this morning - that if I didn't have a husband and son to drive me into town for shopping, I would probably just take taxis rather than learn to drive - I wouldn't want to go very often. I'm almost sure that some of the local taxi firms would be obliging about me taking the dogs into the vet and so on...if and when a change of circumstances occurs I may have to readdress the problem, of course. But I'm in no hurry. I hate driving.Jodie Robsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02442935205880334932noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-18753136770621258762010-02-17T06:55:41.767+01:002010-02-17T06:55:41.767+01:00Kary, I wouldn't know whether it is a European...Kary, I wouldn't know whether it is a European thing; maybe we are, in general, better equipped with public transport than the vast areas of the US, places being much closer together and all that :-) <br />But I know that in my circle of friends, acquaintances and colleagues, I am by and large the only one without a license.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-81182570412248373052010-02-16T23:36:54.976+01:002010-02-16T23:36:54.976+01:00is the not driving a european thing.i have a frien...is the not driving a european thing.i have a friend who lives in austria and she doesn't drive either....<br /><br />i live 3 hours north of los angeles...those freeways are unbelieveable...makes me so nervous...bumper to bumper and going 80 mph.<br />yikes<br /><br />thanks for stopping by farmhouse<br /><br />good to see you<br /><br />kary<br />p.s.<br />your kitty is adorable :-)My Farmhouse Kitchenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00594238190107766755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-9897739902561313822010-02-16T22:07:48.960+01:002010-02-16T22:07:48.960+01:00Thank you, em! I don't know if I am wise in no...Thank you, em! I don't know if I am wise in not owning a car - I just know that it suits me that way; besides, I wouldn't know where to get the money from for all the fuel, taxes, insurance, maintenance and repairs that always seem to crop up for car owners :-)Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1949425054295660529.post-49724310217203628242010-02-16T11:30:35.844+01:002010-02-16T11:30:35.844+01:00How wise of you!
I would not own a car, were I not...How wise of you!<br />I would not own a car, were I not dependent on one for going places - grocery shopping not the least important.<br />For the moment I'm stuck at home, waiting for some spare parts for the car. Hopefully they arrive today so I can go shopping before we perish!<br />Margarethaemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01463254055979575950noreply@blogger.com