From: Terry Dowling <tdowling@gesb.wa.gov.au>
"Here's how I define overuse of cars:
Overuse of cars (yes, maybe overuse of gas is a better term) is using
cars for commuting when trains and buses would do the job more quickly and
with a lot less pollution. "
******
Y'know if one lives back east, where there is a pretty good Public Transport
infrastructure - left over from the days when everybody DID NOT drive
vehicles, by the way - your suggestion makes sense. Suggestion: come to
sunny California and use "Public transport" for a week or so for your
business. What you will find is: It's more expensive, inconvenient and
stretches a 24 hour day out to 48 - that's how much time you'll lose. If
it's less than 4 miles, I use my push bike for similar reasons as you,
allowing time and gear for puncture repairs(3 a week!); if less than two, I
walk if time is not pressing - the weekends in other words. Otherwise the
Car gets it every time, except when going to SF on weekends where time
schedules don't matter much. One other thing, since the demise of Nuclear
power, most of our electricity is produced by Hydro-Carbon fuelled
generating plant with no pollution controls. Similarly Diesel vehicles are
inadequately equipped with pollution control equipment as well. Most of our
pollution comes from those, NOT from pollution controlled cars! Saving
pollution? I doubt it, frankly.
I rest my case.
Kit Hildreth
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