Public transport - is it helping?

[confused]

Hi - I hear everyday that I should be catching public transport and leaving my car at home. I tried this for 2 weeks, I was late due to to delays twice in this period and found the cost only a little cheaper than driving my own car. I also did not enjoy the lack of personal space and cleanliness was not something that I would use to describe some of the buses and trains I went on.

Surely the public tramsport system needs to be improved greatly before you can expect your everyday driver to hop onto public transport.

[Notmyfault]

I drive into work every day and follow a slow old bus chucking out thick black smoke. The thing I find difficult to understand is, there is usually only one or two people on it. How is that helping the enviroment?

[Jolly Green Giant]

Recent government figures show that the cost of motoring has reduced by 10% over the last 30 years. In comparison, rail travel has increased by 55% and bus travel by 52%. I think these figures help to explain why commuters prefer to use their own car instead of public transport.

Public transport must be modernised and become a large financial saving in order to make people make the change.

[Windy]

Hi - I hear everyday that I should be catching public transport and leaving my car at home. I tried this for 2 weeks, I was late due to to delays twice in this period and found the cost only a little cheaper than driving my own car.

The problem is that people are addicted to the car as a convenience. what is wrong with a delay or two?
You get that with all transport, thats life! Just go with the flow.

I also did not enjoy the lack of personal space and cleanliness was not something that I would use to describe some of the buses and trains I went on.

Trains are fine, far better then cars.
Buses can be grubby, but who cares?
The planet isn't here for our convenience and pleasure, some people have to deal with far worse hardships then a grubby bus.

Surely the public tramsport system needs to be improved greatly before you can expect your everyday driver to hop onto public transport.

Maybe your everyday driver needs to think about more than themselves. I was once a driver, it takes longer than two weeks to ween yourself off an addiction.

[Windy]

In comparison, rail travel has increased by 55% and bus travel by 52%.

Life is going to get more expensive. The days of fossil fuel subsidised wealthy living are numbered.

[Fluorescent green]

Hi

We cannot all get on buses and trains.
We must walk when ever possible and reduce our carbon footprint in other ways.
HM Government must make "green" the right way, not cars.

Using public transport is healthier, because it makes us take more exercise. But the total number of miles traveled must come down, it cannot all be transfered to public transport.

FG

[Windy]

Or cycle 

[confused]

Windy, I have no problem with a couple of delays a week when traveling to work but unfortunately my employers do. I have been to 2 countries where catching public transport is a pleasant thing to do, this was in Austria and Japan. If the UK could offer the same then I would be chuffed to bits.

I will not live my life in abject misery but will do whatever I can to make my own life greener and less damaging to the environment. In a perfect world I would be able to walk to work and have a house that never requires heating.

I find your arguments on every board and topic extremely aggressive and have to wonder if you realise that you are probably doing your cause more harm than good with your manner. If you think that somebody is incorrect or has a misguided notion then you should explain in a calm way where you think they have erred rather than turning it a personal attack.

[Windy]

I will not live my life in abject misery but will do whatever I can to make my own life greener and less damaging to the environment. In a perfect world I would be able to walk to work and have a house that never requires heating.

You don't need a perfect world in order to walk to work etc. You just need to change your life. That's what is all about.
Make small steps over a number of years and you eventually find yourself car less and living life differently. You just get on with it. Based on my own experience.

I find your arguments on every board and topic extremely aggressive and have to wonder if you realise that you are probably doing your cause more harm than good with your manner. If you think that somebody is incorrect or has a misguided notion then you should explain in a calm way where you think they have erred rather than turning it a personal attack.

Aggressive? Cause?
The only aggressive stance has been by one moderator.

[confused]

OK, fair enough - I just think that realism needs to play a part, I am far more green minded than I was 5 years ago and I have made these changes because it has been explained to me why they are important. If I had been told to make these changes then I maybe would not have made them due to not liking being told what to do.

I think that those who care passionately about global warming should be wary of following animal rights activists down the road of fear tactics and open hostility. By adopting some extremely distasteful methods they alienated themselves from the cause that they claimed to care about.

Education is always the best way to encourage change. Goodness is inherent in all humans and it doesn't take much to bring it to the surface.

[Fluorescent green]

Hi

I have believed in climate change for more than ten years. At first I thought it was pointless to do anything on your own, and maybe it still is.
Now I think that most people think the same as I did ten years ago. But some are now changing, because they have others to follow.
I still have a car, but I walk more.
If many people just make the changes which save them energy/money, in the long run; and do things which make them healthier ie walk more and eat local food, that is a start.

I believe we need to make massive changes, and maybe I too can come across as too direct. Puttting words into the internet is a new skill to me, hopefully I do it better in person.

FG

[greengreengrass]

Can I just say ( in a non-aggressive way) that been green has made me happier. I hope being green doesn't mean abject misery, it hasn't for me.

[Windy]

OK, fair enough - I just think that realism needs to play a part, I am far more green minded than I was 5 years ago and I have made these changes because it has been explained to me why they are important. If I had been told to make these changes then I maybe would not have made them due to not liking being told what to do.

Yes, i agree. I think some people will never change, but there is a long slow change going on i think.
I find many more people are aware now of various issues.

I think that those who care passionately about global warming should be wary of following animal rights activists down the road of fear tactics and open hostility. By adopting some extremely distasteful methods they alienated themselves from the cause that they claimed to care about.

I think climate change and the environment is different because it is impossible not to care about the effects, they are all encompassing. It isn't really a 'special' interest, it is of general interest.

[Windy]

Hi

I have believed in climate change for more than ten years. At first I thought it was pointless to do anything on your own, and maybe it still is.
Now I think that most people think the same as I did ten years ago.

You have just about taken those words from my mouth.
I also find everyone else is about 10 years behind me.

It has taken a long time for me to get to where i am. I used to think more efficient technology would sort things out. I don't think that now, it has it's place but it can't solve our problems on it's own. People need to change as well.

[John]

Just exactly what would handicapping our economy by saddling it with an out of date public transport system achieve in global terms?

Just precisely who in this democracy has a mandate to do anything other than just cater for whatever mode of legal transport people choose to use?

Nanny knows best?