I’ve always wanted my own car. I would pack it ready for any
adventure, at any time. In the back would be a tent or maybe a hammock,
with a yoga mat for comfort and thermals for the cold. I would also have
a permanent Car Bikini and Towel bag should the sudden urge to jump in
the ocean overcome me. I spend hours dreaming about the variety of car
artifacts I would collate, which does nothing to change the fact that I
have never owned my own car.
That said, before I join the throng of Kerouacs and Hunter S.
Thompsons wannabes on the road, maybe I should think about my finances.
After all my dark thoughts about the cost of public transport, the
thought of the expenditure on a car is frightening.
This was all inspired by an article on the benefits of car-free
living by Orien Kriegman on Alternet. The article centred on intangible
benefits, as well as the ones you can feel in your pockets. So, what
reasons are there for not having a car?
Peace of mind
Sure, the late night train home is generally unpleasant. There’s
always that bunch of teenagers, where taste in music has an inverse
relationship to the decibel level with which it is played. The seats are
uncomfortable, and you can’t adjust the heat levels.
You also never have to push a broken-down car off the road, apologise
to other people when you’ve pranged their car, sit in Parramatta Road
traffic or visit your mechanic three times before the problem in the
gear box can be fixed.
You’re the best person to judge the price of that kind of peace of mind. Some people might say it was priceless.
Eco or Ego
In this age of eco-conciousness, it continues to amaze me that people
still buy such unfriendly vehicles. With the variety of great cars out
there that have high fuel efficiency or are at least a little bit
friendlier towards the environment, all I can put it down to is ego
winning out over the eco. Sure, cars are stereotypically status symbols.
But to whom? Would I be more impressed with someone if I knew they
drove a Mercedes? Probably not.
I would be impressed if someone caught the train to work because they
were worried about the environment. The beauty of it is that you are
saving a lot of money on fuel costs. The money spent on your train
ticket would have been spent a hundred times over if you drove instead.
No slipping
The pesky things about cars is the upfront cost might seem low, but
the fees that come with it add up. The wonderful thing about living a
public transport existence is that the costs are upfront and unlikely to
change dramatically. They are never going to throw your entire budget off like a car might.
Think about the insurance premiums, green slips, parking and
mechanical costs. You’ll save hundreds of dollars annually on those
costs alone if you lead a car-free life. And your budget
will be accurate and unlikely to blow out. A car is a wonderful and
helpful machine, but it’s not a savings device. If savings are the name
of the game for you right now, think about getting around in a
two-legged fashion for a whole.
No comments:
Post a Comment