General / Off-Topic Drive or walk?

Dimitri

Dimitri
Figure this would be interesting, seeing as many of you are not from the US.

Here in New Mexico (yes, in the US, in between Arizona and Texas), we are very much a car culture. You can't do much nor can you go far without a vehicle here. My daily commute time is about 90 minutes on the road, but not too bad, as I can take some pretty nice scenic routes, including a nice little stretch of the original Route 66.

So just curious, how do you all get around?
 

Zieman

Zieman
Work commute: 95% bicycle, 5% car
Groceries: 85% car, 15% walking (live quite near a small store)
Other activities: quite evenly spread with all 3 methods, timewise
 

Patrick_68000

Patrick_68000
95% with my legs, 5% with public transport.

I live in a small town and I have all the necessary around me.

Food shops, cinema, swimming pool, balneotherapy, sports hall, doctors and also optical fiber very performant.

If I need something special, I order on the internet or I go to the "big city" at 20 kilometers with the train.
 

Caramel Clown

Caramel Clown
I do about 50/50 walking and public transport.
It's understandable that US is pretty much built around a person owning a car. It's a vast country with...let's be honest - absolutely laughably bad public transportation system. Maybe massive major cities have half decent bus/train/subway, majority of US has no choice but to drive. Unless you are very lucky to live within a walking/cycling distance from your job.
 

Dimitri

Dimitri
Caramel Clown said:
I do about 50/50 walking and public transport.
It's understandable that US is pretty much built around a person owning a car. It's a vast country with...let's be honest - absolutely laughably bad public transportation system. Maybe massive major cities have half decent bus/train/subway, majority of US has no choice but to drive. Unless you are very lucky to live within a walking/cycling distance from your job.
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Yeah, my state alone is about 30000 sq miles larger than the entire UK.

But laughably bad public transportation? It is much worse than that. They tried to do a rapid transit system in Albuquerque, they cleared a road and cut it down from 3 lanes on either side to 1 lane and ordered a new bus line to run in order to bring better public transportation.... The problems started when they decided that Route 66, one of the most famous roadways in the entire US, is the stretch of road they decide to make into this mess. Then they order the busses from some unknown Chinese company, and of course they never worked. By the time they actually got the whole thing up and together (about 5 years, and this is together, not running, still hasn't actually made an entire bus run) the first kiosk and stops that they installed are already falling apart from exposure to the weather! Such a terrible mess....
 

Vasco Sapien

Vasco Sapien
In the UK we have pretty well established Public transport, Its not always on time but it is there and does the job.
So owning a car isnt always needed here. That said, i use my car when going to work and getting about.
I will walk to the local shops though, as they are not to far away.

Why do i use my car when i dont have to? Because i enjoy it. I love driving.

When i lived in London though, i was almost always using public transport. It made more sense.
 

Patrick_68000

Patrick_68000
Vasco Sapien said:
Why do i use my car when i dont have to? Because i enjoy it. I love driving.
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The best solution for you, and for the environment. :)

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Patrick_68000

Patrick_68000
Chris Simon said:
You'd love GTA V if that's your main goal. :LOL:

In any case - another point of view:
If you're over 30, when you have a choice to walk or drive/take a PT, always walk. It doesn't seem like much but it does help a lot in a long run. Not the planet or the environment. Just you. :)
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Indeed, walking is very good for physical and mental health. And also for the bank account.
 

Vasco Sapien

Vasco Sapien
Chris Simon said:
You'd love GTA V if that's your main goal. :LOL:

In any case - another point of view:
If you're over 30, when you have a choice to walk or drive/take a PT, always walk. It doesn't seem like much but it does help a lot in a long run. Not the planet or the environment. Just you. :)
Click to expand...

I gym twice a week and cycle on weekends. Im all good.
I may be killing my liver with Gin, but the rest of me is all good.

I always ask the question, do i need to drive. But i live in a rural area of the UK now, the buses come once an hour and are always late.
I work in I.T so i do need to drive because i have to be places on time. Public Transport is ok for those who are retired and not in a rush or who have no other choice but those of us who are working its not really an option. (japan is an example of public transport being RELIABLE... the UK needs to learn these skills if the government honestly expect public transport to be a viable option).

But like i said when i was living in London, i always used PT.
 

Remus

Remus
Patrick_68000 said:
95% with my legs, 5% with public transport.

I live in a small town and I have all the necessary around me.

Food shops, cinema, swimming pool, balneotherapy, sports hall, doctors and also optical fiber very performant.

If I need something special, I order on the internet or I go to the "big city" at 20 kilometers with the train.
Click to expand...

You don't work Patrick? Interesting!

As far as I'm concernced, I live litteraly in the middle of nowhere. there is no public transport, like AT ALL! The nearest grocery store is 10km away, I could go there with a bike, but its quite difficult transporting all the groceries in a bike. My previous Job was 30 Km away, and my sister and I used the same car to go to work. I avoid taking my car as much as possible, wich is why I almost never go out.
 
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