Comments on: Melbourne sans car #1: About this series, and the benefits of sans car http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/ Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:48:26 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: adrock2xander http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/comment-page-1/#comment-3274 adrock2xander Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:40:23 +0000 http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/#comment-3274 Have you tried taking the buses Neil? They're never packed and passengers always get a seat. Living in the West - where bus companies ply popular routes via Footscray, Sunshine and Watergardens - and having the opportunity to work in the East (Doncaster), I've never had any problems with buses. They adhere to a strict schedule and partly because of the route they run (through major arteries) they're never packed. Buses are there to service the crucial 30-40% routes that trams and trains can't or won't reach. I gota say, I'm probably one of the few residents in Australia over 25 who still doesn't know how to drive. I know driving is etched in the psych of Aussies, but having lived here four years I've never had the need to drive. Unless I'm visiting Greater Melbourne, I've always found public transport - however sufferable they are - to be adequate. If anything, public transport always gets me home/to work much quicker than driving. Still don't believe me? It takes me 30 minutes to get to Melbourne Central from the West, a 10 mins wait for bus 307 and it takes me another 25 minutes to get to Doncaster. That's an hour to commute to Doncaster. Try getting to Doncaster in peak hour morning traffic in the same time. Of course, my argument is flawed because I'm using myself as an example. :O Have you tried taking the buses Neil? They’re never packed and passengers always get a seat. Living in the West – where bus companies ply popular routes via Footscray, Sunshine and Watergardens – and having the opportunity to work in the East (Doncaster), I’ve never had any problems with buses. They adhere to a strict schedule and partly because of the route they run (through major arteries) they’re never packed. Buses are there to service the crucial 30-40% routes that trams and trains can’t or won’t reach.

I gota say, I’m probably one of the few residents in Australia over 25 who still doesn’t know how to drive. I know driving is etched in the psych of Aussies, but having lived here four years I’ve never had the need to drive. Unless I’m visiting Greater Melbourne, I’ve always found public transport – however sufferable they are – to be adequate. If anything, public transport always gets me home/to work much quicker than driving.

Still don’t believe me? It takes me 30 minutes to get to Melbourne Central from the West, a 10 mins wait for bus 307 and it takes me another 25 minutes to get to Doncaster. That’s an hour to commute to Doncaster. Try getting to Doncaster in peak hour morning traffic in the same time.

Of course, my argument is flawed because I’m using myself as an example. :O

]]> By: maree http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/comment-page-1/#comment-3273 maree Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:16:00 +0000 http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/#comment-3273 I guess everyone's situation is a little different. For me I like to think about whether you are able to count the time you spend travelling by other means as valuable time instead of wasted time. I don't catch public transport at peak times, but ride instead, so I don't have a lot of experience trying to read or study on packed trains, trams and buses. But I count the extra time I spend riding the longer distances as valuable as it's my daily exercise, and that's also a good stress reliever so it can count as a wind down. It's also a good in to meeting new people, as other cyclists at your destination often say hi and chat about their ride or the weather. My commute into work, and also the ride to where I study, takes almost the same amount of time to ride as it does to drive during peak times (which is when I'm typically making those trips) because of traffic that I don't get caught up in as much and the lights keep turning red... and that's over a distance of 10 kilometres for both. I will see the same cars over and over again as I ride along. But obviously cars can be faster in other situations. But its actually suprising how slow the average speed of a car drive through Melbourne can be at times. I'm sure there are others who live a similar distance from their workplaces/unis as I do who'd have the same experience with riding, or would if they tried it out. I guess everyone’s situation is a little different.

For me I like to think about whether you are able to count the time you spend travelling by other means as valuable time instead of wasted time. I don’t catch public transport at peak times, but ride instead, so I don’t have a lot of experience trying to read or study on packed trains, trams and buses. But I count the extra time I spend riding the longer distances as valuable as it’s my daily exercise, and that’s also a good stress reliever so it can count as a wind down. It’s also a good in to meeting new people, as other cyclists at your destination often say hi and chat about their ride or the weather.

My commute into work, and also the ride to where I study, takes almost the same amount of time to ride as it does to drive during peak times (which is when I’m typically making those trips) because of traffic that I don’t get caught up in as much and the lights keep turning red… and that’s over a distance of 10 kilometres for both. I will see the same cars over and over again as I ride along. But obviously cars can be faster in other situations. But its actually suprising how slow the average speed of a car drive through Melbourne can be at times.

I’m sure there are others who live a similar distance from their workplaces/unis as I do who’d have the same experience with riding, or would if they tried it out.

]]> By: neil http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/comment-page-1/#comment-3272 neil Fri, 01 Aug 2008 07:38:19 +0000 http://melbourne.metblogs.com/2008/08/01/melbourne-sans-car-1-about-this-series-and-the-benefits-of-sans-car/#comment-3272 Unfortunately, it's much faster and more convenient driving to your destination in most cases. If you are talking CBD then yeah a car is not worth it. But commuting via packed trams /buses to packed trains is a nightmare. At the end of the day, if I have an hour saved by driving each day then I will drive. That's 1 hour extra you can spend with your kids, wife, bed, playing sports, etc. Unfortunately, it’s much faster and more convenient driving to your destination in most cases. If you are talking CBD then yeah a car is not worth it. But commuting via packed trams /buses to packed trains is a nightmare.

At the end of the day, if I have an hour saved by driving each day then I will drive. That’s 1 hour extra you can spend with your kids, wife, bed, playing sports, etc.

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