11 May 2005
I feel like I need to write something more provocative. My last few posts haven't earned any comments so maybe I need to be more controversial. I guess if I had one thing to complain about it's my car. Don't get me wrong...it's a great vehicle but until we locate the part to fix the radiator I'm left with no ride. That means I have to ask for rides, take the bus, walk or stay at home. I hate being a nuisance to others and I hate using those others methods of transportation. I realize how selfish it is to be so dependent on a vehicle and that bothers me too. Some people can't afford cars and some people choose to go without cars for enviro reasons but I'm so depedent and that bugs me. I planned to sell my car this weekend and then bike for the rest of the month. If the repairs go well that will still be the plan. I could use the excercise and it's good to ween me off my depedency on a car. Nevada and I have already decided that our first transportation purchase in Taiwan will be bikes. We will eventually get scooters but for now we're going to think of our health first not our need to go exploring and get to Costco. Taipei is a much more effiecient city than Kaohsiung because of the subway system so we should be able to do very well without scooters. What are your thoughts out there on public tranportation/personal means (walking&biking) vs. Cars??
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3 comments:
Ha, so funny you chose this as a topic because I was going to blog about the exact same thing. (Have we been married too long?) Except mine was going to be 'You know you're Canadian when...you drive two blocks to get to aquasizes. I'm completly dependant on my vehicle and feel so helpless without it. Public transportation is a good idea for other people, but I am too busy to be on someone elses shedule. I am a totally selfish gas guzzling driver...in Canada. Somehow in Taiwan it seems easier because no one else drives, either. And because we will start our life as non drivers unlike life in SK when everything is a 10 minute drive away.
i'd have to say that i'm a walker/biker to work, simply out of necessity (somewhat like your situation...) We do have 2 cars, but mine is not driveable currently, nor has it been for about the past year. But sometimes I like that factor because it forces me to go out and get active...if i'm going to get to work, i have to do it on my own steam. But now that we've moved about twice as far from work as we used to live, it's quite a bit more of a challenge, and I have to say that if my car was working, i'd be walking less frequently....
the choice definitely has a lot to do with environmental structure...
I enjoy where I live because I can walk everywhere I need to go. Plus the subway is only a two minute walk away. It's when I have to leave the downtown area for something when I miss driving a car. But traffic, high insurance, gas prices, paying for parking, I don't miss those. I suppose you know you're a true urbanite when you find it more convenient to not have a car.
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