I always like to think I have an open mind. It’s viewed as a key part of being an adult; the ability to change one’s views when new evidence is presented, especially on political matters. In these polarising times, however, we can all admit – unless you’re conducting a full-blown Marxist to conservative conversion (or vice versa) – this seldom occurs.
An issue where my views had been almost completely converted arose without control. I hadn’t given the matter much thought, but as the logic of the situation whirred around my brain, there was no option but to hit the klaxon and shout “I WAS WRONG ABOUT SOMETHING!” It will be of no surprise to you, unless you have failed to read the title – scroll up, that’s it – that my opinion was transformed over the most popular form of transport: cars. For many years, my only experience with cars was rally racing on my Dad’s Play Station 2. My main aim wasn’t to win, increase my speed to be the racing expert in beautiful scenery, but to crash the vehicle as often as possible, damaging as many parts as possible. If at least two doors and the bonnet hadn’t flown off, smoke rising out, by the time I finally finished the course, that would be a failure. An utter failure. Undoubtedly, these antics have shaped my view of cars and driving, no more so than over the last 12 months. As I got nearer to 17, the freedom of finally being able to drive cruising closer, thinking more carefully about such a responsibility, whether I wanted to take it on, became inevitable. I don’t see a car as freedom. For me, for whatever reason, it is just a form of getting from A to B. Perhaps it was because, as a family, we used the train lots, never travelling massive distances by car if we could avoid it. I don’t know. My view was fixed: I would learn to drive, simply as a means of convivence, never out of pleasure, with the aim of using a car for the smallest amount of time as possible. This is probably quite a radical position to those reading. Noah, a young person, not wishing to zoom about, freedom at last to drive where I like. Again, no I don’t. I’m no thrill seeker, a desire to explore different places of course there, but not by operating tonnes of steel. To me, the thought of even learning to drive was bold and extreme. At last, I turned 17. Finally, I could book my test, do my theory, get the training done and dusted and have the skill. Job done. But something just didn’t feel right. My heart wasn’t in it. Researching the matter, there were plenty of reasons for me, and the whole of society, not to drive, and so few in support of such an innovation. According to the RAC Foundation, there are over 48 million driving licences in the UK. For a population of around 66 million, including children, that means over 72% of people hold a driving licence. What an astronomical figure. That we as humans, with all our different skills, abilities, desires, knowledge, professions and interests should decide – and be able – to drive is astounding. Yet only a simple Google search need reveal the chemicals released by fuel. Carbon monoxide, renowned for being the chemical you don’t want leaking out of your boiler. Nitrous oxide, pollutants, chemicals we associate with factories not to enter, unhealthy chemicals only for mavericks who choose to foolishly indulge in smoking. Yet these substances are being released from vehicles all day every day. Why an Earth - if you pardon the pun - are people so calm about it? Many of the gases released are also greenhouse gases, warming the planet up, Celsius by Celsius. The Met Office recently declared that this year’s summer heatwave – a vast contrast to the ‘Beast from the East’ not so long ago – had been the joint hottest. Across the world, hundreds of millions of cars are constantly, eternally being driven. We have become immune to the daily drone of the car engine, dismissing it as routine. For the benefit of the planet, cars add nothing. Let us pretend all cars were run on a sustainable fuel, a healthy, beneficial perhaps resource for humans and wildlife. Economically, I would still be perturbed. On average, the cost of learning to drive is over £1,000, that sum permanently gone from your bank account before the car has even been driven. In a hectic life, lessons take finite time and energy from other projects and – importantly – people. Once the test has, at last, been passed, an avalanche of extra costs reign over you. Car taxes, insurance, fuel, MOT, a service if you want the vehicle to be of top quality. From the moment a car is purchased – unlike property – its value is doomed to go down. Thousands of pounds are spent even if the car is hardly driven. Again, as a young person, given my age, PS2 experience and, yes, gender, my car insurance is highly unlikely to be a source of delight. All right, I’ll try to make driving as desirable as possible. It is of neutral benefit environmentally and hardly costs anything economically. Sorry, that’s not enough. When was the last time you got through a car journey stress free? Void of any annoying fellow drivers, full of happiness and contentment on the road. I can’t remember either. Being in a metal structure is like being online, we are far ruder to fellow citizens than we would ever be if face-to-face. Driving is inherently individualistic, often a time of anxiety, whether because of delays, congestion or some of the worst elements of humanity: joyriders, those who talk on the phone and people who decide being intoxicated is an appropriate state to drive in. Socially, there is little pleasure, the only motivation the destination and whatever form of entertainment is there. So, what is the solution? Promote public transport, of course. Jeremy Corbyn was absolutely right to raise the issue of bus services at PMQs, guaranteeing coverage in the media. With the student tickets and megarider available, special deals should encourage people to use them more, both as a source of community and benefit to us all. The improvement of train-lines should be prioritised over motorways, incentives like a Youth Railcard guaranteeing a third off fares. Transport policy is complicated. Regularly, the failings of Chris Grayling are hooted around the airwaves, but it will take far more than the state to improve how we live. Individuals must make a collective choice towards public transport for the long-term future. As the costs of cars in all forms are made clearer, I hope Britain steers itself towards a sustainable way of exploring the country.
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