Jan 04 2009
Getting There…and Back
Wikipedia tells us that “transportation ” is the movement of people and goods from one location to another. Focusing on becoming self reliant regarding your transportation needs is nearly as huge an undertaking as becoming food self reliant, but not as complex.
You need to get yourself from your abode to various points regularly—usually to a work place, first of all, but also to procure goods and services and for social and community reasons. Most of us own an internal combustion vehicle for these purposes that is dependent upon petrochemicals. Let’s explore some other options.
Being aware of your local public transportation options is a first step. How close does a bus come to your house? Find out. Most municipal transportation concerns have a website; if you don’t know what your local bus system is, search for your locale plus the word bus or transit, or the phrase bus system. Post the route and complete schedule (which often changes on week-ends and after high traffic hours) near your front door and/or at your desk. Any time you need to walk out that front door, consider whether or not you could take the bus, or could have taken the bus with a little advance planning.
Another option is to seek out your local cab companies. Call each one and find out what the fare would be for you to get to certain destinations—work, grocery store, doctor, veterinarian, etc. Only some cab companies will allow animals, so if this is a consideration in your life be sure and ask. Take an envelope and put the fare to that destination in it; write on the envelope the number for the cab company and the destination that fare is designated for and either put it by your front door or stash it in your desk for emergencies. A cab fare usually consists of the “flag drop” plus mileage, and there is usually an extra fee for each extra person. This amount may change based on several things including local taxes and gas prices, so check your info every few months. If the fare for you to get to work is $18, put a $20 bill in the envelope; always round up. Cabbies don’t make a lot of money, and to most of them tips are very important.
Do you have a bicycle? If not, look into getting one. They can be had for less than what the local bicycle shop charges for the latest innovation! Set a personal goal of only using your bike one day a week for whatever reason you need to leave the house, whether that’s travel to your place of work or down to the local coffee shop. Search the net for information for your locality of bike lanes, bike paths and bike laws. There’s an entire subculture around bicycles , and if you ride you’re an honorary member even if you don’t ride regularly. If you do have a bike, now is a good time to see to the needed maintenance . Building a relationship with your local bike shop can be as important as building a relationship with a healthcare provider! The winter season is also a great time to start building your own skills for basic bike maintenance . Check or put together a basic emergency road repair kit with tubes, Slime , an air pump, extra links in case you break a chain, a chain tool, a dog bone wrench, batteries and bulbs for lights, and whatever else you can think of.
Anyone can go by Shank’s ponies with no outlay or expertise. Walking is one of the easiest and best exercises. Generally speaking, twelve average city blocks is a mile. If walking has not been a regular activity for you it would be a very good idea to take just a few minutes and do some basic stretches before you head out, especially the first few times you go. Pedestrians can get quite a lot done if they have some sort of carrying device, whether that’s a large purse, some form of a back pack, or a small wheeled cart. Get a good idea of what is available to you within a three block radius….a six block radius…a twelve block radius.
Animal powered transportation is nearly as old as humans. Our furry friends can carry us or our goods, and many individual animals are entertained or given a sense of purpose by engaging in these activities. Riding, packing, or drawing a cart are all options. There are a myriad of sites on horseback riding, and nearly as many for carting with horses. Larger dogs are often fitted with packs , and some enjoy carting or sledding in season. Goat packing is enjoying a renaissance and there is also a resurgence of interest in harness goats, mostly for carting but also for draft . Check my links page for websites focused on each of the above.
If your life or lifestyle absolutely demands that you own and frequently use a vehicle, do look into alternate fuel options. A brand new Smart Car may be out of reach of many of us, but the one-time hassle and cost of finding an older diesel vehicle and converting it to run on used veggie oil has long-term returns for your pocket book and the environment. Solar powered vehicles have their own niche; there are even solar powered tractors , which I personally think make all the sense in the world over tractors that run on any form of petrol. At the very least, one should make an effort to be personally responsible for whatever vehicle they own. Basic vehicle maintenance like oil changes, tune ups and tires can be done by the owner if they are willing to learn the skills. Older vehicles are usually easier to work on, require fewer tools (no code reader, for example) and are generally cheaper to procure in the first place as long as you don’t phase into vintage and collector’s cars.
Getting out of your cave on a regular basis, whether daily or less frequently, is essential to psychological health, community building and procurement of goods and services. Being responsible for how you manage that can not only be freeing but can also raise your awareness of your immediate community and your impact on the environment. It’s definitely worthy of the time you’ll spend considering it.
