How can we all find ways to avoid using cars for short journeys?

Answer 1

I do my grocery shopping on line to save using the car.Also, we take the kids places on our bicycles when possible.I try and use the bus when I can too.
I think more people should car share when going to work.The amount of people I see in cars with just one person on board is shocking.
Kids that live near our schools get dropped off by car.It's awful,kids need exercise.They should walk in groups, and parents could take turns supervising them.It's been done in trials, but interest wears off once the weather turns bad.

Answer 2

Just go by a more indirect route, therefore turning every short journey into a long journey. For instance, say you wanted to travel from Newport Pagnell to Milton Keynes shopping centre. This would involve a short journey of about 4 miles, and most residents of Newport Pagnell would hop in their cars for this relativerly short journey. What I suggest is that instead of taking the most direct route, you instead join the M1 at junction 14, head south to Junction 11, leave the motorway and head west through Dunstable, picking up the A5 and heading north. You leave the A5 at it's junction with the A421 and arrive in Milton Keynes that way. As there are no bus routes or trains this way, you could hardly be accused of shunning public transport, and it's a wee bit too far to comfortably cycle in a day. Walking just isn't an option, especially on the M1, so, you see, I've solved the problem for you.

Answer 3

The question requires an answer of "USE YOUR INTELLIGENCE" if you have any.
Finding alternatives suggests that there are some. Obviously Shanks Pony is top of the alternatives which a fair majority can use BUT NOT ALL. Other suggestions need access to the alternatives such as a bike, a horse, a bus, a train, a skate board, a mobility scooter, a wheelchair, roller skates, a helicopter, a hot air balloon, a microlight, etc and after that you are down to a taxi or cadging a lift from a neighbour which of course are both car related.
For a lot of people the alternatives to walking are none and for some disabled people like myself walking is ruled out as well so there is no alternative.

Answer 4

Buy a flat over a supermarket,teach the kids yourself and work from home. Above all get real. Our world is structured around the motor car just as it once was around the horse. One day the car will pass into history and will be replaced by whatever comes next which will bring with it a whole load of new things for people to worry about. The sooner all the oil is used up to sooner that day will come. You could help by taking longer journeys and driving a bigger engined car.

Answer 5

Lot's of good answers and it is important to look at how it impacts across all subsets of the community, able bodied and disabled. It is far easier for some than others and that is where the real change in attitude needs to be made. Someone who drives 5 minutes to go to the gym should consider do they really need to drive, why not start the workout from home with a jog, as an extreme example.

People in more urban areas with greater access to public transport can better change their habits than someone in an isolated community. Fair enough, but everyone can make a difference and collectively small changes will impact on a big scale.

I think it is good that big corporations like the AA are encouraging us to leave the car behind where we can. It is counter intuitive to their business but I for one am more likely to buy from a company that shows an environmental awareness and hopefully, I won't break down anyway, but if I do, chances are it won't be from a 5 minute ride when I could have walked / biked or used public transport.

Answer 6

Your question is really a worthy one, coz day by day Cars are increasing in numbers on the roads thereby creating more traffics and pollution as well,

Bikes and bycycles cannot be driven by all age groups such as old people, instead we can use a much smaller car for short transports and it may be a single seater and has just three wheels and that car must run on battery so that even the environment is saved from the pollution....

Answer 7

By getting off our fat arses and walking. We are just lazy, sometimes i can be arsed to even use my car so i just dont bother going to do the short journey even though it like down the road. I've now started to walk for the short journeys and i feel much better.

Answer 8

Providing more secure cycle parking would be a real help - those in my home town are always over loaded with bikes by 9am in the morning. If you cannot secure your bike safely there is far less incentive to us it. Other than cycling a bus service that is frequent, clean and reliable would be a real help. The first bus of the day from my village does not depart until 9.40am in the morning to our nearest town, making it impossible to get to work without a car. When I have used the bus service to our nearest city the foul language, smoking, (yes i know that they are not supposed to but the drivers always wimp out of telling them not to) and dirty food covered seats put me off.

Answer 9

Simply get a bike which produces no CO2 at all or use public transport. The only reason people don't use public transport that much is the cost of it. It is quite expensive unless you buy a season ticket and get a discount but a one way is very expensive. Have you noticed loads more people cycling around than last year.

Answer 10

Build more schools within 100 yards of everyones house, that would sort out at least 50% of the short journeys, build supermarkets in the playgrounds of said schools, thats another 30% gone, have office blocks on top of the supermarkets, gee another 10% gone, ban any driver going over 20mph...only me left.