Most people with cars that function normally wouldn’t even dream of leaving their car behind and opting for the benefits of public transportation. Cars represent a sense of independence, freedom, spirit, and—depending on the car—fun to their owners. Making a transition, even temporarily, to public transportation just isn’t high on the list of desires for a car owner.
However, car owners are also quick to stand in line, waiting to pay for their precious petrol, while desperately griping about the absolutely ridiculous price of fuel, all while the happy and satisfied bus passes them by. The cost of fuel, car insurance, and even the price of cars themselves is becoming insane. In 1970, the going rate for a house was about the same as what people now pay for an average car.
Fuel prices are high enough, especially during the summer months, to create havoc in the average family’s budget. As fuel prices skyrocket, other costs, like recreational activities, also increase. Even the small county fair that rolls into town once a year, which used to provide an evening of entertainment for a nominal amount, now costs nearly twice as much to cover the rising costs of traveling from town to town.
The Financial Benefits of Public Transportation
When considering public transportation, one of the main benefits is undoubtedly the ability to save a few bucks. If just one person in each household opts for public transportation instead of driving their car, most average households could save between $50 and $75 per week. During high gas price peaks, that can add up to $300 a month. For most households, that’s the equivalent of a car payment.
Of course, the car will also last longer. While it’s not a good idea to allow a car to sit unused for months at a time, cutting down on vehicle use to just weekends can extend its lifespan by two years. Considering what we pay for cars, they should last as long as humanly possible.
The use of public transportation has a multitude of advantages. Many who make the switch, after an adjustment period, determine that they actually prefer public transportation over driving. It’s one of the few responsibilities in life where all you have to do is show up. Once you’re on the bus or train, you’re free to catch up on the newspaper, take a nap, play a game, talk to a stranger, or simply enjoy the ride, rather than stressing over traffic jams or trying to figure out what the hold-up is ten blocks ahead.
Driver outrage is certainly understandable. It’s simply insane what some people do behind the wheel of a car. People have no problem pulling out in front of you, stopping in the middle of the street to unload their groceries while a pile of traffic waits impatiently behind them, riding your tail as though you can control the speed of the vehicle in front of you, and of course, the wonderfully intelligent idea of texting while driving. These behaviors can drive safer drivers crazy. Our “me first” society is certainly evident behind the wheel.
How sweet it is to save $300 a month, make the car last two years longer, and reduce the stress of having to contend with the world out there—just for a bit longer—while someone else taxis us to and from work. In reality, if the entire country banded together and each household gave up the use of just one car during the week, gas prices would tumble as demand plummeted. Congestion would ease, the environment would benefit, and every American household that owns a car would have a little extra spending cash for the local ice cream store on Friday.
People generally prefer to drive their cars simply because they like the feeling of control. They can’t control the bus that shows up a bit too late or the speed of the train. People have the illusion that they’re in control when driving their own cars. But it’s only an illusion. Accidents are proof of the illusion of control, and we can’t control the flow of traffic, no matter how hard we try to will ourselves into believing we have that power. And of course, we can’t control the police officer’s actions when they decide to pull us over for what we consider a minor driving infraction. The financial benefits of public transportation are quite obvious when considered carefully. Of course, people are secretly in love with their cars—even the beat-up old ones that are quietly working their way to the grave demand a certain loyal affection. We appreciate their loyal service, even when it seems painful to give.
People are secretly in love with their illusion of control.
For most people, $300 a month just isn’t quite enough to make them give up their private love affair with their car.
