The Perks of Using Public Transport Instead of Driving
Why Hitching Out on the Rails (or at the Bus Stop) Beats Hitting the Wheel
If you’ve ever seen your neighbour’s car burn yellow‑ish fumes in a jam‑med bay, you’ll understand why the call of the public transport is quieter, kinder, and fuller of wonder.
1. No Traffic–Tweedet
When you’re stuck behind a lorry that’s busier than a tea‑time crowd, the only cheer you get is the slight buzz of the engine studding its way along the road. On the Tube or bus, you simply glide along a timetable; if you miss a local, the next one’s a solid fifteen minutes away, and that time is your time. Stay relaxed, read that novel you’ve been meaning to finish, or practise your bus‑stop condescending stares at the bumper‑to‑bumper world below.
2. Parking‑Prices and Cigarettes
The cost of a parking spot today can dwarf a cup of tea. In many towns, “free parking” means driving to an over‑the‑hill round‑about and paying a coin in the box for the next hour of your life. None of that in the city. A single Oyster card or contact‑less tap gets you across town for a fraction of the buy‑income you’d spend on your car’s yearly maintenance.
3. The Gym Without the Sweat
You’re already moving from your apartment to the bus stop or train station – that’s a brisk jog, or a pleasant promenade, treated to the odd smiling stranger and an occasional window‑pan‑painter or street‑food stall. Think of it as your daily cardio, minus the calories wasted on a full‑glycost‑spend‑uline‑wheel‑routine. Meanwhile, the bus driver’s job remains a touch more comfortable – the back of the seat is always rigged to stay upright.
4. Better Breath, Less Mite
If you’re the type who holds your breath out of habit, breathe in the fresh aromas of the outdoors, and let the nitrogen-rich environment of the rails politely replace the stale air of a car exhaust pipe re-ionised four miles up the blend. Environmental benefit? Your whole neighbourhood feels the difference.
5. The Social Hive
On the train, the platform is a micro‑bizarre society. You can indulge in the beside‑them‑teaching of a child arguing loudly over the last puddle in a puddle of “Honk. Honk. Thank‑you.” Among the passengers are poets, barbers, office workers in their six‑to‑keens of tweed and cyclists wearing safety vests like living banners. It’s a communal tea‑party on wheels.
6. Space for the Vanishing Daydreams
The spare carriage of a platform is an ideal place for future plans. While you avoid a notorious four‑inch traffic lane between the sea‑side and the city, you can imagine re‑scheduling your next, more vital adventure. At least a bus stop or train platform never offers “Do I want a cashback? No? Good. Let’s go to the Harbour!”
Bottom line: The next time you’re tempted to seal the door of your car like a banker closing a vault, remember the whimsically calm kinetic rhythm of a bus, tram, or train. The perks are driving, dear readers, all yours for the taking. Enjoy the ride, or better still, enjoy the carriage!
