Monday, September 19, 2011

Could we really go car-free?

Are we willing to do without our car for a day-the World Car-Free Day on 22nd September 2011? So far Malaysia has never organize her own car free day and maybe the government should put in effort towards promoting it. It is a day whereby we find other means of commuting, be it by the public transport, bicycles or a combination of both.

Photo from NST

Even though the event or campaign is focus more on congested areas, I would prefer to look at it more as a way of we moving around no matter where we are in Malaysia. Can we live car free? How actually we could get to where we need to go and ways to that without getting in a car and driving. To be totally car-free would seem to be quite impossible for most of us due to the inefficiency of the public transport system in Malaysia. Besides, taking public transport is somehow expensive and inconvenient when compared to riding a bike or maybe driving. For instance, if I were to take the bus from my hometown in Batu Pahat, Johor to Subang Jaya, the total cost would be around RM60 to and fro for a single person. Driving my car, it will cost around RM90-RM100 to and fro (excluding the car maintenance cost). So in this case, if travel more than 2 person, definitely it's better to drive than taking the public transport. Long distance travel, would actually require you to evaluate whether it's more convenient and how much does it cost between driving and taking public transport.

However, what we really need to look at and evaluate is our short distance commuting. Based on personal experience, anything below 25km (single trip), it is much more better to ride a bike than driving or taking the public transport. I have experimented it myself between driving and bicycling for all those short trips and found that bicycling is quicker and less stressful. Why don't you do you own experiment and see what is it like for you. A simple approach that I would suggest that could improve your life and your financial is to Drive Less. Start replacing all those short trips by car to riding a bike. For instance, to the grocery store, to meet a friend for a coffee, to the bank or to pay your utilities, etc. Sure, you can't replace all of those trips due to certain valid reasons, but most of it you would be able to. I can assure that you'll find it fun and freedom riding around.

You don't have to make a big change in your life to make a difference in the world. While living car-free is probably not possible for you, a Drive Less commitment is doable. Sooner you will reap the benefits for all those short trips. Even though I do support The World Car-Free Day campaign in Malaysia, I just feel that most of the campaign sometimes just for the sake of a campaign. I would prefer a program or event that would change the mindset and systems that will encourage Malaysians to cycle on a daily basis a transport.

Related readings:
1. Wikipedia A Car Free Day encourages motorists to give up their car for a day.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

Kami dari kelab berbasikal ACT ingin menjemput uitm cycling clu untuk turut sama sertai Kayuhan 1000 belia sempena hari terbuka PDRM pd 1 okt ini di dataran merdeka. pelbagai hadiah menarik dan aktiviti akan diadakan. maklumat lanjut sila layari: http://www.facebook.com/#!/KayuhanBelia

Untuk sertai bole hubungi saya di Faizuber@gmail.com

azizan abd aziz said...

Faizuber
Terima kasih atas jemputan tersebut. Tapi cyclefriday bukan lah utim cycling club. InsyaAllah saya akan war war kan di fb saya.

Anonymous said...

would love to do all those short trips thingy you sugested, but where are the bike storage/parking facilities? What if i go to the bank and my bike was stolen, because there are no parking racks near the bank? same applies to grocery store and cafe/restaurant.

azizan abd aziz said...

chanjerping
I just locked my bike at a the signpost or somewhere I could secure the bike. My bike doesn't attract much attention, so I am not that worried. It would be easier to park if your bike has kickstand.

Hisham said...

The best value lock is still a short length of fat chain with a decent padlock.

Hisham said...

i know of one guy who owns a business located near Bukit Bintang. He lives in cheras and cycle everyday to Bukit Bintang. HE OWNS NO CAR!!!

Cheong said...

George Town to go car-free on Sundays
It will be a law with incentives thrown in for Trishaws. TMI 29 Nov 2011

http://themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/george-town-to-go-car-free-on-sundays/

Anonymous said...

Another bike commuter from Penang. When I started about 6 months ago, I did the same what you did before, tried public transportation, driving and cycling to gage the time and cost involved. In the end, as what you found, cycling is the cheapest to daily commute my 34km(to and fro) journey to my office.

Agree with you that we should encourage more to do bike commute. So I have only seen one or two regular bike commuters for these time and they are expats!

I was laughed at by my friends, cyclists and non-cyclists like, and my old folks are not very supportive of my choice of transport. But so I still hold to my believe that cycling is better than choking the mother nature with CO2...;)

I still drive whenever it is needed. But other than getting me fitter(I have a smaller tummy now!), it will also help to save alot in travelling expenses!

Keep up the good work. Oh btw, I found out about your bloggerspot thru Cycle2work Malaysia facebook page.

Alan Tan
turbosiputATyahooDotcom