Thoreau Column
Wheel Life column - 4 March, 2000
by Todd Litman and Suzanne Kort - Victoria Transport Policy Institute
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Thoreau Column |
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In one passage Thoreau argues that, "the swiftest traveller is he that goes afoot." He illustrates this with an example comparing his walking trip with a friend's train trip to the nearby town of Fitchburg: "I start now on foot, and get there before night. You will in the meanwhile have earned your fare, and arrive there some time tomorrow, or possibly this evening, if you are lucky enough to get a job in season. Instead of going to Fitchburg, you will be working here the greater part of the day. And so, if the railroad reached round the world, I think that I should keep ahead of you; and as for seeing the country and getting experience of that kind, I should have to cut your acquaintance altogether. This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of it reminds me of the Englishman who went to India to make a fortune first, in order that he might return to England and live the life of a poet. He should have gone up garret at once." We face the same trade-off today. You can spend a good portion of your life earning money for a car, or you can use cheaper modes that are slower but more satisfying. Consider it this way, with the thousands of dollars you save each year by giving up a car, you can pay yourself to bicycle! Now is a particularly good time to ponder this option. The price of gasoline recently jumped several cents a litre and more price increases are predicted in future. Everybody is pointing fingers: It's OPEC's fault. It's the oil company's fault. It's the gas stations' fault. It's the government's fault. But here is another perspective: If you are searching for a monopoly, look in the mirror. There's not only a lack of competition in petroleum production and distribution markets, many people have let automobiles become a monopoly in their personal transportation. In fact, petroleum is cheap, cheaper than milk, cheaper than soda, cheaper than bottled water! But are motorists satisfied? Never! Many took advantage of low fuel prices to buy larger and heavier gas guzzlers, and are now vulnerable to every little price blip of the market. It's an addiction. Here are some tips for freedom. For starters, set a goal for reducing your automobile use by 10-20%. Just because you own a car doesn't mean that you must use it for every trip. Leave your car at home, and bicycle, walk, carpool, or ride the bus when possible. Shop locally rather than at the big-box stores across town. Explore recreation activities nearby. Once you've proven you can do it, consider "shedding" a car. If your household owns two cars, cut back to one. If you own one car, become car-free altogether. You'll find plenty of alternatives, including buses with bikeracks, and rental cars available from the Victoria Car Share Co-op (tel 995-0265) and private companies when you need one. Money can't buy happiness, and sometimes it just gets in the way. Learn to live below your income by reducing what you spend on automobiles and investing the savings where it really matters: in your life. |
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If you crave an antidote to
mindless materialism we recommend Henry David Thoreau's book, Walden (available online at
