[arun_josie]

Even I have a car and drive alone daily to office with no regrets because it falls within my requirement.

1) Car pooling is not possible for me because of my office timing, its afternoon shift and no neighbours in similar shift.

2) I have the facility of pickup and drop, but couldn't opt for this because I have to pick my son from school and drop him in daycare on the way to office.

3) Before my son started his schooling, I tried taking bus couple of days but ended up waiting for more than 30mins and then took auto paying Rs.120(I can fill around 2.5 liters of diesel) for a distance of 9Kms that too after lot of argument with the auto-wala. I hate taking autos in bangalore.

4) I am advised not to use two wheelers due to back pain.

Car pooling is something which will not work for everyone, its not just the same company people/shift/neighbours etc. It will work only when you have a good relation/understanding with the others with whom you are car pooling and vice versa so that when someone delays, it will not turn up in to a issue and will continue smoothly.

[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by anilisanil

On saving fuel by car pooling- people who are worried about fuel costs, would not and should not buy a car.

On saving congestion by car pooling- Congestion is more due to imbeciles whose driving logic is more like fuzzy than being binary.

On saving the world by car pooling- heck, everything ends.

Originally Posted by RECOMPOSE

I think the objective of car pooling must be seen as reducing congestion on the road, not to save a few bucks.

I don't know about others, but I car pool in order to reduce my fuel costs. Saving a few bucks is my primary motivation for car pooling. But, as a by product of car pooling, if we can reduce congestion on the road and save the environment by burning lesser fuel, I am more than happy to contribute.

For those who feel that the savings are negligible, let me give you an idea. I travel 15kms one way to office. If I travel alone in my car, my monthly fuel cost would be 4k and toll cost would be 1k. If 4 of us are car pooling, this fuel cost and toll cost gets divided by 4. Hence I can easily save 3.5k per month.

I can use this fuel money saved to pre pay my car loan or to invest for my family's future or to enjoy with my family by taking them to a mall / multiplex / restaurant / picnic.

Another factor which no one has mentioned till now about car pooling - since your car has to do lesser kms every month, not only are you saving on the fuel costs, but also on the general wear and tear and maintenance of the vehicle. The resale value of your car would also be higher because it would have done lesser kms.

I think we need to come out of the mindset that cars are meant only for filthy rich people who have more money than they can ever spend. Salaried / middle class people can also afford to buy cars these days and there is nothing wrong in trying to reduce you fuel expenditure.

Rohan

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by RX135

That's probably just an excuse to pick comfort of car over a bike.

Not really!! Thoughts do change after self is involved in a motorcycle accident and somehow escapes with minor injuries.

My friend use to come on bicycle to office. He was praising this activity until he was knocked off by a car. He went ahead and bought Alto.

While I'm in my hometown, I prefer bike over car

[adidac369]

Originally Posted by Jayabusa

Ya, excellent joke and what an idea Sirjee!!!
Now everyone should bring their own bat while playing gully cricket because Int'l cricketers use their own!

Lol...nice comeback.

People just need excuses to justify. I think the objective of Alonso and Button is not the same as that of the thousands of the daily commuters..if you thought so till now, Im sure the races you watched must have been confusing and annoying. Some one should have told them abouth this brilliant option! - And they are not the ones complaining about fuel prices, pollution and congestion..reaching late to the office etc.

[Chetan_Rao]

Why should I feel guilty, if I'm concerned with my own safety (and convenience too)?

I also do not feel anything wrong in blaming the government and civic authorities for the mess our transport infrastructure is in. They have the money (our money, BTW), and they're bound by duty to provide amenities to citizens. I pay taxes, and I have a right to demand a viable means of public transport. Do I have a misplaced sense of entitlement? Nope, I don't think so.

I use public transport wherever it's viable. But if it doesn't exist at all, what am I supposed to do?

[navin_v8]

Hey guys,

I reside in Bombay and think the best mode of transport to cut through the traffic is a motorcycle. It reduces the travel time substantially and is economical too. I have a car as well as motorcycle. I use my car during monsoon for office and other types of commute due to convienience and bike otherwise.

I ride an RE Standard Bullet Cast Iron 350 and drive Opel Astra. I have tried using both in Bombay traffic and the best suited is the motorcycle if travelling alone.

[adidac369]

Originally Posted by flyingkolors

Does it effect environment? Hey, there are thousand other ways to deal with it.

- Really? so whats wrong with this one? im sure if we start discussing them you will have the same reply for each of the "thousand other ways"

Originally Posted by Chetan_Rao

Why should I feel guilty, if I'm concerned with my own safety (and convenience too)? - Im sorry, but did someone ask you to?

I also do not feel anything wrong in blaming the government and civic authorities for the mess our transport infrastructure is in. They have the money (our money, BTW), and they're bound by duty to provide amenities to citizens. I pay taxes, and I have a right to demand a viable means of public transport. Do I have a misplaced sense of entitlement? Nope, I don't think so.

- Oh no, we have to make them accountable..infact my recation to the authorities is almost radical. I think we all are ashamed of them.

[ethanhunt123]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

Not really!! Thoughts do change after self is involved in a motorcycle accident and somehow escapes with minor injuries.

My friend use to come on bicycle to office. He was praising this activity until he was knocked off by a car. He went ahead and bought Alto.

While I'm in my hometown, I prefer bike over car

Second that. Before i bought my car, i used to travel on an Honda scooter and was thinking of buying a Karizma. One day i was knocked over by an auto and had to carry my arm around in a sling for one month. All thoughts of biking to work went in the same drain i fell and i bought a car.

Similiarly, one of my colleague wanted to ride to office in a bicycle until she saw Indicabs and Tempo cabs on IRR. Now she is planning to learn driving and buy a car.

Its not at all safe riding a bike in Bangalore.

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by ethanhunt123

Second that. Before i bought my car, i used to travel on an Honda scooter and was thinking of buying a Karizma. One day i was knocked over by an auto and had to carry my arm around in a sling for one month. All thoughts of biking to work went in the same drain i fell and i bought a car.

Similiarly, one of my colleague wanted to ride to office in a bicycle until she saw Indicabs and Tempo cabs on IRR. Now she is planning to learn driving and buy a car.

Its not at all safe riding a bike in Bangalore.

Same with me, I was riding along with my newly wed wife to office. While I do not remember how and why we ended up in the accident, I had a head injury (in spite of wearing a helmet) even though I was driving at 20-30KMPH and was wearing a helmet. Thankfully there were no injuries to my wife, and I was hospitalized for 3 days.

And this triggered the need for a car. One might argue that one has to ride safe, but factor of safety on our roads is nil! So went ahead and bought a car with ABS and airbags, not that I can drive as I like with safety features, but at least I am safe if I or other person errs. It is more like an insurance.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by anilisanil

On saving congestion by car pooling- Congestion is more due to imbeciles whose driving logic is more like fuzzy than being binary.

Bad driving is something we could do without, but that is not the primary cause of congestion. I dont know about Pune, but in Chennai, the difference in traffic congestion on the roads is very noticeable between the days when schools are working and during vacations. Any Chennai-ite would have noticed this significant difference and the drive to work is so much fun during school vacations. Also not seen during vacations is the congestion/jams near schools (on my route it is GoodShepherd school and AMM school), where obviously people like us want to bring our kid in an individual car - my money, my car, my kid, why not, eh ?

And if you read yesterday's Deccan Chronicle, this is not something I made up. Schools in Chennai are encouraging car-pooling among kids being dropped to school and giving out merit certificates to those that car-pool. So if there are 4 kids from an apartment going to the same school, if a parent can drop them all together, it avoids 3 cars being on the road. If as many parents as can do this, practice this, imagine the congestion that can be avoided. Many are doing this, esp at Lady Andal school, Harrington road. And I believe this is a fantastic thing to do. Other benefits being the peace of mind for the parents of all kids knowing that their kids are in the safe hands of someone they know and not some stranger (auto/cab/car driver).

Originally Posted by adidac369

Having the money to buy is one thing and being responsible is entirely another.

Could not put it better. We think only about affordability - if I have the cash for something, that justifies the purchase/usage.

Originally Posted by RX135

That's probably just an excuse to pick comfort of car over a bike.

True. There are other issues with biking like back-pain when riding long-duration, but safety is mostly an excuse.

Originally Posted by deep_bang

First of all, i believe that we can help envirnoment better by "significant and larger" steps than the small things like using public transport.

Many of us practice such steps (water/current/paper etc) in daily life, but that is for another thread.

And for those that think the thoughts in this thread are belittling the love to drive or is belittling cars, you are wrong. I started driving couple of decades and more ago and I still love driving as much as I did then. Just because I car-pool or avoid using the car for very-short drives, does not mean the love is gone. During the initial days I remember driving down to the shop 1km away to have a smoke - the cost of petrol for the 2km drive was more than what the ciggie cost. But the ciggie was just an excuse, the need was for the drive. What has changed is that I wont waste fuel frivolously today, like I did when I did not know better.

[HammerHead]

Originally Posted by anilisanil

So went ahead and bought a car with ABS and airbags, not that I can drive as I like with safety features, but at least I am safe if I or other person errs. It is more like an insurance.

Exactly my thoughts regarding ABS & Airbags. I think of them as a life insurance policy applicable when I'm behind wheels.

These stats are for someone who thinks picking car over bike is a plain excuse.
Note: taken from youthkiawaaz.com

[anilisanil]

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Bad driving is something we could do without, but that is not the primary cause of congestion.

I agree with you, but my statement was more to do with the assumption that all those extra cars that could have been done away with by car pooling are still on road for whatever reasons.

I firmly believe with proper traffic management all the current cars could be easily managed without much congestion, this is just my view and has got no scientific backing and I may be wrong.

But my primary point is, car pooling is something that requires a lot of intent. As a free thinking individual I do not think this intent can be imbibed by guilt or emotional blackmail(read wastage of fuel, over spending money etc). It has to come from within and that requires a lot of awareness.

Unfortunately, this awareness is not a priority for majority. But trying to spread that awareness through taking a moral high ground and/or judging the actions against a general background in not viable.

P.S: As I said before, I car pool and I know for sure @noopster, who is vehemently arguing against the cause, also does. I think we are more worried about the way things are put forth.

[amitoj]

Originally Posted by Sportygellar

As i stood outside a Techpark waiting for my friend I noticed that 95% of the Cars which are entering the Park is commuted by a single person. is it a Real need to commute in a car daily or do people also have an alternative which is called as BIKE ?
people should also try Car Pooling which will reduce the traffic and also the travelling expenses.
Time to think and action.

There seems to be a disconnect between this original post and the title of the thread.

Are you asking why people don't car pool or bike to work? If that is the case, you have not listed all the available alternatives, like walking to work or taking the public transport, or even working from home.

Or, are you saying that people who drive a car alone are not good, eco-friendly citizens?

IMO, when you start a thread, the intent should be clearly listed in the opening post.

"Time to think and action" (sic) does not give enough direction to where you want the thread to go.

Anyway, going by what all has been discussed so far (random as it may be) I drive alone to work. Gives me the freedom to drive the way i want to and listen to whatever music i want to. Not a big fan of biking, primarily because my office is 25 kms away. And no, i dont want to move my house or my office.

I work from home twice a week but thats to save on fuel bill primarily. I wont pretend that i do that to save environment or anything like that. Because that is not the case.

All in all, I drive alone and i like it like that.

Cheers
Amitoj

[sajo]

I am a single person (ie, not married ) who used to commute by car. Tried to drive as far as possible in a way not to inconvenience too many people , economically and kept my car in good health.
Did I feel guilty about it ? No sir. My comfort, safety and convenience mattered more (still does).
I initially thought of car pooling, but then, I like being not-bound a bit too much, so to save costs, opted for the bus instead.

[supremeBaleno]

Originally Posted by HammerHead

These stats are for someone who thinks picking car over bike is a plain excuse.

The chart shows who is responsible for accidents, not that bikes are less safer than cars. Also, while being on a bike is indeed inherently more dangerous than cars, but that does not make cars death-proof.

Originally Posted by anilisanil

I firmly believe with proper traffic management all the current cars could be easily managed without much congestion, this is just my view and has got no scientific backing and I may be wrong.

Traffic management cannot do anything about the lack of space/roads. And also about the thousands more of cars getting on to our already clogged roads.

Originally Posted by anilisanil

But my primary point is, car pooling is something that requires a lot of intent. As a free thinking individual I do not think this intent can be imbibed by guilt or emotional blackmail(read wastage of fuel, over spending money etc). It has to come from within and that requires a lot of awareness.

And how does awareness come ? By reading, learning about other's experience etc ? No one is trying to blackmail anyone. Some people will say, "Hey, its 1 life, let me lead it as I want to". That is fine. Some will think, "Hey maybe I should relook my usage". That is also good. To each his own.

Originally Posted by anilisanil

But trying to spread that awareness through taking a moral high ground and/or judging the actions against a general background in not viable.

Not at all the intention here, as mentioned many times.

Originally Posted by amitoj

I work from home twice a week but thats to save on fuel bill primarily. I wont pretend that i do that to save environment or anything like that. Because that is not the case.

It still is a good thing that one car is off the roads for 2 days a week - whatever be your intent. One of the indirect benefits of WFH.