Today, society’s functioning is strongly dependent on the performance of the transport system. Our daily well-being cannot be thought otherwise. We move as fast as we can from home to work or school, on weekends to the places of entertainment, on vacations to the most desirable destinations. Sometimes it seems that the main purpose of our life is to travel. Every time and everywhere.
According to statistics, Americans spend an average of 72 minutes a day driving their cars, twice times compared with the duration a father spends with his children. The total resulted annual amount is equivalent with 54 working days. On the other hand, taking into account fuel costs, insurance, repairs. And adding the recovery of the investment, a simple calculation shows us that “on average an American works 5 months a year for his car” (Colin Beavan “No impact man”). Thinking in terms of money, 17% of an average American’s income goes to the costs with the car. In Europe, the situation is only slightly better, but the trends are worrying.
Looking at the behavior of the new generations, you may try to find answers to some questions. Why do most parents take their children to school by car every day? Even on short distances of 3-4 hundred meters? Is it so dangerous to walk? Are today’s children more fragile than previous generations? The trend is not only for the primary school, but also in the high school, until they becomes adults and may drive their own car. Is it because of social position frustrations? Or a convenience generated by an exacerbated consumerism?
Every day at the beginning of the school program or at the end of it, the streets are more congested, sometimes blocked in the area of schools and high schools in the cities and large towns. Pollution and nerves.
Only few are thinking to the simple solution of walking or using the public transportation. And this is happening in a world where children has a great need for more physical activities and less time spent in front of computer, smartphone or tv. Don’t forget, in many countries, we are living in a world where sports fields are fewer and less used, and the number of the people having health problems are more and more.
Sometimes it is easier to take measures ourselves than to wait for the authorities to do something… Try to walk. It is wonderful even the weather is not always the best one!
