24-03-2022, 01:18 AM
(This post was last modified: 24-03-2022, 01:43 AM by Tony Griffiths.)
(23-03-2022, 08:49 PM)andrew34ruby Wrote: Certainly the working person's habit has changed since 1922. People then used to live near work, walk or cycle everywhere etc. Now most residential streets are bunged up with parked cars and people drive twenty and thirty miles to work without a care.A good thing? It certainly was - it offered choice - and freedom to go where you wanted and when you wanted. With the invention of the Rover "Safety Bicycle", cycle sales went through the roof and a huge industry developed - because people wanted freedom and choice. I watched a report recently about a developing nation that featured a small farmer who was delighted to have, at last, been able to afford a bicycle. His next aim? A motorcycle - and after that, no doubt, a pickup. Freedom - and choice. Remember the Wilfrid Pickles' show and his broadcasts from around the UK? Inevitably, they would interview a poor, sad chap who was immensely proud of never having ventured more than five miles from his village. Was that a good thing?
Did the Austin seven contribute to all this? Affordable transport for the working man was started by motorbikes and the Austin seven. Was that a good thing?
(23-03-2022, 11:59 PM)Duncan Grimmond Wrote: Interestingly the average car journey is still about 3 miles. I regularly see children delivered to the school opposite our house by mums driving all of 800 yards from the other end of the village.
Considering that the minister of transport who oversaw the Beeching cuts was E Marples who happened to be financially involved with major road building interests it’s hardly surprising that public transport here is one bus per day…
Those of us of a 'certain age' will recall both Marple's catchphrase... and the catchphrase response to his ambitions....