I have often been curious about our attitude to deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents. If a shark kills a lone swimmer off North Cottesloe, we call for netting or shooting. If a cancer cluster is suspected in a building, the building is investigated and the site may be closed.
When the images from the Burnley tunnel showed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the outlet chimney I pondered this topic again. Perhaps we should just ban them—these deathly cars and trucks. Though we continue to reduce the road toll through stricter road rules and careful policing, motor vehicles persist in causing tragic deaths at a level not tolerated by disease or industrial accidents. In addition our awareness of their fatal impact on the environment grows apace.
If this smacks of zealotry perhaps it can be explained by the fact that I abandoned my little red car, Lucy, the other day. Paul, the 'auto-parts recycler' was rotund in that tight, shiny way which doesn’t seem overweight as much as filling his skin to the maximum. He flashed a gap-toothed smile and offered me $10 for every year that I had benefited from Lucy’s hospitality and hard work and I accepted his offer. I hope other elderly Festivas benefit.
I had driven Lucy over dusty outback tracks and muddy country roads, swung along freeways and meandered through cities. As I am a peripatetic person, she had been a companion as constant and almost as long-lived as the elderly dog who continues in my company.
Despite my grief, the demise of Lucy also offers new opportunities. I had been toying with the idea of giving up my car for some time and now I was faced with making this a reality. I had already committed myself to using public transport regularly, encouraged by my local council’s innovative scheme to reward drivers who take less frequent ‘drive alone’ trips.
Although I will have occasional access to a shared car, I have purchased a yearly ticket which also offers the possibility of discounts from a commercial car sharing company. Their compact cars can be picked up and dropped off around the city.
For commuting, I can choose between bus or tram, generally favouring the tram. Public transport provides me with more opportunities to read, and to delight in observing fellow travelers. The day I left my car at the wrecker’s, I caught buses across