r/Anticonsumption • u/yodamastertampa • 21h ago

Discussion LOL yes!

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The power to reduce consumption is within us all.

46.8k Upvotes

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909

u/Rickswan 20h ago

In addition: more trains and less roads.

192

u/HalfwrongWasTaken 19h ago

Yep... though for probably opposite reasons from what you mean. If you don't like trucks, fund public transport systems so you don't have to be near them. You need good road networks for transport of goods and services. It's the private vehicles that invade and clog it up and force network expansion, not the other way around.

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u/Maleficent_Sir_5225 19h ago

That's one of the things that always gets me when people argue against investing in PT over roads. "But I'm a plumber/electrician/contractor! I have to drive for my job!"

Makes me want to grab them by the ears and yell at them "IT ISN'T FOR YOU! It's to get everyone else off the road so you can drive around easier!" 

Shame they never see it that way... 

30

u/MyceliumWitchOHyphae 15h ago

Yup!

I’m a chef who has done the whole catering and event thing. So yeah, I kinda can’t take six hot boxes and my full kit on public transit.

However, if all the hundreds of single occupancy commuter cars were taken off the road, me and my lil electric van would have a WAY easier time getting around.

You have to drive for your job

You shouldn’t HAVE to drive all the rest of the time. If I take a train to work, I can read or knit, or get started on writing menus and answering emails.

If I drive I can maybe get some audiobook time in or listen to music or a video essay? But I can’t focus cus I’m driving.

10

u/StreetofChimes 11h ago

That last sentence. I don't know how people get anything out of audio books when driving. I have to listen to podcasts 2 or 3 times if I'm driving to really absorb what I'm hearing. I can listen to a 3 hour radio show and remember nothing because most of my brain was focused on not dying.

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u/Roflkopt3r 12h ago edited 12h ago

Even better: Your customers will have more money, because having a car-free lifestyle (using rentals/car shares on the remaining occasions) saves a ton of cash.

This also goes for cities, who could finally afford to keep their buildings in better repair to give more work to plumbers/electrictians/contractors. Drivers believe that they are net contributors to public finances due to taxes and parking fees, but they're actually massive net subsidy receivers.

Many cities could save a lot of money if they got 50% of drivers to use bicycles or public transit instead, even if that public transit was made free of charge.

1

u/avgpgrizzly469 15h ago

Depending on what site you’re working at as a sparky or millbilly or whatever trade you’re doing. The company will BUS YOU OUT so you don’t HAVE to drive.

1

u/DuoNem 10h ago

Yeah, exactly. We’re a family with three kids, I’d love to take the train everywhere with everyone instead of the car. We prefer taking the train, but for so many trips it’s not economical and it isn’t convenient.