Loser Cruiser

I was listening today to CBC Radio One, as I do every day, to the afternoon regional program called "On The Coast" as I do every day when I arrive home from work.  I got so annoyed I nearly shut it off.  Two sixteen year olds, a boy and a girl, were being interviewed on the air about what it is like for them now that they've learned how to drive.  They both replied that it is so wonderful now feeling independent, not needing to rely on their parents or friends to drive them anywhere.   I phoned the station and barked "Haven't either of those spoiled rich kids you are interviewing ever used public transit in their lives?  This is ridiculous!"

I never learned how to drive.  I didn't want to.  There seemed to be no need.  I was okay with taking the bus, walking or as we often did in those days, hitch-hiking.  I have always felt free.  I have always felt independent.  And I have always lived: openly, courageously, sometimes dangerously.  I have nothing against people who drive.  For some it is an absolute necessity; for many, probably not.  Automobile exhaust is the number one air pollutant and the number one source of greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change.  Surely those two pathetic little Fauntleroys I heard today might consider how stupid and selfish their choices are.  Unfortunately, with the silver spoon comes the incurable taste for caviar, champagne and other fine things.

I ride public transit every day.  Like most people I would prefer to sit alone and not share my seat with a stranger.  This often doesn't happen.  Just the other day as I was absorbed in a Spanish language biography of Frida Kahlo a rather unfortunate looking, and smelling, man parked himself next to me.  The odour wasn't that bad, just stale tobacco smoke, but he was almost sitting on my lap and I felt almost crushed against the window.  He was neither large nor overweight by the way.  He eventually left and just before I could finish sighing with relief he was replaced by a thin young woman absorbed in her smart phone.  She smelled okay, gave me lots of room.  Like the man before her we didn't talk to each other.

Sometimes we do talk to each other, accidental seatmates passing the time and trying to make things as comfortable as possible. Often the chats are interesting, usually enjoyable, and every now and then a new friendship begins.

I really hope our elected officials get goodd and brave and make so many improvements to public transit that more and more drivers will find themselves leaving their cars at home.  It is saddening and downright scary that so few of us are taking real action about air pollution and climate change.  The worse thing about oil plummeting in price as it has is that even more drivers are completely forgetting or ignoring the creepy evidences of climate change around us and spending more time spewing filth into the air than ever.  And all in the name of feeling free, independent and not having to sit with the Great Unwashed in the loser cruiser.