Is car ownership really necessary?
Brisbane has reasonable public transport and taxis and ride-share vehicles to fill in the gap. Perhaps I, and you, should stop driving. Also: a new radio double act?
Should I give up driving? Not just me, but as many of us as possible?
Like many people, I own a car that I hardly use. It’s an asset that’s slowly losing its value sitting in a garage waiting for my once-a-week trip to the shops or a rare outing to a friend’s place or somewhere slightly off the beaten track.
When I do drive, is it responsible for me (and by me, I really mean the vehicle) to be expelling all those pollutants into the atmosphere when I could be on a bus or a train?
Or is the public transport network not quite good enough yet?
I’ll be making a big decision soon. I’d like your advice.
In the meantime, here’s a video I made about the subject:
P.S. If I sell my car, I can afford to take more cruises. Is that a good plan?
ON-AIR PAIR?
Update, 3pm, June 9: Rob McKnight, the executive producer of Sofie Formica’s show on 4BC, has announced on air that he is leaving the station.
Seems, at least in the short term, I was wrong about who would replace Neil Breen on the Brisbane Live Drive show on Radio 4BC. Peter Gleeson, most recently in the headlines for leaving News Corp after incidents of plagiarism, has been named fill-in host. I have made my thoughts on this known elsewhere in cyberspace. (Others have expressed quite strident views, including this from Mumbrella’s Dr Mumbo).
However, it has occurred to me that perhaps the question shouldn’t have been who will 4BC poach from elsewhere, but what the once-dominant ABC Brisbane will do to boost its flagging ratings in the news-talk space.
How about a double act of Spencer Howson and Sofie Formica, both currently at 4BC?
When he was in Breakfast on the ABC, Howson* was regularly winning the time slot and always producing double-digit ratings results — much higher than either 4BC or the ABC are currently achieving. Many would argue the ABC is his natural home.
The addition of Formica, who is well-known around Brisbane for her work on television over the years as well as her ongoing corporate and commercial appearances, would refresh the format and broaden audience appeal.
Just a thought …
*Yes, I used to be Spencer’s producer at 4BC and we’ve known each other for many years, but his prior success at the ABC has nothing to do with me (except I was a regular guest for a few years…).
FEED ME …
Speaking of going shopping for groceries, I’m getting bored with my diet. What can I buy at the supermarket that is tasty, healthy and requires little or no preparation?
I can't speak for whether you need a car or not, although I do hear taxis are still a little problematic down there...but I can say I LOVE Asian food and I have a variety of sauces, from basic to complex, I can add to the easiest stir fry in the world to make - the one made from a bag of pre-cut coleslaw. Comes with bonus coleslaw dressing. But you take as much as you like, add whatever you feel like adding to it, one pan (eg, cook steak, take out, rest, throw in handful of "coleslaw" to same pan, add sauce/condiments/extra vegies/noodles or whatever else you feel like) and you have a same but different meal every night - very easy! Good luck!