DOING WITHOUT A CAR IN THE CITY

Similar to the last car I owned. Before that I drove a Volvo 121. Seems like eons ago.

The last time I sat behind the steering wheel of a car was back in 1989. I had a car then, a sky-blue Chrysler Alpine, which cost a bomb to maintain. As soon as both my daughters left for studies overseas, I sold my Chrysler. I had no further reason to own a car. My chauffeuring days were blissfully over.

For the past 26 years I have been relying mostly on public transport and the kindness of friends with cars to get around. Every now and then, I am tempted to get a car, but the mere thought of horrendous traffic jams, parking problems, road bullies, maintenance costs and most of all, the spiralling price of fuel, is enough to deter me from visiting the car dealer.

My friends (all of them drive) tell me they would be totally lost without their car. They wouldn't have a clue how to get from Segambut to Sunway, or from Kampung Attap to Kampung Pandan. They can't imagine how I could survive for so long in the city without a car.

If caught in a jam, I would rather be in an air-conditioned bus reading my book, taking a cat-nap or checking out what car drivers are doing in their vehicles from my higher vantage point. You would be surprised if I told you!

While I can understand where they are coming from, I have to admit there have been vast improvements in our public transport system since SPAD took over the management and administration. Sure, I still have plenty of grouses, but I am glad those terror days of the pink mini-buses are gone forever. They are a menace on the road, and from 1 Dec 2015, I will be just as happy to say goodbye and good riddance to those about-to-fall-apart Metro buses plying the Ampang routes. They should have been despatched to the scrapyard decades ago.

Buses today are air-conditioned, reasonably clean, comfortable and generally reliable. I'm referring to the Rapid KL buses. Senior citizens aged 60 and above travel half fare with the special warga emas card. You can apply for one at the Concession Registration Counter located at Pasar Seni Bus Hub next to the LRT station. Remember to bring along your MyKad and a photostat copy as well. Just fill in the form and pay RM5 which will be credited to your card. You can start using it right away.

Free shuttle buses take commuters and tourists to the city's landmarks as well as to major shopping malls.

Trains run on time, and with the MRT (currently under construction) adding to the existing Kelana Jaya line, Ampang line and the monorail line, inner-city connectivity is set to improve tremendously, allowing for seamless travel within the Klang Valley with just one card for all the systems. (I seldom travel on KTM, so I can't comment on that.)

Don't know how to get to your destination by bus or train? Just go to MyRapid portal to plan your journey. That's what I do when I have to go somewhere for the first time. The portal tells me which bus or train to take, and the fares.

An electronic board outside KLCC displaying bus schedules. This photo was taken in June 2015. Waiting time has since improved even further with the addition of more buses.

There are now more buses, including double-deckers, on the roads, so waiting time is much shorter. The best news is the introduction of Go-KL buses. These buses offer complimentary rides on four routes named after colours: green, purple, red and blue lines. Together they cover all the major landmarks and shopping malls in the city like KLCC, Pavilion, Pasar Seni, Sentral, Chow Kit and Kota Raya. Having taken many rides on these buses, I highly recommend them. Waiting time is only 5-10 minutes. PJ also has a fleet of green shuttle buses serving the major residential and business hubs. Free, of course.

For ladies who do not want to share their rides with men.

If you want to avoid traffic jams and save time, take the LRT. They run on schedule and there's one arriving every 3-5 minutes except at night when you may have to wait slightly longer. Connectivity between the different lines has improved immensely. Now you can change lines using the same card. I remember there was a time when I had to queue for tickets each time I changed trains. What a hassle!

My biggest gripe is reserved for our taxi service. The word itself is a misnomer. The drivers don't seem to know the meaning of 'service'. They exploit tourists, they choose their passengers, they don't use the meter and those that do don't issue receipts. The taxis are smelly, the seats dirty and some of the drivers could do with a course on grooming and manners. No wonder in a recent survey, KL has won the dubious honour of having the worst taxi drivers.

Of course there are taxi drivers who are proud of their profession, and take great pride in keeping their taxis in showroom condition. Personally, I have yet to hail a taxi that refuses to take me to my destination. I don't understand this practice of asking the driver first whether he would go to a certain destination. I just get in, and then tell the driver where I want to go.

With MyTeksi and GrabCar coming into the picture, commuters are spoilt for choice. Service provided by these new entrants is good. The taxis are clean and comfortable. Most important of all, you feel safe as the driver's particulars are recorded on your phone. I have not taken Uber taxis so I can't comment on them, but feedback from my friends has been positive.

By the time all my baby boomer friends reach an age when they can no longer drive, moving around in the city will be a breeze. Starting from 1 Dec, 2015, commuters will see even more improvements to the bus network. As you can see, it is possible to move around in the Klang Valley via public transport. I often take a mix of riding the bus, train and taxi to get to my destinations, Of course a bit of walking is involved too. But I consider that as exercise. Good for fitness and health.

An umbrella, a bottle of water and a notebook - these are items I must pack in my bag before I set out for the day's destinations. And my RapidKL card, of course. I never leave home without it. A final glance at my checklist, and I am ready to go.

So do I still want to get a car? What do you think?

(Written by Lily Fu)

Related post:

Can you do without a car?

GETTING AROUND WITHOUT A CAR

The last time I sat behind the steering wheel of a car was back in 1998. After selling off my Chrysler Alpine, I have been depending mostly on public transport to get around. Every now and then, I am tempted to get a car, but the thought of horrendous traffic congestion, parking problems, road bullies and most of all, the high cost of maintaining a car, is enough to deter me from seeking out a used car dealer.

My friends (all of them drive) tell me they would be totally lost without their car. They wouldn't have a clue how to get from Puchong to Sunway, or from Kampung Attap to Ampang New Village.

If caught in a jam, I would rather be in an air-conditioned bus reading my book, taking a cat-nap or checking out what car drivers are doing in their vehicles from my higher vantage point. You would be surprised if I told you!

After 14 years of commuting by bus, train and taxi, I consider myself a seasoned commuter. I have plenty of grouses, of course, but to be fair, there has been substantial improvement, especially over the last year.

Buses are air-conditioned, reasonably clean, comfortable and generally reliable. Senior citizens aged 60 and above travel half fare with the special warga emas card. You can apply for one at the Pasar Seni LRT station. It's free and you get it on the spot. Remember to bring along a photostat copy of your MyKad.

Trains run on time, and with the MRT adding to the existing Kelana Jaya line, Ampang line and the monorail, inner-city connectivity is set to improve tremendously, allowing for seamless travel within the Klang Valley. (I hardly travel on KTM, so I can't comment on that.)

There are now more buses on the roads, so waiting time is much shorter. The best news is the introduction of Go-KL buses. These are free shuttle buses that serve the city centre from KLCC to Pasar Seni and Bukit Bintang. Having taken a ride on one of these buses, I highly recommend them. The bus drivers are courteous and speak both Malay and English fluently.

Exposed to the elements, it's a matter of time before this
electronic board malfunctions.

In an earlier post written a few months ago ("Driven up the wall by our public buses"), my complaints about the lack of information on bus routes and the appalling condition of bus stops still remain, although there have been some small improvements like the installation of electronic boards displaying bus schedules at selected bus stops.

My biggest gripe is reserved for our taxi service. The word itself is a misnomer. The drivers don't seem to know the meaning of 'service'. They exploit tourists, they choose their passengers, they don't use the meter and those that do don't issue receipts. The taxis are smelly, the seats dirty and some of the drivers could do with a course on grooming and manners. No wonder in a recent surbey, KL has won the dubious honour of having the worst taxi drivers.

Of course there are taxi drivers who are proud of their profession, and take equal pride in keeping their taxis in showroom condition. Personally, I have yet to hail a taxi that refuses to take me to my destination. I don't understand this practice of asking the driver first whether he would go to a certain destination. I just get in, and then tell the driver where I want to go.

Don't believe everything you read!

The worst taxi drivers I have encountered are those stationed at Kelana Jaya LRT station. Most of them look more like thugs. They don't use the meter, period. It's RM15 flat rate to Sunway Pyramid. Take it or leave it. Having been fleeced twice, I now take the bus. The fare is only 90 sen for senior citizens.

By the time all my baby boomer friends reached an age when they could no longer drive, moving around in the city would have become a breeze. They would have bypassed all the early inconveniences of commuting by public transport. With the 13th General Elections coming up, there has been a frenzy of improvements taking place in our public transport system. This can only benefit commuters.

If you have concerns to air regarding our public transport, you will have the opportunity to do so at the upcoming full-day National Forum on Public Transportation in Malaysia to be held on 3 November at the PJ Library, Section 3. Admission is free. To register, call Simon at 019-261 2259 or email simogi@gmail.com

Related post:

Can you do without a car?

Are ageing drivers a hazard on the road?

WHAT MAKES AN AGE-FRIENDLY CITY?

Slide from Dr John Beard's presentation on "Age-Friendly Cities" at the recent World Congress on Healthy Ageing held in KL. Dr Beard is Director of Ageing and Life Course at WHO.

In 2007, the World Health Organization published the Global Age-Friendly Cities Guide. It was the culmination of a project based on constructive feedback from the elderly living in 33 cities in 22 countries.

With populations across the globe becoming increasingly older and more urbanized, the WHO guide makes for an excellent reference for city-planners looking to improve infrastructure and facilities for the elderly. These can range from providing more green spaces and park benches to more accessible public toilets.

I first wrote about age-friendly cities in a 2009 post. Three years on, it doesn't seem as if Kuala Lumpur is anywhere closer to being considered an age-friendly city. (You can view the check-list of essential features of age-friendly cities here.)



New York and Singapore are outstanding examples of city planning that takes into account the needs of the elderly. In 2009 the NY Mayor's office together with various city departments came out with 59 initiatives that would enhance city living for older citizens. The 136-page report should be made compulsory reading for our city-planners here in Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore: Longer crossing time

It doesn't always take billions of dollars to make a city elderly-friendly. Small thoughtful improvements can make moving around in the city so much more convenient for older people. For example, traffic lights at pedestrian crossings could be timed to allow older people ample time to cross busy roads. The lights at the Kuala Lumpur City Centre pedestrian crossing stays green for only 23 seconds! It's a mad dash across even for young people.

Our public transport system here is in desperate need of transformation. For a start, why can't buses have their numbers displayed at the back of the buses? Elderly people need not run after the bus as it is about to move off if they can see by the number that it's not the bus they want to board. Public transport officials can't even think of something so basic as this. Either they have never taken public buses before, or they have no empathy for the elderly, including their parents and grandparents.

23 seconds for the elderly to cross this busy street outside KLCC. Can they make it in time?

By the way, there is a roundtable discussion on "Public transport in Malaysia - issues and solutions" at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall, KL, on 28 March from 9am to 1pm. As a frequent user of public transport, I'll be there to air some of my many grouses.

Join me?

Please read related post:

No allocation for the elderly

CAN YOU DO WITHOUT A CAR?



For those who drive, it's a daily grind on the city roads.

My answer is YES. But the question I am more often asked is "HOW can you do without a car!" Indeed, coming from my friends, it's not even a question, but rather, an incredulous exclamation.

I gave up driving in 1998. At the time I was driving a blue Chrysler Alpine 1300. Before that I had a Volvo 121. These were imported vehicles that were heavy to drive, and costly to maintain. Both cars had no power steering. I remember working up a sweat everytime I manoeuvred my car into a parking bay.

Driving in the 1970s and 80s was really stressful. There were more STOP signs than traffic lights. You had to take your chances at junctions. Busy roundabouts were for the brave-hearted or the reckless. I was neither, and often the cause of a minor traffic build-up behind me. Added to all that stress was the high cost of keeping my car in running condition. Just replacing the tyres took a huge chunk from my modest teacher's pay.

I didn't have a choice then. I needed a car to go to work, and to ferry my girls to school. As soon as they left to further their studies, I found little reason to hang on to my Chrysler. I sold it for a song, and gave my parking bay to my neighbour.

It's been 13 years now without a car. I've survived mostly on public transport and on kind friends who give me rides. I still have a valid driving license which I renew faithfully in case I have the urge to get behind the steering wheel again.

So far, that urge hasn't surfaced. I've been quite content to remain a passenger in the bus and let the driver take on the stress of getting through the traffic gridlock. I make sure I have a book with me or a notepad to jot down ideas and thoughts that come into my head.

I've become quite good at keeping my mind busy while waiting for the bus to arrive. Patience has become my middle name. No point complaining about delays, queues or congestion. It only raises your blood pressure. I've learned to bear with the inconvenience. I look at it positively. I'm saving money, enjoying peace of mind, and contributing to a cleaner environment!

Sure, the bus doesn't drop me off at my front door. But I regard brisk walking as good exercise for my legs. Carrying shopping bags and groceries is part of my strength-training regime and a little daily exposure to the sun is great for health.

I get all these benefits at a fraction of what I would spend if I still owned a car. With my senior citizen's Touch n Go card, I get to travel anywhere in the Klang Valley by RapidKL bus at half fare. Of course, our public bus system leaves much to be desired. And I can write an entire book about it, but I shall leave my grouses to the next blog post.

So there, I've done my small part to reduce traffic congestion, air pollution, and fuel consumption. I know it won't be easy to convince city dwellers to give up their cars. At least not until they see significant improvements in the public transport system.

Related post

ARE AGEING DRIVERS A HAZARD ON THE ROAD?