If you live in the city, you have a number of different options for forms of transportation. City dwellers shouldn’t make the same choices for transportation as those in the suburbs or further into the countryside. If you live in the countryside, for instance, you might get your hands on a delightful new Range Rover. It’s true, this could be the perfect option for those muddy roads and bends that curve out of sight. You definitely want that extra level of grip. But for a person who lives and dwells mainly in the city, this is a little bit of a waste. You’re not going to be able to get the full power from a vehicle like this, and there are other issues too like cost. This is just one example, and we’re going to look at all the possibilities for the vehicles that you could choose for those busy city streets. Let’s start with the classic.
Public Transportation
Pros
Relatively speaking public transportation is fairly cheap, so that’s definitely a bonus. Particularly, if you’re currently at the bottom of the food chain in your career. Or, maybe, just a student living on your loan. As well as this, there are no extra costs with public transport like insurance if you’re buying a car. Then, there’s the vast array of different options you have. Coach, train, taxi…the choice is most definitely yours. Furthermore, by using public transport, you are doing your part to help save the planet, so bonus morality points there. Unfortunately, that’s where the pros for public transport end.
Cons
They aren’t always as cheap as you would expect. Taxis can definitely be expensive if there is heavy traffic in a particular area and even buses can be costly. For instance, you might need a bus every day of the year. That could easily range into the hundreds which granted, isn’t anywhere near the cost of your average car. Unfortunately, you are also dependant on the transportation being reliable which it might not be. This could mean that you miss an important student lecture or are perhaps late for a crucial meeting to win over a new client. You also won’t have a vehicle that you can use when you do decide to leave the city for a holiday or visiting far-off relatives.
Optimum Form Of Public Transportation?
Choose the bus. While you’ll be packed in like a sardine most days, it’s cheaper than the taxi and more reliable than a train network. Unless of course, you’re commuting outside the city in which case what on earth are you doing? Get yourself down to a dealer for an MPG friendly car.
The Car Conundrum
Pros
The pros of choosing a car for city life is that you can guarantee you’ll always have a chance to get where you need to go. You can also travel in relative comfort and privacy, far from the huddled masses on the trains and in the buses. You’ll be able to listen to your own music without someone tapping you on the shoulder because it’s too loud. And, if you want to head somewhere else after work like a local Mcdonald’s or the cinema, the car can take you there.
There’s also a variety of choices for a car in the city, fitting neatly into various insurance brackets. As such, it is possible to choose one that is affordable. What is the ideal city car? If it’s just you and you’re not chauffeuring an entire family, the Volkswagen Golf Polo is the number one choice. Affordable, stylish and a cheap insurance option, this is the perfect choice for those city streets. It’s also the perfect choice for those tight parking spaces, and that brings us neatly to the disadvantages of the car.
Cons
Having a car in the city means that you need to find a parking space in the hustle and bustle of the town center. This is going to add stress when you’re trying to park outside your office. Particularly if your business doesn’t have designated parking and let’s face it most don’t. Then, there’s the issue with the cost. You might think you have a wide variety of choices when choosing a car for the city, but that’s just not true. Not when you look at the cost of insurance. Then, the situation becomes rather difficult. Do you want that beautiful Porsche 911 to impress new clients when you park outside your office? Well, then you better get ready to pay thousands of insurance bills each year.
You might think you can cut the costs here by ensuring that you keep the car under lock and key, perhaps in a garage. But don’t be too sure. Research shows that owners have actually been asked to pay more for their premium if they keep their car in a garage. The reason? There have been a lot of claims from owners who have essentially damaged their car trying to get it out of the garage they paid for to provide more protection. On top of this, if you don’t store your car, there is always the risk of theft.
So, what is the absolute worst car for the city streets? Despite the fact that you see a number of sports cars cruising around the city, these are either commuters or the ultra-rich. As such, any car with specs that are introduced using the phrase “zero to sixty in” shouldn’t be bought by city dwellers.
Two Wheel Choices
There are a few choices when deciding on a two-wheel vehicle for the city. You could get a bike, a motorbike or a moped/scooter. But which is the right choice? Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages, and they aren’t always obvious.
For instance, you might think that a bike is the slowest option here, but that’s not always true. When taking traffic into account, cycling can be a lot faster. Particularly if you have a carbon fiber bike. Carbon fibre bikes are super lightweight and as such are very easy to ride and fast.
The issue? Well, there’s the cost. Your typical carbon fibre bike will be well over one thousand bought brand new, and unfortunately, there’s the issue of theft. You see, bikes are notoriously easy to steal. If you have a good set of tools, you can cut through any bike lock. This means that bikes need to be stored indoors. That’s not an issue if you keep your bike in a house. However, if you live on a top floor of a sky rise, it could be slightly more of a problem.
That said riding to work can be a pleasant way to wake up in the morning. Though, you will have issues with safety. Riding around in the city can be quite dangerous as cars may not see you behind them, which brings us to the next possibility.
The moped could be the perfect compromise. With a moped, you’ll have a little more speed, the same amount of agility and the distance you can travel won’t depend on how much energy you have. They are also fantastic little energy savers with TaoTao Scooters being a great buying choice. Of course, there are lots of scooters to choose from on the market, and since they are affordable, you’ll be able to pick the right one for you. Cheap to run, cheap to afford and easy to ride, this could be the perfect option, particularly for students.
The final option for those who favor two wheels is going to be a full motorbike. With a full motorbike, you’ll have the speed, the agility, the power and the expense. The best motorcycles rival the cost of an average sized car and let’s not forget the danger. Riding a Harley around town might make you look cool, but you are also risking a horror crash that could leave you with life-changing injuries. The benefit of a scooter is that they can’t reach the speeds that make them a serious danger on the roads.
Weird Alternate Options
Of course, if you want to be a little more adventurous, there are other forms of transportation that you can use to get around town. For instance, you could opt for an electric bike. As thin as a bike but with a little more power, this is perfect for people who want to cycle without the exercise. Though to be honest, we’re not sure why you wouldn’t opt for a scooter that would provide a far more comfortable ride.
How about a segway? They definitely have a stylish appeal but one wrong move and you could end up in front of traffic. There’s also the issue of where you’d actually be able to use it. Despite being rather popular Segways or hoverboards are quickly being banned from sidewalks, ensuring that they are no longer a great pick for a fast city commute to the office.
As such your best option for city travel is definitely an affordable scooter or a budget friendly car. Really, the only question is how many people you need to transport. For a full family you’re going to need the car. Although, since you’re saving on other forms of transport, you could always just buy one of each and get the best of both worlds.
