The absurdity of it all

Yesterday we had the news of a big fall in the sales of new cars in the usually buoyant month of September. Much was attributed to the shortage of chips to make them with, but there must be plenty more like me, who simply can’t be arsed. There’s little sign of a return to pre-covid levels of work travel, we mostly prefer deliveries to visiting shops and there’s generally less reason to get on the roads than at any time in my adult life.

I saw my physio this morning, at 0900 on the far side of the town centre. (I could have walked but he roughs me up enough to make me glad not to have to walk back.) Two years ago, I’d have picked a different appointment time, because driving through town on a weekday morning takes ages. Today, it was a breeze, even at the height of school-run time.

Yes, we’re seeing some odd phenomena in the secondhand car market, suggesting pressure from some who really need to buy or replace a car. But I suspect many of us are looking at the cars we have and thinking, ‘I hardly use the thing anyway, so it’s good for another year or two.’

And yes, I did buy a new car this year. But more because I liked it and could afford it than because of the kind of compelling event I’d usually wait for. (Facing an occasional Congestion Charge payment for the old i3 hardly counts as that.) And that new car at least gets fairly regular use, unlike the other two on the drive. If I didn’t have a big family car, I don’t think I’d be rushing out to buy one this year.

So it’s all a bit silly, isn’t it? Our towns are choked with private cars that mostly go nowhere. Electrification won’t reduce the space they occupy.
Autonomous vehicles eventually will, so perhaps I should just go on clicking those I Am Not a Robot grids and help the process along.

Meanwhile, I helped Boy1 fettle his CV last weekend. He’s now openly describing himself as an ‘automotive engineer’, so he must see some future in it. I just don’t think the future will look much like the present.