No one is talking about Australia’s cost of driving crisis | ABC Australia

[@remyfarson6559]

Shout out to ABC for leaving the comments on

[@GeorgeSamia]

Bow to the Masters

[@Polleej]

Really? They have a history of doing the very opposite and these comments are the exception rather than the rule. Also, and just as importantly, I know from bitter experience that comments don't necessarily make it even if it say comments are open. Then of course there's the obvious anti-private car ownership agenda here-well, anti that for the plebs , obliviously.

[@stephenbachman132]

Don't worry they will off realised their error an immediately go back to not allowing comments quick smart. How dare the masses think for themselves. Their must only be a silent echo chamber.

[@seankearney5170]

​@@stephenbachman132Rather than thinking it's about echo chambers and agenda's it's more about the High Court 5-2 in the Voller case has held that media publishers are liable for defamatory third party comments posted on their social media pages. Facilitating and encouraging the comments they assist in their publication e.g If I posted something defamatory about someone the ABC would be liable. Do you want the ABC to be funded to moderate all comments on social media and sued endlessly by idiots at tax payers expense? It's just cheaper and easier to switch comments off.

[@reincarnate3440]

The reason is a mystery that all Australian medias disabled their comment sections, one of a kind.

[@MotoPassport]

Sharath well done getting head hunted for this segment by the ABC amazing stuff mate

[@robbiebalboa]

Heh he seems to be the go to guy to talk about infrastructure, I think he was on channel as well, talking about the metro a while back.

[@ConnorHogan-d8g]

He's so good they left the comments on❤❤

[@megziemegzie]

Sharath's presenting skills paired with an ABC budget is almost as exciting as a new metro line opening

[@j.zsyd11]

I can not tell if you are being sarcastic or

[@emdB67]

I thought I was watching another "Building Beautifully" until I saw the ABC logo at the end. Obviously I just saw the thumbnail and not the channel name. 😆

[@megziemegzie]

@@j.zsyd11 no it’s great - so cool to see sharath with a big budget behind him :)

[@kalnitez]

Lisp power , its proud to hear it

[@Raichase]

He’s a smart and talented young man. I’ve seen a few of his videos on KZbin and he clearly puts a lot of effort in. Great to see him getting a go on a larger stage.

[@michaelwatson3869]

The problem with car addiction or dependency is not just a lack of public transport. The biggest problem is urban planning where vast housing tracts are built without shops, industries, jobs and other necessary services being built among and in close vicinity to the residential housing so that they are within reasonable walking distance. Solve that problem you can not only eliminate or reduce car dependency but also reduce the need for public transportation to service it as well.

[@TonyRule]

Yes, zoning and regulations. Your neighour can't just start selling groceries out of a converted garage on a suburban street or street food from a cart, unlike those places where public transport has high use. They have a totally different lifestyle.

[@docscotty1992]

We'll never solve that problem because we want to be like America with their urban sprawl and car dependence.

[@ThomasNing]

That's what I was thinking the whole time too; it's not just a matter of cars vs PT, it's also unnecessarily requiring you to travel further than you can get yourself in the first place. For example, that 3am grocer visit. I would not want to be doing that if it wasn't walking or a really quick cycle distance, public transport or otherwise.

[@rodneypennington1086]

Developers aren't required to make provision for services and if asked argue vehemently against it and will take the council to VCAT - so residents have to suck it up and use cars. In peak hour at the few exits from these vast estates cars queue up for miles to get onto main roads. Don't buy there

[@bugsygoo]

And a lack of bike lanes.

[@thebats5270]

I'm an engineer for Sydney Trains. I constantly get feedback around trains being late and when I ask "how late" it's usually no longer than 15 minutes max, but usually 10 or less and I frequently see this sentiment parroted in the news and media. Meanwhile, I will have to drive on the M4 and it's bumper to bumper, no one knows how to merge, commute time is variable. Not a word from anyone! It's the illusion of being in control.

[@chennyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy]

It’s also the expectations. If you know you’re having a long or erratic drive, you are prepared mentally. If you don’t expect the train to be delayed, it makes it so much harder to tolerate. ❤

[@Inflammasomes]

At least you get a seat and don't have to get squished up with other passengers during peak hour, not to mention the increased risk of catching someones spicy cough lol, you can also do errands on the way home with comparitive ease.

[@fcfhkmelb]

Threshold for a train to be considered late in Australia is 5 minutes. In Hong Kong it’s 3 minutes. In Japan it’s 1 minutes. Delaying of 10 minutes is totally unacceptable and justifies a complaint. Peak hour train runs every 3-5 minutes so a 10-minute delay means a capacity loss of 2-3 full trains. As a train engineer you think it’s acceptable and requires no improvement. No wonder train services in Australia are at the current state.

[@skippyhd3180]

You have more control while driving to an extent more than waiting for a train that's eta is unknown

[@74KU]

I'm sure that is quite true for Sydney, in Hobart busses are often no less than 10 mins late in fact if you go to Metro website you will see they refuse to guarantee any times! factor in to that a walk to a bus stop that can quite easily be several km, then having to wait, standing on a sidewalk with no shelter or seating of any kind.. Quite often busses (Hobarts ONLY public transport) do not arrive in the CBD until awkward times either meaning you are very early for work, left sprinting from the bus or late.. I can see the appeal for cars in Hobart (Or Launceston/Burnie/Devonport), then there is the rest of Tasmania that is not a city where not even busses exist..

[@thomthebomb9497]

Seeing the footage of the tram lines being removed is super depressing. WE HAD IT AND THEY TOOK IT AWAY!!!!

[@Sharky_0456]

captialism

[@Patty-vo4nz]

Worst part is there starting to put tracks back in all that wasted money

[@zomgneedaname]

Laughs in Melbourne ...that said trams are still hella slow and only good if you live right next to where you need to get to work/shop

[@petergibson7287]

@@Patty-vo4nz *they're

[@vadim6385]

Cries in LA

[@Zanskarma]

Since QLD introduced the 50cent fare trial, I’ve become a public transport regular and I love it. Being able to switch off while someone else does the driving is a mental load off. I enjoy the buses, trains, and ferries without worrying about the cost and use the time to listen to music or read a book and watch the world go by through the window. I have seen so much more of the city and feel more connected to the community just by walking and using public transport because I’m moving at a pace where I can take it all in - rather than sitting alone in a car, driving past it all.

[@marsman6]

Out of curiosity, if fares return to the normal price, will you continue to use public transport?

[@darling8131]

@@marsman6 can't answer for everyone but most people i've spoken to have already gone back to driving citing crackheads and filthy, unreliable trains and busses. i wish they would make it a viable option instead of the cheap option. ( i work in construction so we have to change location often, i think that makes us more likely to want to drive)

[@TonyRule]

Do you enjoy not being able to easily do anything other than travel from home to work and back 5 days a week?

[@sam8742]

@@marsman6 Personally, I'd travel much less

[@Zanskarma]

@@marsman6 if they return to full price I’d have to look at getting a bike or scooter for the shorter journeys. But yes, I’ll keep using public transport - trains in particular - maybe in conjunction with a bike or skates or scooter etc.

[@JimCoughlan-cp5rd]

As one who lived in Sydney and worked in the CBD area in the late 1970s, public transport was the only affordable way to survive as a young newly employed worker. I had work colleagues who commuted daily from as far as Newcastle and "The Gong". Yes, I had a motor car, but never used it to commute to work. An enjoyable factual "report". Well done.

[@dianafarmer5445]

But that was when Sydneys Train Network was simple, and you only had to get (usually) 1 Train to the City. It's becoming more complicated by the day now. I don't even know how many Stations there in the Sydney area, I used to know all of them. Didn't use all of them but knew all the Lines. Now if you want to get the City you'll probably have to change Trains at least once.

[@bash0985]

I would also add the noise of cars, they are *loud* in public places, and the stress/frustration of having to constantly pay attention while driving. I really enjoy being able to read a book or play a game on a bus ride.

[@tomn2765]

even EV's, the level of noise coming from the engines and exhaust is negligible for most cars when compared to the road noise both as someone who lives on a main road and as a driver.

[@Sharky_0456]

it wouldnt matter if all the cars were whisper quiet there would still be a ton of dickheads listening to tiktoks on their phone at full volume because people dont know what headphones are >:(

[@khoco88]

Cities are surprisngly quiet without cars. Think about other things that make that amount of noise at the same consistency, nothing compares!

[@mariusfacktor3597]

Life would be so much better if it wasn't uncomfortably loud basically everywhere you go with the constant risk of getting hit by a car just about 100% of the time outdoors in your city.

[@zUJ7EjVD]

I own $500 noise cancelling headphones. It’s probably the only solution we’re gonna get.

[@shuanggao5126]

What!? My man, Sharath from Building Beautifully, is on ABC! Congratulations and this is a great video🎉

[@PyroManZII]

In a cost of living crisis it is considered normal to spend $15,000 per year running a car, and $4B building a highway interchange.

[@Will5353_]

Who’s spending that on a car yearly

[@occamraiser]

BECAUSE AUSTRALIA IS RICH AND THE COST OF ACTUAL LIVING IS LOW IN COMPARISON. In poor countries poor people spend 70% of their income on food. There isn't a cost-of-living crisis in Aus, only a cost-of-living-how-I-want-to crisis.

[@DMurdock]

​@@Will5353_ half of that is in car loan repayments. A quarter in petrol. If you're the type that buys new cars in cash, then the cost of living crisis doesn't apply to you.

[@PyroManZII]

@@DMurdock Even without car loan interest rates considered it is very hard to bring your yearly car costs down below $10,000 at least. Remember that this yearly cost considers the cost of your car, and the average time a car is expected to last (alongside all the maintenance along the way). For a cheap, small car that you drive ~15,000km/year you will expect to be paying $40/week insurance, $30/week fuel, $15/week maintenance (averaged out) and $115/week for buying the car (averaged out; if you bought it with cash). This means that pretty well the cheapest you can ever hope to get on the market is to buy a small, cheap to run car with cash up front. If you choose an SUV you are looking at closer to $30,000/year.

[@pingapete666]

@@DMurdock it's like you forgot you can buy reliable 20 yr old cars privately, more people need to learn basic car maintenance as-well as i can't fathom spending 15k a year 'running' my car unless i had a 100+km work commute

[@CGWillB]

I live on the Gold Coast which is extremely car dependent and recently when I've needed to take a bike and transit to work and Uni every day I've discovered that even in some areas that have plentiful and available public transport like parts of Brisbane and the other major cities still have a huge stigma against it like its lower class. My bad for wanting to save money and actually use my travel time productively instead of needing to focus on driving I guess.

[@nimbinguy]

Well then best you say ITS GREAT, NO PARKING PROBLEMS, NO TRAFFICJAMS

[@petesmitt]

I ride a bike to work because it's convenient and use a train to get to the city for the same reason, but for shopping or other trips around town, I always use my car because it's, you guessed it, convenient.

[@tompang5296]

It took me way too long to realise this wasn't your personal channel Sharath - great to see you here! We met on the metro!

[@senorpedro8192]

Perhaps car companies had a vested interest in lobbying the government many years ago to ditch public transport

[@kennylee8936]

We are fighting back.

[@travisbassett1084]

Yep general motors in the US got fined for anti-competitive behaviour back in the day for buying and removing public transport - makes sense though for a car company. I think the fine was pitiful though - Not Just Bikes has video on it somewhere.

[@lauralhardy5450]

Of course ! it's not a conspiracy theory. When the Alice Springs to Darwin rail extension went ahead it was only after years of vested interest lobbying by trucking companies was put aside by the NT Government. Think of all the bribe money that must have changed hands from private corporate to government big nobs to halt the track being built for so long.

[@TonyRule]

No. The people simply spoke. Cars are freedom.

[@vadim6385]

We ditched public transport, now cars aren't cheap anymore. Who would have thought?

[@Labzork]

Omg, it's Building Beautifully on the ABC! A great creator, awesome to see this bloke make it 😊

[@தமிழோன்]

Watching Sharath grow from a small KZbinr to an ABC host is so wholesome and inspiring! ❤ If you do what you love, success follows you!

[@cicolas_nage]

every perceived drawback of public transport is actually just a drawback of not properly funding and managing public services, and terrible awful no-good urban planning

[@eventhusist6969]

I'm sure many people would be very gob smacked and surprised when they realise actually how much it costs to drive, especially into town.

[@elliec2943]

Need less ghost buses, and more investment in public transport, but politicians only seem to care about building new roads and better highways...

[@kithiraa6348]

Hey Sharath! Big Fan. Nice to see you here

[@FromTheMosh]

I live regional and the train fare to Brisbane where i work was over $11. I used to drive because it was actually cheaper to pay for fuel than get the train. Since they made the fares 50 cents ive caught the train every work day and im loving it.

[@gibbo_303]

yet regional rail in qld is extremely expensive, was gonna cost me $160 to go from Brisbane to Maryborough so obviously im gonna drive

[@OhKnow379]

Thanks to Crissafulli, that policy won't be sustainable when he cuts the mining royalties.

[@frostjack5456]

Fuel isn't the only cost of owning and running a car though

[@K4l3b]

Love to see you on the ABC!!! 🎉 one of the best Aussie KZbinrs!!

[@mzantsi]

Brilliant. One of the reasons why Australians like to watch so much sport is the wonder of seeing bodies moving about without cars. The other downside of motornormativity is the absence of life on our streets. We are all in our private steel bubbles. They say the best thing about a car is that it's a comfortable place to sit while you are stuck in traffic.

[@Polleej]

Australians like sport for that reason? Sure youi're not just grasping at straws for why the plebs shouldn't be driving (and flying) around like their betters, such as ABC reporters and executives?

[@hakohito]

This sounds so weird

[@xkimopye]

I love footy, and played it for half my life, but haven’t been to an AFL game since 2009, because you are virtually forced to catch public transport to get to a game. The suburban grounds are gone which has made driving to a the MCG or docklands far too difficult to bother.

[@FailedRacers]

Wait until you find out about the V8 Supercars.

[@SydneywithSam]

@@xkimopyedrive to the station and catch a train? Generally PT fares are covered by tickets so you don’t have to pay and it means roads aren’t so congested around the stations

[@tomn2765]

QLD 50c fares is incredible, saving $30 per week and more likely to travel to the city or catch a bus on the weekend considering its a $1 round trip

[@gibbo_303]

*brisbane, rest of QLD still has stupidly high prices

[@petesmitt]

Queensland taxpayers that can't use public transport must love subsidising your cheap transport..

[@fauzirahman3285]

@@gibbo_303 it applies to route buses in the rest of Queensland too, just not the travel trains.

[@fauzirahman3285]

Just tried it, it's been great. I'm not sure why people even bother renting those ebikes or scooters there when those cost at least 10 times as much.

[@frostjack5456]

​@@petesmitt cars are subsidized far more than public transport, and still cost more to the end user as well.

[@stanislasdarjeeling]

So glad to see Sharath on the ABC! Love it.

[@taliapofandt9492]

I loved how this was presented and the enthusiasm of the presenter.

[@gordonlum8322]

The main issue is Australian cities are not designed for it. Unless you're going to the CBD, driving will always be faster because of the poor connectivities via public transport. Growing up in Hong Kong, have never felt the need for a car because the public transport is so well run.

[@SydneywithSam]

In most of the big cities yes absolutely it is an issue, Sydney does have it but at a reduced rate to the others due to actually having crossed lines rather than just to and from the cities. Thankfully there is being work done to try improve it, Melbourne is building the suburban rail loop to try create better cross city connectivity. And Sydney has plans for a lot more metro to create cross connectivity in the future as well as things like the parramatta light rail which is creating better coverage and connectivity to the city.

[@fauzirahman3285]

OMG it's Sharath. But true, everyone looks at the upfront cost of transport fares and thinks it cost a lot, while being dismissive of all the hidden costs to driving which ends up being more in total.

[@TonyRule]

You still need a car though. You might be saving on fuel and other wear and tear consumables like brake, and a little on depreciation, by not using it for commuting, but the bulk of the cost is just in the possession of it.

[@Eesas_World]

Wow you are now working with the ABC. I watch your channel as well (Building Beautifully).

[@2Loony4Uni]

Sharath is on ABC now! What an absolute legend!!

[@cappy6103]

I wish I had public transport available to me. Unfortunately, those of us in rural areas have no choice but to drive. I truly don't understand why urban populations seem so against using their incredible public transport systems. I'm in awe whenever I visit capital cities at what's available for transport-- the options seem endless!

[@xkimopye]

I live in Melbourne suburbs, and while PT seems so good to us in the city, it really works if you live and work on a rail path. If you live and work in a suburb that’s sideways of a rail path, then PT is effectively useless. And then think about all the people who need to carry tools and equipment, and tradies maintaining houses, going from one house to another house. PT simply cannot cater to all these workers, which is a point that seems to be missed by the creators of this video.

[@JayJayGamerOfficial]

​@@xkimopyeI don't think they missed anything, it's not like they are saying everyone should be using public transport or that it's better for everyone to use it. The whole message is telling the public that have always been very pro car and anti public transport that it's a lot more beneficial to have good public transport and in a lot of cases it's better to use it instead of drive. Yes there are still cases where people will 100% still need to use a car like tradies and people who live in public transport dead zones as mentioned but if more people that could benefit by using public transport use it, it would improve not only their journey but also the journey of the people on the roads that are unable to use that alternative.

[@JohnCitizenDU]

Using Melbourne as an example, what xkimopye said is very true. If you do not live in a part of Melbourne that is either: - Served by trains and/or trams - Brighton, Doncaster or Tarneit Then Public Transport can range from being spotty to non-existent... Bus routes can be confusing, infrequent, running short hours, indirect. A lot of bus routes are simply awful and not aligned with other modes of transport.

[@SydneywithSam]

@@xkimopyeboth of your points are very much valid, public transport is bes when you are near it and for a good few people it isn’t quite what’s needed. It’s why a lot of density is trying to be added around public transport, for instance in Sydney it’s got population hubs over major public transport infrastructure such as at Chatswood or parramatta instead of just being surrounded by sprawling suburbs. Yes public transport isn’t for everyone and cars definitely have their place, a lot of on call tradies or for last mile delivery cars and vans and things are still essential, nobody is saying we need to get rid of cars, they have a very vital role. What is being said is that a lot of people who don’t need to, like a white collar 9-5 worker doesn’t need a car for commuting to and from the office and could save money as well as have a safer and easier commute on public transport.

[@SydneywithSam]

@@JohnCitizenDU that is very much a current problem but can be fixed with investment to optimise the route layouts to better connect to other public transport, increase frequency, have good information though real time tracking in app, and with increased frequency can also allow higher reliability

[@mandy.austin]

It's sad that people are so addicted to cars. They go into debt to buy them, and they prefer to pay more for fuel and maintenance. They pollute the air, and they don't mind destroying the environment. Why?

[@gibbo_303]

its more because there are no alternatives to cars with most areas not having any puplic transport at all and those that do have terrible reliability

[@kennylee8936]

Because Australians are wannabe Americans that can't conceive a life of using Public transport, as if Asia and Europe don't exist.

[@joebloggs24]

Better than being outside while someone else drives past you in a car that pollutes the air - your air - how dare they!

[@Nebs1]

Because most people don’t have any other option

[@IanFulton-x5y]

There are no alternatives in the NT and all aspects of motoring are heavily taxed.

[@Dylan-jf5tu]

So glad ABC found this guy, I really enjoyed his KZbin channel and saw the potential

[@DandamanV]

I like how ABC is giving notable local KZbin and TikTok creators the airtime they deserve on the national broadcaster! You love to see it.

[@hybridhazza]

You’re making it big mate! Always loved your yt videos. Well deserved your success

[@Ryzza5]

I tried both car and train in Melbourne. The solution, as it turns out, was a motorcycle. Consistent travel times, half price tolls, reduced fuel bill, free parking on the CBD pavement, and arriving in a great mood.

[@theyapper1337]

For me it was cycling into work. Free and helps with fitness. A lot of people don't realise you don't need to be a lycra clad dork on a $5000 bike to enjoy cycling. I just wear shorts and a t-shirt then have a shower at work.

[@albinokit]

IS THAT SHARATH?! im a fan!! this is an amazing video :)

[@koharumi1]

I would easily prefer public transport than to drive. It also allows you to do work or relax rather than deal with all the bad drivers on the roads.

[@NeeleshParavastu]

tripped out when i saw sharath in the thumbnail, good hustle bro

[@Taitset]

Yay, go Sharath!

[@katiebarnshaw]

Congratulations on another great video Sharath - so cool to see you working with ABC!

[@monstahouse]

no one is talking about how the public transport network is knotted up at central and is hardly interconnected, and trams and train lines are sparser than bus routes, and bus routes are getting cut in favour for train and tram lines eg the new L2/3 line and the new metro line i live in Maroubra, where there are only buses, no trains, and the tram is a bus ride away. to get to central, it’s a 15min drive, it used to be a 30min bus ride, but after the major bus route cuts after the light rail got built, it now takes me 45-50 minutes to get to central to get to my friend in Earlwood, its a 30 min drive (without tolls), but a 1.5h commute, solely by buses. petrol costs amount to as much as the bus fare, and carbon emissions work out to be about the same (going off journals that cite bus emissions to be about 1/3 that per passenger i am from Singapore where the public transport system is structured like a grid and not knotted like in Sydney. I think more funding is needed for public transport to connect lines and routes together, making it easier and to have more options to get to the same place. This will also make the economies of suburbs grow, not just CBD areas like Sydney or Parramatta, benefitting us all

[@Skasaha_]

The Age and certain other groups have a vendetta against the SRL in Melbourne, but it's designed to solve this very specific problem. Our network is even more radial than Sydney's and it causes so many issues.

[@vndk8r]

Need more of this type of content. Good on ABC for giving you a shot.

[@perpetualgrin5804]

I like public transport, less stress than driving.

[@Womble625]

Building Beautifully ON ABC!!! Never thought I’d see the day! Congrats Sharath!!!

[@_Xerota_]

I start work at 6am, there's no buses in my area that early, and the nearest train station to my work is a 1h 41min walk. From home to work is a 20 min drive. I would love better public transport, but for the time being I'm gonna use a car.

[@electro_sykes]

yes we need to improve public transport, particully in brisbane. Gympie road is an absolute nightmare

[@gibbo_303]

brisbane has very good public transport compared to the rest of the state

[@ianhomerpura8937]

Which is puzzling why Brisbane simply refuses to build its own metro rail lines, or at least rebuild the tramways that were dismantled in 1969.

[@2696yogesh]

I feel sad when I see a service running nearly empty. For a 2-kilometer commute, I pay $9-$11 for a round trip, and the bus service infrequent and unreliable. If I miss it, I have to walk 700 meters to catch another one. Car parking costs me $10 for the day, what shall I choose considering the time and efforts I save? Mobility creates opportunities, in my opinion and therefore public transport should be heavily subsidised-why not $1 for a trip, or $1 for every 10 km? What's the problem? With current population, achieving economies of scale shouldn’t be a problem. And it’s okay if public transport loses money-it’s for the public good. Those loses will be converted in huge profits in other ways.

[@L83467]

of course i agree that public transport should be heavily subsidised. its a public good, its not supposed to be profitable! but is there a reason why you cant just walk the 2km to your work? it would only take around 20 minutes or 7 mins by bike

[@clacclackerson3678]

A 2km commute? Why can't you walk?

[@lesliefang6845]

PT is already highly subsidised. Your train fare only covers 20% of the cost.

[@caznilo33]

I completely agree with you.

[@Sharky_0456]

700 meters is not verry far nor is 2 kilometers i feel like you should just walk to your destination unless its 4 ks or more

[@andrewgrisinger525]

“A developed country is not a place where the poor have cars. It’s where the rich use public transportation - Gustavo Petro I'm a civil engineer but have decided to live my life in Australia car free. There are at times inconveniences but it is 100% doable. Thanks Sharath for sharing.

[@fablearchitect7645]

No one’s talking about the real elephant in the room that will stop all the commuter congestion from all these pen pusher office jobs: Working from home

[@kennylee8936]

That Elephant in the room comes with a risk for most WFH jobs....being replaced by an overseas worker who would work for less and does not need face to face interaction. If you're referring to hybrid work...maybe.

[@fablearchitect7645]

@@kennylee8936 If you want to pull a Boeing and outsource engineers below minimum wage, then my guest. Just don't be surprised when one of you planes crashes due to a software bug leaving the deaths of hundreds of people on your hands.

[@kennylee8936]

​@@fablearchitect7645 maybe not the niche high skilled jobs...but the lower skilled stuff that employ a MAJORITY of people.

[@NGX_Go_Cat]

Great to see you Sarath, we met in lane cove when you were shorting a video about urbanisation. So amazing to see you grow and make it to the ABC, keep it up!

[@lyndonlives638]

When I bought an apartment two years ago, I was delighted to find there was a train line nearby. Anyone who thinks train lines "bring crime" or other negative consequences sounds like a silly snob. I very much enjoy driving but I enjoy the freedom to choose not to drive probably even more.

[@kennylee8936]

Totally agree, like how cars bring forth the illusion of freedom. I feel like single family homes do the same too. It's often marketed for the extra space and control over what you can do with the space...but never about the extra costs and how far you are from things. Whereas Apartments are never advertised for their convenience and walkability, rather demonised for their lack of space and issues (issues often easy to solve). It's basic propaganda and I hate how so many Australians have been brainwashed by it.

[@brianrichards782]

the answer is mopeds/ motorbikes bucicles and such, if you leave the house with less than a backkpacks work of gear you are needlessly burning fuel with a full sized car

[@hunterrogersmusic]

They are also a good form of transportation, I rode my motorbike everyday in Melbourne.. but still, we need a really good PT system.

[@Sjalabais]

The toll and parking costs are what makes the car really impossible to use. 70$/day just for parking seems outright outrageous. How many hours do you work just for parking, then?

[@PhilDodd]

Unless your work provides parking, it would be insane to commute to work in the CBD by car. Even if your work provides parking it would still probably suck compared to public transport.

[@Water_Rabbit]

Hi Sharath, great post! Delighted you have made it to the ABC. Keep up the good work.

[@AlaskaRS]

Travelling overseas immediately makes you appreciate good public transport systems. Australia yet again pathetically behind with the times. Add this one to the board I guess.

[@ilonggoengr]

From his own channel to ABC! Amazing!

[@AvoidTheCadaver]

Sharath pointed it out in his own video on his channel. Sydney doesn't have enough major hubs other than Central. Major train + bus hubs are few and far between. Strathfield, Burwood, Chatswood, Hurstville, Bankstown are the first that come to mind. I was talking with a colleague at work today. I live in the inner west and work in Alexandria. I can drive to work in 15min if taking the M8 toll road. 20 min if I don't take the toll road. Getting home is about 30min if not taking the toll road The only public transport option for me is to catch a bus into the city then change to another bus, which takes an hour not including any waiting time. Literally every public transport option involves going into the city and changing buses.

[@zo3478]

Didn't expect to see Sharath from Building Beautifully. Could not have selected a better host for this video.

[@chuckbeggles8858]

Another great video Sharath, as a regional person I have no issue driving in regional Australia, But when in Sydney with the metro now open I would much prefer, from the reports I hear to use public transport. We regional people would like more public transport too - they have provided a 6am service out of Scone nsw, to newcastle since the 1990's with a return 6 pm and 8 pm services, I would love to see these extended to Tamworth NSW which is now 70 000 people and always growing. I think the drivers licencing system needs to be tightened to reduce our road toll - but good luck getting our lazy city centric state governments to do it.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

I grew up in Tamworth in the 80s and 90s, it has changed so much, our semi-rural property is now a housing estate near Westdale. I haven't been back in a long time now.

[@SydneywithSam]

Absolutely we need to create better pt in the regions too. It’s something I see a lot and as someone living inner city do sometimes forget about but we can’t just focus exclusively on the cities. Better rail and coach transport for regional towns and areas would be very good

[@WT.....]

The real annoying thing is, public transport is convenient until it breaks down, or doesn't work. I choose to commute 1hr to work (via trains) because it's easier, safer & inexpensive, but I do wish I have a car when I'm forced to start earlier than 5am. No trains run before 4am and the alternative night bus requires a 1.5hr commute plus an extra 0.5hr of walking because the bus doesn't stop at my workplace that early in the morning.

[@6braceface]

For a commute of that length, the variability in road traffic is almost certainly greater than the variability in train services. The number of times that road works, an accident, a large event, or even just bad weather significantly changes your commute in a car is surprisingly high.

[@KenshinPhoenix]

@@6braceface Lol no. I spent 20 years in Sydney on public transport, and what they said was accurate. It can take up to 2 hours to get places by public transport, even in the middle of the day, or you can drive that same trip in 30 minutes. Your comment tells me you've never used public transport to get around much.

[@EGLES111]

@@KenshinPhoenix exactly what Sharath said.... There are deserts of public transport.

[@shakeelali20]

Wow amazing work Sharath! Informative, entertaining and educational as always. Glad to see the ABC recognising smaller creators and giving them the spotlight they deserve.

[@UntitledGenericAccount]

Awesome to see a homegrown KZbinr on ABC instead of those old and distant "reporters"! ABC should use more of that. I think that Australia should seriously pass a mandate that puts in a law, requiring cities to build and develop proper rail infrastructure in form of new lines per year. On top of developing a national rail network, because this is literally the area that gets overlooked the most. Flights are getting more expensive due to increasing fuel prices, on top of airlines killing off consumer's comfort for razor thin profits. And it's only more clear than ever that we seriously need proper high speed rail network, on par with China's network which has been done in less than over a decade. And there's lots of dangerous routes around our country too, especially routes between Western Australia and eastern states which are barely populated and inaccessible and could've been covered by safe high speed transit.

[@tonychuah1]

Wait, this isn't Building Beautifully?

[@danelewis9133]

Well done Sharath, 🎉 on the ABC segment

[@EatSleepEmpire]

So stoked to see Sharath strut his stuff on the ABC! Glad to see his talents recognized nationally.

[@middlecovemotors2474]

It's not a car addiction, its a useless public transport system, the north shore of Sydney is very poorly serviced by a skeleton of a bus network that has very wide time gaps between services. This is not a fair assessment of the need for private transportation in Sydney at least.

[@gillablecam]

You're absolutely right that the individual rational choice in large parts of Australia is to drive, because our governments have underfunded public transit into being useless for those areas. That leads to people using expensive and inefficient individual transportation options, because their only other choice is to not go to work/socialise/shop. That means we should lobby for better public transit access and coverage, rather than accept this situation.

[@gibbo_303]

true for all of australia, theres only good transportation in inners parts of the major cities with very poor bus frequencies, stupid routes and generally no alternatives like trains or trams

[@ianhomerpura8937]

It wouldn't have been useless if the old trams weren't dismantled to make way for cars and nothing else.

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Public transport is not useless. There is a cultural preference for driving due to the billions that are spent on roads and car infrastructure. If we spent half of that on public transport, it would be 10x as good as driving.

[@stanislasdarjeeling]

It's totally true, which is why there needs to be forceful and persuasive lobbying to all levels of government to increase public transport and bike lanes across cities and regions. People want to use it - if you build it, they will come.

[@hunterrogersmusic]

After experiencing amazing public transport in Europe and seeing how much we are actually putting a strain of so many aspects of society by over dependence on cars. I would be lobbying our government to invest much more heavily in PT for our country, more buses, trains and bike lanes. As well as more mixed zoning for future developments. Greater networks to our regional areas too to encourage development boosting regional economies and easing pressure off our metropolitan centers too. We're absolutely mad.

[@Jack-kz4nb]

YOOOOO Sharath GOT A SPOT ON THE ABC WHATTT

[@aliengreen9173]

If they allowed dogs on public transport, I'd use it much more often. It's a huge barrier.

[@j.y.1515]

I like how you gave some love to Denistone.

[@petesmitt]

The Northern line is great but my favourite is Wahroonga; North Shore line from central to Hornsby.

[@bausHuck]

I had a Kluger. $980 a month loan, $120 to fill at least twice a month = $13,200. Plus insurance $1200. Plus services $300 twice a year. Exactly $15,000. Now I have an EV. Bought outright, but a loan for it would be around $1100 a month. $4 to fill twice a month. No service. Insurance $2,400. Equals $15,696. So yes. Average price given is believable. Add rego costs. If you want to save money, get rid of a car.

[@kasmstamps1897]

I'm looking forward to the used ev market to mature. Probably another 3 to 5 years thou😢.

[@utube7639]

Love this guy's vids. Good job abc!

[@lechug43]

This is the result of the urban sprawl that is Sydney. Way too spread out for public transport to be efficient unless you live in or close to the city.

[@timbailey2575]

Good for you Sharath! Nice to see you getting more air time. Love your work!

[@sloppynyuszi]

Cars only make sense in a rural setting. Makes zero sense in a city setting. Living in Europe and Asia for half my life, coming back to Sydney it’s really a step back in this regard (speaking of transport, overall I’m happy to be back, why I’m here). People need to get used to the fact if we gonna have a city, get used to public transport and high rise apartments. LA is not the guide to good city planning. Or any North American city for that matter. The more Sydney grows it should learn more from London, Paris, Budapest, Shanghai, Busan, Singapore or Tokyo. Not LA, Houston, SaoPaolo or Detroit. At the cost of two years running a car you can buy your first home in a one bedroom apartment in Parramatta, as most of the cost will be covered by your first home buyers perks. I know everyone wants a 3 bedroom house with land, but that’s not city living and you can get that later in life as your one bedroom is being paid off instead of you paying rent.

[@hunterrogersmusic]

Most new suburban developments, the house takes up the entire plot of land. Barely any backyard.

[@SydneywithSam]

@@hunterrogersmusic that’s included in this space problem. So many people want a detached house but not to be far from the cities and developers want to do as much as they can with their space so they all get cramped together and it ends up being pretty crappy anyway, having apartments and denser housing allows for detached housing to be less cramped and for those who do want to have a detached house to raise a family or whatever reason then they can have a much better version of that than what is being built.

[@Guerraleo]

Not Sao paulo, it actually sucks there

[@Wabu_227]

Just a sidenote idk why you mentioned Busan over Seoul for Korea 🤣, Seoul has arguably one of top 10 worlds best public transport

[@samuelgraham270]

Sharath is going up in the world its awesome to see

[@JohnSmith-cu8yc]

Sharath for PM! 🙌

[@aerime]

what's better than one Sharath on ABC, there are 2 Sharaths on the ABC.

[@FlyingExplorer2022]

I am a retired driver and now a full time public transport user. I used to be a Uber driver from 2018-22 I had my own share of accidents had 3 accidents and also had a big time personal emergency it got me thinking do I really want to drive? I thought about this, if I have a car I need to pay the car for rent, petrol, cleaning (all accounts for $525/week) plus add on top of that parking, any potential fines and demerits (I had a mind boggling 0 demerit points in my 4 years of driving full time), plus u gotta pay for the excess for the insurance if any accidents happen. Plus u have to pay for the maintenance, rego, insurance if u are to own a car. On the other hand when I moved to public transport it only costs me $50/week in Opal card in Sydney for my trips which is a clear winner, I have to wake up at 4 am to get to my 5:59 am train to work almost every time I worked, but the plus side of the train is I can sleep on the train or work if I wanted to so for the sake of convenience I'd go on board a train anyday of the week.

[@SainstationalComeng7366]

SHARATH! Building beautifully viewers know.

[@miss_jess]

just putting it out there that public transport is usually not very accessible to those who are disabled and/or chronically ill, and the percentage of people who fall into these categories is much higher than you think. i think this is a significant contributing factor to our high usage of cars for transport.

[@ThePabloBarlow]

I live east of the Red Rooster line so dont need one. I have beaches, buses everywhere and a cool tram

[@darcypayne]

Loving the ABC taking on these new content creators. Sharath and Aslan Pahari are great

[@lisadolan689]

Can’t argue with anything. This is a great vid

[@zoruasnivy]

I love public transport, it takes longer where I live to get to your destination but that switch off time is as valuable as gold to me. I can just pop earbuds in and chill for 45mins. I find myself reading way more often than I used to as well which is a plus.

[@snowyalice]

Sharath is moving on up! Congratulations!

[@sangluu4541]

I work at numerous schools across Sydney ranging from the CBD, North Sydney, Epping, Parramatta, Cabramatta, etc... and my biggest reason to drive is the cost ends up being cheaper than public transport and is quicker too. For example, a train to my regular school in the Sydney CBD will require me a 13 min walk, then a bus, a train, followed by the light rail. A total of ~1 hour and 13 minutes (assuming no delays)... and $7.62 for the ticket. By car will take me 49 minutes and ~$3.80 in petrol. There and back, that's 33% in time saved and 50% in money saved. Along with these savings, I don’t need to walk, be in the weather, or deal with people. I get to be in aircon/heating, experience my killer car stereo system, and sing as I please. Over the course of a 40-week working year, I save 80 hours and $1524 by driving. Yes, I must pay rego and insurance, but the cost stays the same if it sits in the driveway all week. And depreciation, it’s a roughly set percentage every year anyway. Try comparing the trade in price for a 20-year-old car with 250,000KM vs one with 80,000 KM…. they should both be headed to the scrapyard by then. Parking… if you know, you know 😉

[@ellWayify]

Great segment. Well done Sharath

[@1234ebrown]

The big problem with reliable buses is that there is a shortage of bus drivers with many drivers approaching retirement age and younger people not going in to the profession.

[@bolzacblade500]

Good work Sharath! What a gig!

[@Hafizkamsadi]

Great to see you here! Keep up the hustle!

[@SmellyT0fu]

Filmed at his favourite station, Denistone!

[@pmgraphicdesign7165]

The only reason people like cars is because as a society we generally hate being among strangers in Australia (hence the preference to detached houses).

[@vndk8r]

Good to see you mainstream Sharath!

[@isaac4m4n73]

You can use a car to do whatever you want, whenever you want, independently or with up to 10 people. You can only use public transport to get from a specific point to another specific point at a designated time between certain hours of the day and a team of operators is required. My father always told me "if your worried about the money then this is not the hobby for you"

[@donjezza]

ABC hiring an awesome reporter and leaving comments on, amazing!

[@BirdbiaGamingYT]

Yo hi Sharath! Cool seeing you on the ABC!

[@regularbenzenering416]

OMG it's that guy with the youtube channel awesome for ABC to let him on!

[@leezlooh]

For a while Millennials and Gen Z were told to stop eating avocado toast so they could afford a home, but the cost of owning/running a car is much more in line with what saving for a home deposit looks like. I've never owned a car, looks like over the course of 20 years of adulthood, it saved me over $200k. To make living in our cities more affordable, we need to plan, build, and operate them so not everyone has to own a car to access jobs, community and services.