Why Srilankan Paying So Much Money On Cars?

[Parak]

Hi all

Albeit the prices of vehicles in Sri Lanka is high compare to the income of a avarage person, why people willing to spend so much money on automobiles. As I realised public transport in SriLanka is so effective as such any body can travel to most of the destinations so cheap even though it is slow and little uncomfortable.

Average person in other countries do a analysis before they buying a automobile (no arguments for the behaviour of Petrol heads, Automoblie enthusiasts). Keeping cost of a vehicle vs using a alternative transport such as Taxi and public transport. It is good to see that sort of trend developing in Sri Lanka as an example some people use dedicated three wheelers for some of their un routine trips.

I have seen professionals working in develolped countries who earning above avarage tend to use small fuel efficient vehicals for day to day traveling. Some people travel to the nearest railway or bus station on a bike or a car and rest of the traveling is done through the public transport.

In other countries use of a vehicle is highly diverse and choose the vehicle according to the requirement. Such as for farms, traveling in remote rough tracks, receational use, trade vehicles, requirement of pulling trailers etc.

Like I saw recently 2005 Land Curiser turbo diesel for 300000(in Rs) for sale in Australia. If it is in Sri Lanka people would jump to buy it rather than thinking of its intending use. I have seen in this forum that people talking about some vehicles those are expensive and very hard to maintain in Sri Lanka

I think it is better to develop the public transport and related facilities while developing policies to hinder the use of private automobiles in rush hours, in main cities etc.

Dedicated bus lanes, buses only roads would be things to go

[isam]

imagine devinda's face if she pulls up alongside him

That would be a truly priceless, Kodak moment!!!

[Supra_Natural]

That would be a truly priceless, Kodak moment!!!

Haha... I would pay a LOT to see that!!

having said that however, I have seen a couple of Defender 90's being driven around on occasion by young women... quite presentable ones too!

[Parak]

බොහොම ස්තුතීයි ඔබතුමන්ලාගෙ පිලිතුරුවලට. සමහර උදවිය මව් භාෂාවෙන් උත්තර දීල තියෙන්නෙ, ඒ කිව්වෙ ගෙදර අම්මා කතා කරන විදියට. ඒකට කමක් නෑ. පුලුවන් නම් Park and Ride එක පාවිච්චි කරපු අය ඉන්නවනම් ඒ ගෑන විස්තර එම Thred එක යටතේ ප්‍රකාෂ කරනවද බොහොම ස්තුතියි.

If you can not read this (which is in sinhala) please install sinhala unicode

[charitha19]

බොහොම ස්තුතීයි ඔබතුමන්ලාගෙ පිලිතුරුවලට. සමහර උදවිය මව් භාෂාවෙන් උත්තර දීල තියෙන්නෙ, ඒ කිව්වෙ ගෙදර අම්මා කතා කරන විදියට. ඒකට කමක් නෑ. පුලුවන් නම් Park and Ride එක පාවිච්චි කරපු අය ඉන්නවනම් ඒ ගෑන විස්තර එම Thred එක යටතේ ප්‍රකාෂ කරනවද බොහොම ස්තුතියි.

If you can not read this (which is in sinhala) please install sinhala unicode

i actually installed sinhala unicode just to see what u came up with.... yako.. no one here is going to use park and ride.. u think executives here who is given fuel will want to park thier cars at some remote location and go in some shuttle.. how are they gonna go home.. and what if u have after office plans.. this is what happened when stupid people in large groups have a right to vote...

[JadeyBlitzen]

i actually installed sinhala unicode just to see what u came up with.... yako.. no one here is going to use park and ride.. u think executives here who is given fuel will want to park thier cars at some remote location and go in some shuttle.. how are they gonna go home.. and what if u have after office plans.. this is what happened when stupid people in large groups have a right to vote...

i actually like the park and ride method. it works quite well over here. not sure how well it gets established in sl. but i hope it works

anyways the interesting bit here is parak seems to have had a sudden urge to prove how sri lankan he is. sorry mate! you blew right from the minute you went "Why Srilankan Paying So Much Money On Cars?". cos a real sri lankan would know the reason for this and just remain quiet cos there's nothing one man could do to change it.

what you did was no worse than asking a native sri lankan "why do u go to the loo with a bucket?"

[Ripper]

guys...you know the best thing about this whole saga?

it's the simple fact that morons like Harak here have left SL and are only visiting here for a few weeks to take bus rides in kandy...

at least one less idiot from SL

and xXx...

you're right... started teaching my GS puppy to speak english and the fella is learning fast...Harak from down under who wants us sri lankans to take the bus while he nicely drives his suv is a lost cause

[Ripper]

what you did was no worse than asking a native sri lankan "why do u go to the loo with a bucket?"

oh well...in his case i'm sure it's to wash his brain after taking a poop

[Parak]

i actually installed sinhala unicode just to see what u came up with.... yako.. no one here is going to use park and ride.. u think executives here who is given fuel will want to park thier cars at some remote location and go in some shuttle.. how are they gonna go home.. and what if u have after office plans.. this is what happened when stupid people in large groups have a right to vote...

Thanks for installing unicode that is a good thing to have unicode in your computer. I did not knpw that this site is full of executives. I mean the ones who want to wear ties in 36 degree celsius. Listen mate I have a friend he is a General Manager in a Private Company. Travelling nearly 65 km to work. He used to take his official vehicle home may be 5 yrs a go not now. Now he get his family car driver to drop him to the main raod (A1) and take the bus to go to work. At he office he use his office car only for the official duties. He never wear a tie on the public transport.

U think the executives in SriLanka is a special breed, Get a life man. That is the problem U have. While I was working in SriLanka there was a uneducated GM who always wants his office boy to carry his breifcase from the car. What a laughable guy he was. Just try park and ride leave the office car in the office.(if u have a parking space)

[jehan80]

Listen mate I have a friend he is a General Manager in a Private Company. Travelling nearly 65 km to work. He used to take his official vehicle home may be 5 yrs a go not now. Now he get his family car driver to drop him to the main raod (A1) and take the bus to go to work. At he office he use his office car only for the official duties

Ok...so how does he go home now? Does the driver come back to pick him up? Then that would be 2 trips back and forth instead of the single.

You think everybody has a office car to use at office???

U think the executives in SriLanka is a special breed, Get a life man. That is the problem U have. While I was working in SriLanka there was a uneducated GM who always wants his office boy to carry his breifcase from the car. What a laughable guy he was. Just try park and ride leave the office car in the office.(if u have a parking space)

What does this little story have to with park and ride? Maybe you should be happy that the guy was so 'uneducated' cos if he was any smarter he probably wouldn't have hired you...

Oh wait let me guess, the reason your pissed is cos you were the office boy!

BTW, Nothin wrong with being a office boy

Edited March 20, 2009 by jehan80

[charitha19]

Thanks for installing unicode that is a good thing to have unicode in your computer. I did not knpw that this site is full of executives. I mean the ones who want to wear ties in 36 degree celsius. Listen mate I have a friend he is a General Manager in a Private Company. Travelling nearly 65 km to work. He used to take his official vehicle home may be 5 yrs a go not now. Now he get his family car driver to drop him to the main raod (A1) and take the bus to go to work. At he office he use his office car only for the official duties. He never wear a tie on the public transport.

U think the executives in SriLanka is a special breed, Get a life man. That is the problem U have. While I was working in SriLanka there was a uneducated GM who always wants his office boy to carry his breifcase from the car. What a laughable guy he was. Just try park and ride leave the office car in the office.(if u have a parking space)

ohhh.. .. u picked a wrong brother to take shots... u come here and go in the bus... no one has to wear a tie in the bus.. i belive most sales reps take it off when the ride in the bus.. plus i am all for park and ride.. but sri lanka is not ready for it yet.. plus if u have the money to go in the car.. u should.. u worked hard to get money.. and for some the paretns worked hard to give u the money.. so be it.. plus i only installed it to see what ur pee brain has thought of now... plus i dont think exe's here are a special breed... if one can afford it one should spend.. give back to the economoy as well in the process... thats what doenst filter into your thick communist brain... please come back to SL.. i think even the aussies deserve more... or better yet go to some dead beat country dont come here.. its people like u who have an IQ level of a soap dish that ruin this beautiful country... why soap dish, because in the inanimate world i feel the soap dish should have the lowest IQ...it just sits there and holds the soap, much like how ur skull and ur brain just sits there...

and listen.. we are all not exe's here, and niether are ofice boys..it was a generalisitc saying... i do agree with one thing.. the office boy shouldn t be carrying his bag..

now listen u dimwit.. ur little nationlistic communisit shit doenst move anyone.. because u are addressing a car forum here.. and telling them not to use thier cars...plus even if i wanted to, which i dont.. i cant use park and ride.. i have practices three days a week after office..... i have to bring the car as i have to go in the night.. and no park and ride is gonna wait for my ass untill practices are over.. wait a minute why am i giving u this info.... ohh thats right because morons like u dont understand the practical issue of things.. u soooo want everyone to be in the same level.. and stay abroad and whine about socalisum....

plus i can tell u right now this park and ride shit is not gonna take off.. becasue so many people have after office stuff to do, wives to pick up (for some), socilaising... and no man or woman in thier right minds will travel back to get thier ride and come to colombo again.... unless he is a puththalam booruwa like u....

Edited March 20, 2009 by charitha19

[Parak]

ohhh.. .. u picked a wrong brother to take shots... u come here and go in the bus... no one has to wear a tie in the bus.. i belive most sales reps take it off when the ride in the bus.. plus i am all for park and ride.. but sri lanka is not ready for it yet.. plus if u have the money to go in the car.. u should.. u worked hard to get money.. and for some the paretns worked hard to give u the money.. so be it.. plus i only installed it to see what ur pee brain has thought of now... plus i dont think exe's here are a special breed... if one can afford it one should spend.. give back to the economoy as well in the process... thats what doenst filter into your thick communist brain... please come back to SL.. i think even the aussies deserve more... or better yet go to some dead beat country dont come here.. its people like u who have an IQ level of a soap dish that ruin this beautiful country... why soap dish, because in the inanimate world i feel the soap dish should have the lowest IQ...it just sits there and holds the soap, much like how ur skull and ur brain just sits there...

and listen.. we are all not exe's here, and niether are ofice boys..it was a generalisitc saying... i do agree with one thing.. the office boy shouldn t be carrying his bag..

now listen u dimwit.. ur little nationlistic communisit shit doenst move anyone.. because u are addressing a car forum here.. and telling them not to use thier cars...plus even if i wanted to, which i dont.. i cant use park and ride.. i have practices three days a week after office..... i have to bring the car as i have to go in the night.. and no park and ride is gonna wait for my ass untill practices are over.. wait a minute why am i giving u this info.... ohh thats right because morons like u dont understand the practical issue of things.. u soooo want everyone to be in the same level.. and stay abroad and whine about socalisum....

plus i can tell u right now this park and ride shit is not gonna take off.. becasue so many people have after office stuff to do, wives to pick up (for some), socilaising... and no man or woman in thier right minds will travel back to get thier ride and come to colombo again.... unless he is a puththalam booruwa like u....

[Parak]

ohhh.. .. u picked a wrong brother to take shots... u come here and go in the bus... no one has to wear a tie in the bus.. i belive most sales reps take it off when the ride in the bus.. plus i am all for park and ride.. but sri lanka is not ready for it yet.. plus if u have the money to go in the car.. u should.. u worked hard to get money.. and for some the paretns worked hard to give u the money.. so be it.. plus i only installed it to see what ur pee brain has thought of now... plus i dont think exe's here are a special breed... if one can afford it one should spend.. give back to the economoy as well in the process... thats what doenst filter into your thick communist brain... please come back to SL.. i think even the aussies deserve more... or better yet go to some dead beat country dont come here.. its people like u who have an IQ level of a soap dish that ruin this beautiful country... why soap dish, because in the inanimate world i feel the soap dish should have the lowest IQ...it just sits there and holds the soap, much like how ur skull and ur brain just sits there...

and listen.. we are all not exe's here, and niether are ofice boys..it was a generalisitc saying... i do agree with one thing.. the office boy shouldn t be carrying his bag..

now listen u dimwit.. ur little nationlistic communisit shit doenst move anyone.. because u are addressing a car forum here.. and telling them not to use thier cars...plus even if i wanted to, which i dont.. i cant use park and ride.. i have practices three days a week after office..... i have to bring the car as i have to go in the night.. and no park and ride is gonna wait for my ass untill practices are over.. wait a minute why am i giving u this info.... ohh thats right because morons like u dont understand the practical issue of things.. u soooo want everyone to be in the same level.. and stay abroad and whine about socalisum....

plus i can tell u right now this park and ride shit is not gonna take off.. becasue so many people have after office stuff to do, wives to pick up (for some), socilaising... and no man or woman in thier right minds will travel back to get thier ride and come to colombo again.... unless he is a puththalam booruwa like u....

Hi Charitha

Hod the fire mate. Have U got the disease called Piles. Why are U so aggro

Thanks for the quick reply and the natural way of your talking. May some body in your family talking in this sort of language that's how U picked it up(I guess). I know this is a Autolanka forum but have seen so many other topics such as" So many children killed in the -----". Is this topic not relevant to the exhobitant car prices. Other think is U don't know who am I and what is my I Q levels. Just address the things relevant to the topic. Not barking. The way U write shows your maturity.

Did I ask U to use the Park and Ride? Do U think people going the public transport have no wife no family?. Wait till tolls comes into effect.

If U don't like this topic, why U read it or reply. If U come here to read about cars just read relevant ones.

Good luck

[charitha19]

Hi Charitha

Hod the fire mate. Have U got the disease called Piles. Why are U so aggro

Thanks for the quick reply and the natural way of your talking. May some body in your family talking in this sort of language that's how U picked it up(I guess). I know this is a Autolanka forum but have seen so many other topics such as" So many children killed in the -----". Is this topic not relevant to the exhobitant car prices. Other think is U don't know who am I and what is my I Q levels. Just address the things relevant to the topic. Not barking. The way U write shows your maturity.

Did I ask U to use the Park and Ride? Do U think people going the public transport have no wife no family?. Wait till tolls comes into effect.

If U don't like this topic, why U read it or reply. If U come here to read about cars just read relevant ones.

Good luck

i dont care who u are u idiotic sorry excuse for a human... and i read this because i was wondering who this moron was to acutually stay on this after getting badgered like this... if u ever come to SL i would surely like to meet u... its for pepople like u i keep a wicket in the car... plus they might have wives, but they are going in the bus because car prices are expensive here and they cant afford to get a ride... first we should try to lower the prices u dumb moron.. ur IQ is low anyway.. i dont need to know u to know that ########...

and FYI other people here are also car enthsuists and they still read this one.. and dont tell me what i can and cannot read... and dont talk maturity with me as u dont know me either.. and as for that piles comment, shows ur maturity.. didnt u have any other diesease in mind...

i am all for reducing car prices as it gives a chance for all citizens of this country to own a vehilce with pride and give comfort to thier loved ones.. why dont u try and focus ur foolish attention towards getting the prices down.. and i dont mind paying a toll you minimalistic cyber troll...unlike u i dont mind giving back to the country.. maybe u are too cheap to pay the toll and ride but we are not.. and in this country that wont work either.. we are a third world country u wanker.. ever heard of curroption and bribary...

i want car prices to come down as much as the next guy.. but that doenst mean people who can afford to pay thrice as much and buy a car should buy it and keep it in the garage..

i dont need good luck.. i already have it...

Edited March 20, 2009 by charitha19

[MasterDon]

hey parak...machan,dude,bro....honestly!...

you've chosen the wrong people to preach...clearly we are not your audience and we never will be,so why dont you stop with trolling and join in the disscussions with expeiriences on your vitara and that faboulous aussie outback and stop embarrasing yourself

[Saturn]

Thanks for installing unicode that is a good thing to have unicode in your computer. I did not knpw that this site is full of executives. I mean the ones who want to wear ties in 36 degree celsius. Listen mate I have a friend he is a General Manager in a Private Company. Travelling nearly 65 km to work. He used to take his official vehicle home may be 5 yrs a go not now. Now he get his family car driver to drop him to the main raod (A1) and take the bus to go to work. At he office he use his office car only for the official duties. He never wear a tie on the public transport.

U think the executives in SriLanka is a special breed, Get a life man. That is the problem U have. While I was working in SriLanka there was a uneducated GM who always wants his office boy to carry his breifcase from the car. What a laughable guy he was. Just try park and ride leave the office car in the office.(if u have a parking space)

Man are you for real? ;-) Or are you just trolling?

[Saturn]

hey parak...machan,dude,bro....honestly!...

you've chosen the wrong people to preach...clearly we are not your audience and we never will be,so why dont you stop with trolling and join in the disscussions with expeiriences on your vitara and that faboulous aussie outback and stop embarrasing yourself

I think he's kidding man. If he were really that intellectually deficient, the Aussies would shipped him back

Edited March 20, 2009 by Saturn

[dinesh_gd2003]

Hi parak, I have been following this topic for quite a while now... and after reading everyone’s comments I just had to contribute my thoughts on this as well.... First of all, let me say that in order for a person to be a true Sri lankan and have the right to speak about our way of life, he has have to live in this country, in other words you have to practice in order to preach.

Its easy for a person to stay in a foreign country leading cushy life and make comments such as the comments your making without realizing the true nature of how things work here.

Every time a person uses public transport he risks the following.

• Being blasted to bits by some crazy suicide bomber (I almost lost my life to one of these guys)

• Risking the life of you and your family as some maniac driver might drive the whole damn bus in to a canal (most of

these drives are not qualified to drive) and the resulting accident are horrifying

• Your money being stolen by some crazy guy with a knife

• In the case of women and children …. Being harassed by some sex maniac. and this happen even when the busses are

crowded

I am a witness to most of these incidents as I used to travel by bus everyday.. so let me ask you…. If you were living here and if you knew all these things are happening.. would you send your wife, children or anyone you love through public transport???

Or would you collect all the damn pennies you have and buy an old car and take them safely to where they want to go??

You cannot compare the public transport infrastructure of a developed country and a third world country as they are worlds apart. Srilanka is getting there.. but it will be many years from now before we see things actually happening here.

In the case of public transport in a developed country..

• There are strict regulations on driver training

• Strict regulations on road rules and vehicle maintenance regulations (You cannot bribe your way out as in here)

• Strict regulations on public safety

• And most importantly the right social conditions.

In srilanka if a bus driver kills a person driving recklessly.. he will be back out on the streets within a week driving another bus.. thanks to bribes provided by the bus owners.. thats how effective the law in our country is.. would you like to see your family get killed by someone like this??

You have to look at this in a practical aspect.. for me the safety of my family is important and I wouldn’t risk that for anything. Plus most of us lead very hectic and difficult lives trying to make ends meet..we don’t have the luxury of going on vacations to Hawaii or wherever

So for us the greatest joy would be to own some beat up old clunker knowing that I will at least have that little luxury.. And mind you my first car was a 12 sri datsun sunny b310 station wagon.. and for me it was the greatest car in the world.

Personally I think people deserve the best of what they can get.. and no one has the right to tell them the way they should lead their lives.. if you can afford to get something you should bloody well go ahead and get it as life is too short..! and I know that most of the guys here like me.. Have worked there asses off to get the cars they have now.. and with the absurd government taxes on a car it’s no easy feat..

And I know that most of the folk going on busses would jump on the chance to get a car or bike if they have the money..

At least now I hope you have got an answer to your question.. “Why Srilankans Paying So Much Money On Cars?” Come to srilanka.. live here for about a year… use public transport..and you will see the reality of things. Till then don’t try to preach on this forum since you have not earned the right to do so…

Good luck to you.. ur gonna need it..

[JadeyBlitzen]

sit back and enjoy Jadey... just sit back and enjoy

[Saturn]

sit back and enjoy Jadey... just sit back and enjoy

Indeed. This thread has it all

[Pericles]

Thanks for installing unicode that is a good thing to have unicode in your computer. I did not knpw that this site is full of executives. I mean the ones who want to wear ties in 36 degree celsius. Listen mate I have a friend he is a General Manager in a Private Company. Travelling nearly 65 km to work. He used to take his official vehicle home may be 5 yrs a go not now. Now he get his family car driver to drop him to the main raod (A1) and take the bus to go to work. At he office he use his office car only for the official duties. He never wear a tie on the public transport.

For one thing, I've had unicode on for years, don't need the Australians to tell me what to do. For another, there are a lot of things you don't know.

So, he HAS a private car AND an official car? You ever asked him why he bought a private car? Specially considering he has a official car? What a wasteful dude, to spend so much money on a car when he is given one And a driver! How much money that can be spent on the war is this guys wasting? And he gets dropped off at the main road? Why doesn't he take public transport or walk for that bit? Outrageous! As someone who shuttles to work, I find this kind of wasteful behavior deplorable.

U think the executives in SriLanka is a special breed, Get a life man. That is the problem U have. While I was working in SriLanka there was a uneducated GM who always wants his office boy to carry his breifcase from the car. What a laughable guy he was. Just try park and ride leave the office car in the office.(if u have a parking space)

For one, park and ride is ONE service, and it only goes on ONE route, so don't try to apply it as a coverall. It doen't affect me one Iota, for example. For another, it has to prove itself. No way are people gonna park their cars in a public park, in the sun, and go by bus to come back at the end of the day to find the car vandalized. You know how many people used the park and ride the day it was launched? 2. Total. And this is while thousands of people are packed into normal buses. And by packed I mean buses made for 40 people carrying about 90-100 people. Also, its not Free. There is a hefty fee for the parking and riding part.

Hey, a long time ago, I came to the conclusion that going to Colombo is a pain in a car. Parking is a hassle, traffic, etc. But rather than take public transport, I'd prefer to buy a bike. Just coz you found a comfortable village route to travel doesn't mean thats what its like for office commuters at rush hour.

Besides, you haven't answered the two questions I asked.

a. Wouldn't kill you to sell the Vitara buy some diaspora bonds and rough it out over there either. How about it?

b. I would be fascinated to find out what is considered professional besides ties and suits.

Don't bother arguing any more until you can answer these.

[isam]

Parak, you made a believer out of me man. I've thought about it and decided to leave my car behind and use the bus.

I was happily rejoicing my decision for a while until I realized that you are in a developed country where the public transport system is very good (if not excellent). So why did you buy that hulk of a SUV, Grand Vitara?

Edited March 22, 2009 by isam

[JadeyBlitzen]

Indeed. This thread has it all

yep! bring out the pop corn

[Parak]

Parak, you made a believer out of me man. I've thought about it and decided to leave my car behind and use the bus.

I was happily rejoicing my decision for a while until I realized that you are in a developed country where the public transport system is very good (if not excellent). So why did you buy that hulk of a SUV, Grand Vitara?

1. Hey U kiddimg me. Where I live the public transport service is not good as in SriLanka in the the terms of frequency and the coverage. I mean there are not enough buses in the road and not covering all the resudetial areas. Other thing is taking the bus for whole family bit expensive in the short run(Comparatively higer busfare and compare to the fuel cost). But the buses are bit luxourious wit AC and not crowded.

2. Why I bought a Grand Vitara. I used to travel 730 km(eachway) every month or every other month.

So I needed a reliable car to for that. That's why I had buy brand new.

As the kids go to after school activities we parents take turns in dropping them off and bring them back to homes. I needed the car with 7 or more seats.

Grand Vitra was the cheapest japanese made car fulfill above requirement. In addition old style rearwheel drive with dual AC(needed in day long trips with kids in the summer)

As a family event we do lost of camping in remote areas where 4 wheel drivability is essential

When anybody comes to visit us from SriLanka extra seat capacity in very handy.

That is the reason mate. Otherwise I would use the public tranport.

Thanks any way for Ur humour packed reply

[JadeyBlitzen]

As the kids go to after school activities we parents take turns in dropping them off and bring them back to homes. I needed the car with 7 or more seats.

Grand Vitra was the cheapest japanese made car fulfill above requirement. In addition old style rearwheel drive with dual AC(needed in day long trips with kids in the summer)

As a family event we do lost of camping in remote areas where 4 wheel drivability is essential

When anybody comes to visit us from SriLanka extra seat capacity in very handy.

Parak mate, I'm going to forget all the disagreements we had and tell you that your reasoning is quite right. but you've answered your own question with that post. how did we forget kids in this equation? we've all been there. and i don't know what you think but even we have similar commitments in sri lanka. would you ever think of asking your children to come home in a bus in these conditions we have here? i may not be a parent yet. but i've been through this. i wouldn't dream of sending my sister home on her own after school. and when i was a schoolboy i happened to know the misery of knowing my parents won't be picking me up after school and i'll have to take the bus. its unfair on their part and even more unfair on the bus operators part cos i really don't see why i should pay that whole 15 rupees when only my right foot and a few fingers are actually riding inside the bus. and lets not even start talking about the a/c...

i'm telling you for the last time. your argument is quite reasonable. but its still not the right time to bring it out. our transport system still has a long way to go.

[isam]

1. Hey U kiddimg me. Where I live the public transport service is not good as in SriLanka in the the terms of frequency and the coverage. I mean there are not enough buses in the road and not covering all the resudetial areas. Other thing is taking the bus for whole family bit expensive in the short run(Comparatively higer busfare and compare to the fuel cost). But the buses are bit luxourious wit AC and not crowded.

2. Why I bought a Grand Vitara. I used to travel 730 km(eachway) every month or every other month.

So I needed a reliable car to for that. That's why I had buy brand new.

As the kids go to after school activities we parents take turns in dropping them off and bring them back to homes. I needed the car with 7 or more seats.

Grand Vitra was the cheapest japanese made car fulfill above requirement. In addition old style rearwheel drive with dual AC(needed in day long trips with kids in the summer)

As a family event we do lost of camping in remote areas where 4 wheel drivability is essential

When anybody comes to visit us from SriLanka extra seat capacity in very handy.

That is the reason mate. Otherwise I would use the public transport.

Parak, Don't you think Us Sri Lankans may have the same problems that you are trying to deal with over there? Everyone has their own reasons for using their private vehicles. Be it the security, convenience, family, service quality, etc. everyone is trying to deal with one or many of these problems by using their private vehicle. Is really easy to "Talk the talk" mate but "Walk the talk" is difficult.

You maybe few of those lucky people who receive good bus service at your area. But don't think that the services are the same everywhere. I have seen ladies fallen off the foot-boards simply because the driver moves the vehicle before they get on to the bus. Applies especially to the ladies who wear Saries. There was an incident some time back a little girl was run over by the same bus she traveled. In another incident a child fell off a bus because there were holes in floor of the bus. Once the bus I traveled ran over two kids on a push-bike both of them died on the spot (The driver did not stop the bus; kids were squashed by both the front and real wheels), I was unable to eat for days.

Trains are no better. There is a gap of abut a 1 foot between the platform and the train, and in many occasions people fall into this gap (Most of the time kids and ladies).

Everyone loves their family just like you love yours. And we also want to see them travel safe and comfortable, just like you do. Thats not a crime. It has nothing to do with patriotism. We spend our hard earned cash on vehicles due to the same helplessness you deal with. We don't buy vehicles to show status or anything. It is simply because we got requirements that are not fulfilled by the public transport.

I know, some people think traveling in a vehicle gives a special status. I have felt it specially when the vegetable or fruit seller sells few rupees higher to us simply because we traveled in a vehicle. But only we know how much difficulty we go through to pay the leases, fuel and maintain the vehicles.

Please do think in others perspective before you criticize people.

Edited March 23, 2009 by isam