Thursday, August 12, 2010

Deforest City Blues: Immediate discontent vs long-term benefits Pt 1

My vehicle license (plate) renewal application arrived in the mail recently.

I must pay the $74 annual fee for the Civic and $42 for my motorcycle. $116 to drive for one year.

I feel I have three options.

One. Not pay. Walk or bicycle everywhere within the city. Hitch-hike.

Two. Get all hot and bothered about this fee, levy (my gosh, it’s almost a tax) and cuss and blame the government. And then pay with a grimace on my mug.


["Postcard from the side of the road": photo GH]

Three. Think about the benefits of driving hither, thither and yon in the Civic (e.g. to Western Fair arena on Wednesdays for hockey; it would be one heck of a walk with hockey gear in tow), or recall the lovely feeling of a cool breeze blowing through what’s left of my hair while biking. And then pay - without the grimace or my favourite cuss words.

What should I do?

If my nose is out of joint about the HST, future eco-fees and such, and it is the summer of my discontent as a result, I’ll pick door number two.

If I see long-term benefits to owning and operating a car and bike, I’ll select door number three.

And the answer is... door number three.

I feel better now.

***

Though the average cost of driving is quite high for North Americans, most people will pick number three because of the benefits.

For now.

.

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