Forward to the future! Heehaw!

Jun 15, 2008 Peeping Tom

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The Parrot is not a fashion buff, and by extension, not a trend setter. To put it simply, I wear what I am comfortable with even if it means sporting the same thing ever so often. Of course I have to live with the related “ridicule” from friends and the “hostility” of dem “fast” ones who think I am a cheap skate.
I have gotten accustomed to the comments of my friends, and for the “fastees”, I don’t “voomps” pun dem. You’ll never see me “dolling” up in this brand and that brand, not that I can’t afford them; I just don’t like being a mobile “billboard”. By the way, plenty who “advertising” the brands generally don’t buy them, but that’s another story.

Whilst not being a trend setter, I am not indisposed to being trendy. I am willing to “follow”, especially seeing that in most cases circumstances determine our trend, and I don’t mean fashion in this context.

There are trends many like me, and even the trendy ones, may be forced to follow; some not unheard of, some may seem far fetched, but most, if not all, will be determined by the price of crude oil.

The animal kingdom, including man, has been forced since creation (or evolution depending on your persuasion) to adjust their lifestyles to an ever changing environment. Some survive the change, some don’t. Charles Darwin’s theory of the survival of the fittest best describes this.

Across the globe, people have been forced to adjust their lifestyles in an effort to “survive” the unprecedented high fuel prices, which from all indications are expected to climb even further; a daunting prospect indeed.

Much has been said about this already and with no immediate reprieve in terms of reduced prices in sight, many have now “buckled down” to finding ways and means to “survive” this.

For most, it’s not easy given their resources or lack thereof. Governments, including those of developed countries, are scampering to find solutions in an effort to help reduce the impact on their populace. For them also, it’s a daunting task.

As truckers in Europe continue to strike, some of the middle class in the US are being forced to access food banks as gasoline there surpassed the US$4 per gallon price tag; jobs are being slashed by the thousands; and restaurants are being forced to reduce the amount on the plate so as to not increase the cost.

These are only a few of the many effects of the soaring oil prices. My intention in this squawk is not to delve into the globally publicized consequences, but to suggest the contemplation of additional innovative ways in our quest to survive this harsh oil prices environment.

Car pooling which is big in North America has been suggested. Some cities in the US are promoting the use of bicycles. China seems to be way ahead in this category and together with India and some other Far East countries, “bicycle taxis” (Rickshaws) dominate the roadways. Maybe these are some of the things that can be considered.

The Parrot, who in addition to not being a fashion buff is also not physic, believes that if these measures are adapted, then your car pooling buddy for that day or week may have to be driving you and your “better half” to a pre-arranged anniversary dinner.

Driving schools may be replaced by bicycle riding schools; auto repair shops will be replaced by bicycle repair shops; the “chauffeurs” will be extremely fit thereby compensating for those who are unable to “chalk up the miles” in our million-mile challenge; pollution from vehicles will be reduced which will in turn make the globe less warmer; speeding laws will be almost obsolete; minibus touts will be replaced by bicycle-bus touts; conductors will be a thing of the past; while driving experience will be replaced by how many miles the “chauffeur” would have peddled.

I cannot guarantee that the minibus “kulture” would be replaced by an improved bicycle-taxi “culture” since overcrowding and loud lewd music may continue and “chauffeurs” may still try to “out do” each other thereby inviting danger.

I cannot comment on how goods may be moved using bicycles. However, given the ingenuity of Guyanese, one cannot rule out the possibilities of a bicycle doing just that.

Given the assumed changes the bicycles can “engineer”, I would like to suggest another means of transport: horses. Of course this is not new as we would have seen from John Wayne movies.

The stage coaches can replace the minibuses and complement the bicycle taxis. There is at least one in Guyana which many newly-weds hire as part of their entourage.

So it can be the coaches – which can be used as a form of mobile advertising – for public transportation and individual horses for the individual.

Auto sales agencies and garages may be replaced by stables with gas stations selling food for horses. Imagine the thousands heading off to work or a romantic couple on horses.

What a trend setter! Forward to the future! Heehaw! Now this is a trend that I can follow and which would still allow me to wear the same set of comfortable clothing, or part of, regularly.

This is something I can live with and if I “doll” like John Wayne did in the westerns, I am sure the gossipers will be afraid to gossip.

The only unwanted “spoke” in the wheel is the M&CC, who just as the present may not have the resources to clean up the horses’ “call of nature”. This of course can lead to an unpleasant situation which can only be remedied if the M&CC is cleaned up before. Isn’t that a trend we would all want to see happen?

Squawk! Squawk!

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