10 alternative ways to get to work
With unexpected snowy conditions, recurring tube and bus strikes and the pressure to use greener transport modes, there is now a need to find new and alternative ways to get into the office. In this blog post we look at different ways to get to work – including green commuting, extravagant travel and snowy options and of course some fictional alternatives too….
Pod Car
Winter
Ski to the office
‘The big freeze’ may sound like the title of a disaster movie but is actually how we refer to the recent cold weather that we have experienced in the past weeks. With cold weather comes disruption and as a result most of us have found it hard, or even impossible, to get into work. But skiing to work? Those who have tried it can confirm that it is quicker, easier and safer than driving in these conditions. So with the pressure on the British workforce, not to use the snow as an excuse to stay at home, perhaps cross country skiing to work is not such a bad idea.
Skiing
Snow scooter
Most children may have a scooter, on wheels, but they are not that suitable, or safe, in wintery conditions. When the excitement of walking to school in the snow is starting to wear off this snow scooter may speed things up a bit! We are not sure if this product is available in the UK yet but it could be a best seller next winter.
Snow Scooter
Extravagant
Limousine – Travel in style
You know that you have made it in the world of business when a limousine is waiting outside your home in the morning. However, if you are not quite there yet one limousine hire company suggests that you could treat yourself to a week of limo commuting; now that should make you jump out of bed in the morning and give you something to look forward to all day! Give yourself a bit of ‘me time’ and total relaxation as your driver takes you from A to B. Some limousines are even customised for the executive business man or woman with DVD, iPod dock and MP3.
Limousine
Helicopter – Fast and Efficient
Some companies now use helicopters so that their top executives can fulfil a tight business schedule. As time is money, they realise that a helicopter can take them to several meetings across the country in one day rather than wasting several days with tedious hotel nights and frustrating road congestions. Compared to scheduled flights, with a helicopter you also avoid check-in queues and flight delays.
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Helicopter
Train – Virgin first class
If you like to travel in style and enjoy complimentary food and drink, Wi-Fi and a weekday paper; Virgin Trains first class offers a relaxing alternative to car and plane journeys. It is also a much greener option and apparently rail travel is nine times safer than travel by car.
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Green
Pod Cars – the future is here
Not that long ago Pod Cars were just a futuristic means of urban transport but they are now slowly becoming a realistic alternative to trains, buses and cars. Automated and driverless, Pod Cars are operated on elevated or underground shuttle networks, or on traditional roadways. Powered by electricity they can offer an effective and environmentally friendly way to get around urban areas. Pod Cars will be up and running this year in the City of Masdar in Abu Dhabi and a bit closer to home, at Heathrow Airport.
Electric Vespa saves Money and the Environment
Being an owner of the ‘Street Scoota’ can save you a lot of money as well as helping the environment. It is an electric Vespa-style scooter that costs under £1000 and, after purchase, battery charging costs 8p for an 8 hour charge that lasts 40 minutes. Apart from being petrol free, other pros include no congestion charge, free road tax and you can make use of 100s of free parking bays for electric vehicles.
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Electric Vespa
Get paid for cycling to work
Many people across the country are already seeing the benefits of cycling to work; it is a cheap, green and healthy alternative to shorter car journeys. But how do you get more people to start cycling to work? Scandinavian organisations are currently launching various cycle incentives that may be worth looking closer at. One such programme, in Norway, transforms cycle journeys to paid holiday, i.e. one week of walking or cycling to the office is equivalent to four hours holiday. A Danish incentive offers a pay-back system where cycling employees receive two Danish kroner (approx £0.25p) per kilometre.
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Fictional
Water slide to work
We all have days when we don’t want to face the stress of running to the bus, standing close to people on the tube or get stuck in traffic “we wish we could just get on that water slide featured in Barclay’s TV advert.” It would make life so easy, just put on your swimming pants and go… If you think this would be a cool way to get to and from the office you are not alone, there is even a Facebook group called ‘I wanna ride the waterslide on the Barclays advert’ with over 6800 fans.
Barclays Water Slide
The Knight Bus – Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
During the London tube strikes the Empire cinemas posted a blog post on alternative ways to get into work, movie style. ‘Jet Packs’ from the Minority report, and ‘Speeder Bikes’ from Return of the Jedi were mentioned, as was the ‘The Knight Bus’ from Harry Potter. Despite the reckless driver and dubious fellow passengers you could enjoy a spacious bus with chandeliers and comfortable beds. The Knight Bus always takes the quickest route through small gaps and under low bridges.
The Knight Bus
