Delivery issues

[Dave2002]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-28581332

Should people who live, or choose to live, in difficult to get to areas always get a good deal re services?

It is not unreasonable that costs of services should be transparent, which is to some extent what is said in the article.

The general issue applies to many things - health service provision, postal services, deliveries, transport, etc.

However, people who live in rural areas arguably get other benefits, such as lower costs of some aspects of their lives.

One can also turn the question round and ask "should people who live in large cities always have rights to good services - trains, buses,
access to theatres, concerts, etc.?"

[Serial_Apologist]

There is a stereotyped impression among townies such as I who think of people who live out in the back of beyond as hair-shirt types, probably more used to privations of one sort or another, or welcoming thereof as moral fibre-building, than I.

And among countrypeople there is an image of townies such as I as spoilt and overindulged.

Probably there is an ideal lifestyle mid-point somewhere between the austerity of the hermit and the urban(e) profligate with too much obsolescing stuff for a sustainable planet's good. If and when we find out what that is, we might be in a position to start thinking about how to create a different form of so-called civilisation from the one we currently have. I happen to think it would be a much simpler society, and one which was more inclusive of people and able to accommodate both their quirks and their potentials. As in Aldous Huxley's "Island" the Alpha Males could get elected to leadership positions on a recallable basis or be put to work on heavy construction projects etc.

This subject overlaps with the other thread on consumer goods: "How much do we need?".

[vinteuil]

Should people who live, or choose to live, in difficult to get to areas

... yep, it's a question for those who are able to "choose to live" in a pertickler location - you buy into a "package", with benefits and disbenefits. I wd like to live in Achmelvich for the landscape - but wdn't have the weather or access to kulchur - or Zakynthos for the weather, but wdn't have the people I want to be surrounded by. So I choose Shepherd's Bush - mediocre as far as weather and landscape may prove, it still gives us on balance what we're looking for. And I wdn't find it unreasonable that those who choose to live far from distribution hubs might have to pay a little more; up to them to decide whether the disbenefit is adequately compensated by being in an attractive far-flung location...

[Serial_Apologist]

... yep, it's a question for those who are able to "choose to live" in a pertickler location - you buy into a "package", with benefits and disbenefits. I wd like to live in Achmelvich for the landscape - but wdn't have the weather or access to kulchur - or Zakynthos for the weather, but wdn't have the people I want to be surrounded by. So I choose Shepherd's Bush - mediocre as far as weather and landscape may prove, it still gives us on balance what we're looking for. And I wdn't find it unreasonable that those who choose to live far from distribution hubs might have to pay a little more; up to them to decide whether the disbenefit is adequately compensated by being in an attractive far-flung location...

But that still raises the issue of, eg, should we all subsidise the universal postal service so that those who choose to live in far-flung places do not have to pay more towards their deliveries than the rest of us.

The recipient will claim to be living more sustainably than the likes of us to the planet's needs, and in taking less of the earth's resources and wealth, thus setting a good example, to be deserving of said deliveries and services.

[Dave2002]

There are other issues about "choosing to live". If you live and work in and around London you may (but not necessarily) have a high income, but also high housing costs - if you have a house. If you live in some other parts of the country you may have a lower salary - if you have a job at all - but housing costs will be lower. It is possible to get beautiful houses in Scotland for under £500k.

I have known some people turn down highly paid and responsible and interesting jobs in the South East, when they discover the costs of living and the house prices, and some people have given up and gone further north, say to the Midlands.

Young people are having a tough time in most areas, so the question of choice doesn't always come into it at all.

Real choices are not always that easy.

[Flosshilde]

I have known some people turn down highly paid and responsible and interesting jobs in the South East, when they discover the costs of living and the house prices, and some people have given up and gone further north, say to the Midlands.

Poor fools - they obviously didn't understand that there aren't any highly paid & responsible & interesting jobs anywhere else.


The answer's simple - everybody should choose to live in the South East of England. It's obviously so perfect there that nobody with any sense would want to live anywhere else, & all those industries & businesses based outside that area should relocate there. The transport infrastructure is brilliant, with lots of room, and there's no problem building houses - still plenty of space to fill.


Yes?

[Dave2002]

Poor fools - they obviously didn't understand that there aren't any highly paid & responsible & interesting jobs anywhere else.


The answer's simple - everybody should choose to live in the South East of England. It's obviously so perfect there that nobody with any sense would want to live anywhere else, & all those industries & businesses based outside that area should relocate there. The transport infrastructure is brilliant, with lots of room, and there's no problem building houses - still plenty of space to fill.


Yes?

Do I detect a certain tongue in cheek?

One of the persons I mentioned already had a fairly highly paid, responsible and interesting job up in the North East area of the UK. It just didn't make sense in the end to relocate to the SE.

It is sad though, that the UK is largely run as though only the 25 mile radius circle around London's centre is worth considering. That could well be one of the reasons why those North of the border are considering disconnecting themselves from the Sassenachs.

[jean]

Where was I reading stuff recently along th lines of how impossible it is to get decent broadcasters to work in Salford?

[Serial_Apologist]

Do I detect a certain tongue in cheek?

One of the persons I mentioned already had a fairly highly paid, responsible and interesting job up in the North East area of the UK. It just didn't make sense in the end to relocate to the SE.

It is sad though, that the UK is largely run as though only the 25 mile radius circle around London's centre is worth considering. That could well be one of the reasons why those North of the border are considering disconnecting themselves from the Sassenachs.

We desperately need to break away from this leapfrogging culture of needing to shorten everywhere on lead times while cutting out all slack from the system sires faster broadband communication, with the next generation replacing fibre optics and the road outside being dug up yet again, and the technology feeding back into the speed-up loop like some karmic sorcerer's apprentice. An equivalent to slow cooking, kind of thing.

[ahinton]

There is a stereotyped impression among townies such as I who think of people who live out in the back of beyond as hair-shirt types, probably more used to privations of one sort or another, or welcoming thereof as moral fibre-building, than I.

There might be among some such folk but that doesn't make such an impression correct, does it?

And among countrypeople there is an image of townies such as I as spoilt and overindulged.

Ditto.

[ahinton]

But that still raises the issue of, eg, should we all subsidise the universal postal service so that those who choose to live in far-flung places do not have to pay more towards their deliveries than the rest of us.

The recipient will claim to be living more sustainably than the likes of us to the planet's needs, and in taking less of the earth's resources and wealth, thus setting a good example, to be deserving of said deliveries and services.

But will such a claim be fully justified? After all, how environmentally friendly is the provision of goods and services to those who live in far-flung places - not just the mail (for those who still use it) but parcels, electricity, gas (where it's available), oil, petrol / diesel and the rest?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Although I don't think much of the total dominance of London in the UK, I would regard having to live there as eternal damnation. Clearly, many people would disagree, and there are obvious benefits from living in the capital.

[vinteuil]

Although I don't think much of the total dominance of London in the UK, I would regard having to live there as eternal damnation. Clearly, many people would disagree, and there are obvious benefits from living in the capital.

... o, it's quite nice here - honest! The locals are friendly, good places to walk, lots of reasons to be happy here. And some cultural activities too, if such is your fancy. "Eternal damnation" sounds extreme....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

... o, it's quite nice here - honest! The locals are friendly, good places to walk, lots of reasons to be happy here. And some cultural activities too, if such is your fancy. "Eternal damnation" sounds extreme....

I'm pleased to hear you're happy with it. The fact that so many people choose to live there is evidence in itself; and there was a Channel 4 programme about the 10 best and worst places to live in Britain. Westminster came out top.

But I prefer big open spaces.

[Serial_Apologist]

I'm pleased to hear you're happy with it. The fact that so many people choose to live there is evidence in itself; and there was a Channel 4 programme about the 10 best and worst places to live in Britain. Westminster came out top.

And I'm willing to bet keyworkers were excluded from that poll were it held today!

From a perspective of retirement, however, as little (or as few) as 10 years ago it was still possible to sell up from the outer suburbs here (as I did my late parents' place) and move further in at no loss, enjoying the friendlier place London had become since the 60s and, as vints says, the cultural aspects afforded.