No metro, no train. A colleague’s electric car got me home in the end
When I finished work on a typical Thursday night, my only concern was exposing my new blue suede shoes to the torrential Sydney downpour.
Naturally, I decided to wait while the 15-minute miniature storm wreaked havoc on North Sydney.
When the rain eased, I took off my moccasins and walked barefoot to the trusty Metro at Victoria Cross. It is only reliable on dry days.
Of course, this sudden storm caused power supply problems on the M1 metro line and caused real chaos for thousands of passengers.
Minutes later, when the rain stopped and I could wear the suedes again, I walked to the North Sydney train station with my fuel-conscious passengers, hoping to catch the good old overground rail.
Unfortunately this too was destroyed by a severe storm and passengers were encouraged to take the bus. But options were slim as these sparse bus queues were unbearably long. And rising Uber prices have nearly tripled. It was tempting to use my Uber account to get home to pick up my cold fried chicken, but I resisted.
My easy 30-minute journey to Paddington suddenly turned into a first-class commuting mess.
This begs the question: How will Sydney’s public transport network cope if fuel rationing is implemented in the coming weeks?
What will happen if metro services and train lines can’t handle torrential downpours, with commuters increasingly abandoning their cars to turn them on and off?
I tried using the subway on Thursday night but failed miserably.
The winners were Uber and local hoteliers. Countless travelers retreated to local bars until the fledgling transportation system was sorted out. Surprisingly, I did not heed the call of a schooner of Resch. Instead, I retreated to the entrance of my office and made a few phone calls.
But then I wisely found a colleague who went for a cold beer at a nearby establishment. His family were driving from Bondi to pick him up in a fuel-efficient electric car. I found my way home.
The rain returned, I took off my suedes and walked barefoot towards our meeting point.
I was home two hours late and my dinner was as cold as my feet.
Jason Avedissian is the weekend sports editor. Sydney Morning Herald.
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