People are coming up with creative ideas to replace their cars for less-polluting alternatives. A businessman in Gloucester, the UK, has chosen to commute with a paddleboard.
1. Alternative ways
Alex Kell is the principal financial planner at Quayside Wealth Management in Gloucester who has recently done some headlines for his alternative choice of traveling to work in a paddleboard.
The 38-year-old financial planner revealed no intention of going back to driving to work, unless he has no alternative should the weathercasting complicate the mission.
I’m lucky, I live a mile from work on the canal. If I drove it would take me 15 to 20 minutes including parking. But I was often sitting in traffic. It’s quicker to walk along the canal, and better than sitting in traffic. But even better is to paddle the mile if the weather’s right.
Alex Kell, financial planner at Quayside Wealth Management
Estimates made by Kell after one year of paddleboarding, and ditching his FordRanger, point to a recovery of around €3,000 per year in gas and parking costs.
The man said that last summer he paddled a lot to go to work and he is resuming it again since the weather is getting better. But Kell explained that wind can be a real bummer: “Rain doesn’t stop me, the real issue is wind. If the wind is strong then it’s a real struggle and makes you much slower, so on those days I just walk along the canal.”
2. Public transport
Kell shares his experience of commuting through the Gloucester canal with great joy: “It’s so relaxing, there’s always ducks and swans and it’s a whole different rhythm. You get wonderful views and sunsets. It’s just beautiful.”
Contrary to the pictures showing Alex wearing a suit on top of the paddleboard, the Brit doesn’t usually wear suits during his trip on the board, instead, he wears suitable clothing and footwear and keeps his work gear in a drybag.
The canal runs down to Quedgeley and there’s a lot of people who travel in form there to the city. It might be worth thinking about some sort of public transport use of the canal.
Alex Kell
Realising the potential that the canal in Gloucester could have for commuters, Kell suggested that it could be more utilized for kayaks, canoes or even a water-bus.
