Back in the driver’s seat

I’ll probably look back on February 2014 as the time when I was born again as an enthusiastic driver, although this time without the accompaniment of skidmarks or the sounds of tortured rubber that used to be such sweet music to my ears.

Having gone from Petrolhead to Pilgrim and walked the equivalent of a third of the circumference of the Earth during the past two-and-a-half years, I’m back behind the wheel – at least occasionally! And I’ve finally admitted to myself again that I do love driving, even though I’m committed to doing it as little as possible.

At the end of my latest walk through six European countries as an ambassador for WILD10, the 10^th World Wilderness Congress, a Nissan Leaf awaited my pleasure, showcasing the zero emissions ‘carbon neutral’ technology that earned it the coveted European Car of the Year accolade. To be honest, I didn’t really need a car and had enjoyed exploring the beautiful Spanish medieval city of Salamanca on foot, although the Leaf proved both restful and exhilarating. It’s comfy, quiet, roomy and quick, especially to a pilgrim accustomed to traversing landscapes at little more than 5km/h. What fun!

Part of my objective for 2014 is to learn more about living lightly and lovingly upon the Earth, and I expect one of the major highlights to be a global gathering at Findhorn known as the New Story Summit: Inspiring Pathways for our Planetary Future. It promises to be a magnet for innovative, alternate thinkers from all walks of life.

I’ve also been appointed the PR for the Findhorn Foundation community and Ecovillage, which means I’ll be more deeply immersed in the inner workings of a place that has a history of grabbing the headlines. It’s a happening place that has been described as a laboratory for change and a mystery school. Expect the unexpected …

The dinky all-electric Renault Twizy

So while I continue to walk every morning before sunrise, I suddenly find myself with a fixed address (for a while), an office and a paid-up membership to Moray Carshare, a pioneering community-based car club showcasing more affordable and sustainable transport solutions, including two zero-emissions electric vehicles.

It is targeted at residents of the local IV36 postal code area of Morayshire and has cars available at three locations in and around Findhorn and the neighbouring town of Forres.

At present there are nine cars serving 47 members with the latest acquisitions - a Nissan Leaf and diminutive two-seater Renault Twizy - promising state-of-the-art electric propulsion, lower running costs and a radically reduced ecological footprint.

The funky Twizy is an interesting choice: it has questionable weather protection for a location this far north, and might be more at home promenading in Cape Town or the south of France. But it is an attention-grabber that will hopefully be a great ambassador for the idea of different transport solutions and especially car sharing, rather than individual ownership.

I’ll have more to say when I’ve actually driven the Twizy - and if I can find another two, I can test the claim that a trio of these chic runabouts can squeeze into a single parking space.

Meanwhile we can thank a generous grant from Developing Car Clubs Scotland, which is funded by the Scottish Government, for the two electric cars and also a pair of new-generation Kia Picanto mini cars that boast a miserly thirst for petrol.

Sustainable energy is generated by Findhorn's wind turbines

The convenience and viability of the electric car project has also been enhanced by the installation of a charging station in Findhorn funded by Energy Savings Trust Scotland.

And it seems poetic that the charging station is supplied by clean renewable energy generated by four nearby wind turbines, with the possibility that a system of ‘smart’ charging could be developed to ensure that the electric cars are charged when the wind is blowing and the wind turbines spinning.

Funnily enough I’ve only joined the car club after considerable soul searching and some joyful reminiscing. It is with pleasure and some amusement that I look back on a motoring career crammed with racing, rallying, international 4x4 challenges and the road testing of literally hundreds of high-performance cars. In that time I also decorated my garages and driveways with more than 50 vehicles I owned or enjoyed long-term custodianship over, most in recent years being rugged go-anywhere 4x4s.

Yeah, it was fun although it wasn’t really sustainable. I flew somewhere every week and my carbon footprint was colossal, so it will take a lot more than the 14,000km I walked recently to offset that energy-hungry lifestyle. Hopefully Mother Earth will forgive me and happily Villiera, an ecologically responsible family-run winery in the South Africa’s Stellenbosch region, has honoured my wanderings with the planting of an indigenous tree for every kilometre walked. Thanks for that!

I continue to walk or cycle to get around locally, although now, with my participation in Moray Carshare, I have the option to drive when time and speed are of the essence. I can imagine using a car to fetch somebody from the train station, or perhaps take 94-year-old Findhorn co-founder Dorothy Maclean on an outing.

The car club is open to new members who hold a valid driver’s licence and agree to abide by the rules of operation, with bookings made via the Internet using an online booking system. Members pay a joining fee, a monthly fee and charges based on mileage and the number of hours the cars are used.

The idea seems to be catching on fast in Scotland with the Scottish Government encouraging the growth of car clubs both in cities and rural areas; the low-cost freedom and mobility attracting more than 100 new converts each month.

Soon I hope to report that I’m having fun behind the wheel for just a fraction of the cost of car ownership, and none of the usual maintenance and insurance hassles …

Flashback to 1967 … the idea of sharing and living lightly upon the Earth was firmly entrenched by the Findhorn community founders