Dan Gravell wrote to uk.transport.london on Wed, 16 Feb 2005:

Picking up on the original point, my position is that the car is still
overused given PT provision in London. I consider that in many cases
people are too lazy, or simply do not make a conscious decision to use
PT, as if they have some kind of logical reasoning limit. I come to this
conclusion witnessing the chronic congestion caused almost entirely by
private motor vehicle users in South London.

And there are some people who are simply too scared to use public
transport, reckoning that they'll be mugged, robbed, raped or otherwise
inconvenienced whenever they use it. I know a young woman of 18 whose
mother has simply never allowed her to use public transport in her
entire life, which I find very shocking. But Dad is a policeman, and
Mother says that "Dad tells them" all the dreadful things that go on, so
the young woman has probably never been on a bus or train in her entire
life. I am not easily shockable, but that did shock me!
--
"Mrs Redboots"
http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/
Website updated 23 January 2005 with new photos