Simon Jenkins rightly points to our reckless assumption of the right to move around (Don't blame the system for winter
travel chaos. Stay put, 23 December). But first-hand knowledge of other countries is vitally important, specially for young people forming their ideas of the world. The postwar generation explored other countries cheaply and with no additional carbon footprint by hitch-hiking. This has fallen out of favour, largely because it can be risky – but we will have to rediscover our familiarity with risk, as the capacity of the world to indulge human comfort recedes. The safety culture, plus fear of litigation, requires us to be secure at all times, so we use transport that is expensive, both in terms of money and emissions. We could start to be more open-handed about making our cars available to hitch-hikers. The dangers of our young people being cooped up on the couch are probably worse.Alison PrinceWhiting Bay, Isle of Arran• Another aspect is the need to support local shops. It's been remarkable how resourceful Cockermouth traders have been after the floods, transferring many shops into the old jobcentre. But if we don't actually buy anything, the town will never get back on its feet. With this in mind, when our washing machine packed in last week, we went down to our local electrical shop at 2pm. By 3pm it was delivered and installed. Contrast with the well-known chain retailers.Andy SempleCockermouth, Cumbria • Simon Jenkins gets lots of things right when he talks about our unsocial travel habits, but he misses out the most important observation. Flexible labour forces people to commute long distances. In a rational world we would move to take up our jobs, like we used to do. But now no one has a job for life, so everyone commutes. What a mad world. We exploit the earth and screw the workers at the same time.Chris JeynesGuildford, Surrey • Hypermobility – at last there is a name for the disease. But how is one to advise friends that th ...
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