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The government raised the price of petrol again on Friday, pushing the fuel used by millions of cars and motorcycles to an eye-watering Rs393 per litre.

While people are urged to exercise austerity in their fuel consumption in light of supply instability, markets have been told to close early and many offices are asking employees to work from home, we know everyone needs to step out of the house sometimes.

So, for anyone who can’t stay at home pretending we’re back in a lockdown but also can’t afford to fill up their gas tanks, here are eight ways to get around without a car.

Walking

Starting off simple, this is probably the easiest and healthiest way to go places, just get up and start walking.

Pros:

• It’s free and you don’t need any equipment — except maybe a comfortable pair of shoes.
• It’s healthy too, you can meet your daily step goals every day.

Cons:

• There is a very high chance of falling into a ditch, or a manhole, or a puddle that’s deeper than you expected.
• You might be a little late to that wedding.

Bicycles

This is pretty simple too, you can’t forget once you’ve learnt.

Pros:

• Really healthy, especially if you want toned legs.
• Significantly faster than walking.

Cons:

• You’re still the slowest thing on the road.
• Not great when dealing with potholes in Karachi.

Horses

This how people used to get around in the ‘good old days’ when nobody worried about petrol prices.

Pros:

• It’s basically a self-driving car, so there’s not a lot you need to do.
• You now have a new friend to keep you company on your journeys.

Cons:

• Your new friend can deliver a mean kick with its hind legs.
• Horses are actually really expensive to buy and keep, so it might just be cheaper to drive…

Electric vehicles

It’s all the fun of driving with none of the fuel cost.

Pros:

• A lot cheaper to run than petrol-driven cars and bikes.
• They’re eco-friendly too!

Cons:

• You’re stuck if the battery dies.
• Would be great if we didn’t have constant power outages and soaring electricity prices.

Skateboards

Definitely the coolest idea on the list — maybe you can throw on a backwards cap and shades to complete the look.

Pros:

• Looks super cool.
• Costs nothing to run.

Cons

• Not as easy as it looks.
• You’ll never be as cool as that cat.

Carpooling

If you know a bunch of people going to and from the same general area, this can cut costs significantly.

Pros:

• Driving is not nearly as unaffordable if multiple people are paying for it.
• It can be nice if the other people are fun to talk to or if your music tastes align.

Cons:

• What if they’re boring, or they listen to Chahat Fateh Ali Khan…?!
• You might have to carpool with and talk to the office weirdo (you know who we’re talking about).

Teleportation

Imagine leaving for somewhere five minutes before you need to be there and somehow still getting there on time.

Pros:

• It’s super fast.
• It’s probably safer than driving in Karachi.
• You don’t need to park.

Cons:

• You’re gonna have to invent a teleportation machine.

Magic carpet

The best option if you want to see the world — shining, shimmering and splendid.

Pros:

• Super comfortable, especially if you shell out for the extra fuzzy one.
• Can be kept inside when not in use.

Cons:

• Do you have any idea how tedious it is to file a flight plan and get it approved?
• Air pollution means your laundry bill is probably going to be higher than your fuel bill if you drove places.

Okay, all options considered, we think we’re just going to stay home for a little while. Maybe what we really need is convenient, efficient and affordable public transport…