Life is better without the Car

[geminisnake]

Yeah.....Couldn't find any butterscotch.

My TWO favourite flavours

 

[geminisnake]

I don't really need it, but I think I am going to take it anyway.

I am a bad person

No you are not, you have been car free, so you have had an experience. Might be worth checking on insurance, etc before deciding to deffo take the car.

 

[hiccup]

No you are not, you have been car free, so you have had an experience. Might be worth checking on insurance, etc before deciding to deffo take the car.

Insurance is less than I thought. Car is taxed and MOTd until the end of the year, so I kinda thought, fuck it, might as well keep it till then.

It's still pretty unnecessary though.











Also, it's got quite a good stereo in it. This may have been what made my mind up in the end.

 

[geminisnake]

Also, it's got quite a good stereo in it. This may have been what made my mind up in the end.

I like driving on my own coz I can listen to LOUD music

 

[hiccup]

I like driving on my own coz I can listen to LOUD music

It's the best bit of driving for sure.

 

[jiggajagga]

Once again it seems the disabled are forgotten in this discussion.
I have a car and I hate it. I'd hate it more however if I was stuck in my house day in day out , week in week out.
My car is my lifeline to the outside world.

 

[Yuwipi Woman]

Once again it seems the disabled are forgotten in this discussion.
I have a car and I hate it. I'd hate it more however if I was stuck in my house day in day out , week in week out.
My car is my lifeline to the outside world.

The main reason I own a car is that I have an elderly parent to care for who lives several hours away. When I changed cars, I took into account my mother's special needs in getting in and out of a car.

 

[Herbsman.]

Going car free has improved some of my life... I passed when I was 18 and lazily drove everywhere, even into town, which would have taken only 10 minutes to walk. Or to the skatepark, when I could have just rode there.

I am definitely fitter and I have more spare money. But I can't travel as far, as easily. There are certain places I can't get to quickly/easily/at all using public transport, for example places that I've applied for jobs. Forests in Wales where I want to go mountain biking. Places I need to go late at night or early in the morning but can't because there's no public transport...

 

[fredfelt]

Going car free has improved some of my life... I passed when I was 18 and lazily drove everywhere, even into town, which would have taken only 10 minutes to walk. Or to the skatepark, when I could have just rode there.

I am definitely fitter and I have more spare money. But I can't travel as far, as easily. There are certain places I can't get to quickly/easily/at all using public transport, for example places that I've applied for jobs. Forests in Wales where I want to go mountain biking. Places I need to go late at night or early in the morning but can't because there's no public transport...

Being car free does not stop me from heading to forests in Wales to go mountain biking. My mountain bike has a rack on the back to which all your kit, including tent is attached. Then you simply jump on the train. It does help finding an area where the trail heads are close to where you camp. I love the purity of cycle touring / mountain biking!

 

[fredfelt]

The thing is we are going to take climate change seriously we must get used to relying on cars less. Taking responsibility for our own actions means we are going to have to change our habits. We must break the connection which is formed in our minds (including mine) that having personal freedom to travel, live and work where we desire equates to freedom.

Our car enables us to work, live, shop and send our kids to school in different communities. We must aim to be happy living in one community. This does not necessarily mean hardship. This change will take time and the car will still take some part in our lives. But as our habits change as a result of personal choice and government policy the structures for living car free will also improve.

It is not just car use which needs to be examined but the life style which it enables. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part but when we increasingly consume locally, live locally, work locally and socialise locally we will take more interest in where we live and how we interact with our community. Driving 20 miles to go to work, then adding on another 20 miles on the way home to buy apples flown in from New Zealand will seem ridiculous.

I am not saying that the car must not be part of anyone’s life. It is a useful tool and can have economic benefit but dependence on the car and oil can make you blind to its true cost.

A life style, which needs the daily use of a car, is not generally sustainable. If we can operate the majority of our lives in our community where our needs to be satisfied locally then I think we start to achieve personal freedom.

 

[Pingu]

... Any other excuses?

that it would be impossible for me to live where i live and work where i work without one. Changing either is not an option.

or get to the shops and be able to bring back more than 2 carrier bags worth of shopping

or be able to go in the middle of the night to pick up a dog thats been found.

plus I like being able to go places that are far away (UK speaking) without have to take all day getting there.


see what you are getting at but its a bit utopian innit?

 

[iROBOT]

Life is better without the Car

It isnt for me.

Wrote off my last car in Nov' 2005 and have pined after a motor ever since. Have had to endure the pathetic transportation system that is london underground...lugging my records (I Dj) on busses and tubes and spending vast sums on taxi's.

It's all alright now...I have just bought one of these....

nice.....

 

[Herbsman.]

The thing is we are going to take climate change seriously we must get used to relying on cars less. Taking responsibility for our own actions means we are going to have to change our habits. We must break the connection which is formed in our minds (including mine) that having personal freedom to travel, live and work where we desire equates to freedom.

Our car enables us to work, live, shop and send our kids to school in different communities. We must aim to be happy living in one community. This does not necessarily mean hardship. This change will take time and the car will still take some part in our lives. But as our habits change as a result of personal choice and government policy the structures for living car free will also improve.

It is not just car use which needs to be examined but the life style which it enables. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part but when we increasingly consume locally, live locally, work locally and socialise locally we will take more interest in where we live and how we interact with our community. Driving 20 miles to go to work, then adding on another 20 miles on the way home to buy apples flown in from New Zealand will seem ridiculous.

I am not saying that the car must not be part of anyone’s life. It is a useful tool and can have economic benefit but dependence on the car and oil can make you blind to its true cost.

A life style, which needs the daily use of a car, is not generally sustainable. If we can operate the majority of our lives in our community where our needs to be satisfied locally then I think we start to achieve personal freedom.

BigPhil, what you write makes good sense. Unfortunately, profit comes first, good sense comes last.

 

[dylanredefined]

I hate not having a car .Bicycles and buses or taxis are ok around town
and trains are ok occasionly .Lots of places I'd like to go or take my daughter to
which is just not worthwhile without a car .Too long journey time too exspensive
or just inconvient .