Getting rid of the car

[Wintersunn]

Or rather not getting a new one when the lease expires this year.

Is anyone else considering whether they can manage without a car? Admittedly it’s very different if you live rurally or in a town without decent public transport.

I’m considering not replacing my car when I have to return it in a few months, as have not been using it very much during/since the start of COVID, except for supermarket runs. I don’t have small children to ferry around and likely to be wfh for the forseeable. Live in London so plenty of ubers etc. Have been walking a lot more and found supermarkets I can walk to.
Am I missing anything out in my decision making?

Carrying a big weekly shop home can be difficult. And if you intend to get a taxi/uber home, they might not be available at all because they're too busy, or you might be waiting outside the shops for a while in all sorts of weather. And you'll run the risk of catching covid from the taxi/uber driver and whoever else was in the vehicle prior to you. Cars are practical, if you can't be arsed to go somewhere it's easier to drive there.

We live in a major city and don't have a car.
We have everything we need within walking distance (or the occasional Uber if needed) and in normal times plenty of good public transport for day trips.

@1950s1

Carrying a big weekly shop home can be difficult. And if you intend to get a taxi/uber home, they might not be available at all because they're too busy, or you might be waiting outside the shops for a while in all sorts of weather. And you'll run the risk of catching covid from the taxi/uber driver and whoever else was in the vehicle prior to you. Cars are practical, if you can't be arsed to go somewhere it's easier to drive there.

Asda deliver our big shop for about £3.50 which is pretty cost effective.

I live too far away. I start work at 7 and finish at 22.00 some days.
Buses don’t start until 7ish and finish at 17.30 and I would need 2 at least

I didn't have a car in London. I think it's pretty pointless. You can use a zip car if you need one for some reason.

Yes @1950s1 you make good points, I agree it’s so nice and easy to jump in the car. I’ve only been doing large shops every couple of weeks or so, figure I can get a delivery for the heavier shops if needed.

Thanks @SausageRoll2020. Good to know.

I’m carless. And I’ve got kids to ferry around.
Mostly bike it (I have a cargo bike for two and the other one cycles.) or walk it.
I can get an entire weekly shop onto my bike and can fit loads more in the cargo bike.
@1950s1 sorry but I can’t imagine a time when Uber and Gett don’t have cabs available! Saying that I live in centralish London... suppose it depends where in London you live?

I live in C London and can’t imagine life without a car. I’ve been v lucky to have a parking space at work, which has been great during COVID. I’m getting an electric one soon as will be cheaper to run in London than a petrol.

You might be interested in car clubs. Enterprise has one where you pay a £20/month membership and can rent a car/hour.

I have been carless for a year now. I think winters are tougher, ans during the summer quite easy. I might rethink next winter, but with the limited movement in the last year, I lucked out!

I think when you have a car you use more than you need, because it is easy and convenient. I got more fit having to walk everywhere, and it improved my life. There are a few days a wekk where I wish I could just jump in a car, but very few, and a car rental sorts it out...

We haven't owned a car for 10 years. We are 10 min walking distance from small city for all normal shopping and catching the train/bus to anywhere a little further afield but we cycle to most places locally. If we want to travel much more than about 80 miles or travel to somewhere remote its almost always cheaper to hire a car including petrol than x2 train tickets. For the big heavy stuff or shopping we just get it delivered. Its certainly been cheaper for us because the travel we pay for is always for lesuire and the bikes are for the commute.

Thank you all, interesting to read the different experiences of people without cars.

I’ve calculated it would save me 3.5k per year which actually excludes the deposit I pay (about 2k) so over the course of a usual 3 year plan that’s approx 12.5k.

I may give it a go for a few months and see how it goes.

Thanks @Lua I’ll check out car clubs.

My issue with car clubs is that I'm pretty sure that once you use the car you are responsible for it until the next user takes it.

Hope I'm mistaken

ps. I wouldn't't get rid of my car. It's my independence for choice when and where I go (and private hire cabs around here all seem to be driven by twats)

I grew up in London. Neither of my parents can drive. This was before internet shopping etc... And it was fine. Public transport is a dream in London compared to areas away from the capital/other cities. As you say, there's stuff like Uber now.
The only time it was really inconvenient was going on holiday. (And when I moved to university... 5suitcases on the train by myself!)

My DP said for years that we didn't need a car, living in inner London, no DCs to ferry around, etc. But once the pandemic started, she changed her mind, it's been a lifesaver for us (both somewhat more at risk from infection) just being able to get out of the immediate neighbourhood occasionally.

A shopping trolley will solve most of the 'food shop in walking distance but can't carry much home' issues. Plus maybe monthly-ish deliveries of heavy things. Don't know why more people don't use them to be honest.

But it does sound like you're well placed to not have your own car, plenty of public transport options available, possibly car club, and are likely to make a good saving.

If it was me, I'd consider having a break from owning a car until things are back to normal. Mine has sat on the front most of this year, such a waste of tax/insurance/MOT.

We're in central London with no car. We've absolutely no need for one.

I can carry a week's supermarket food home, n a big rucksack or under the pram (with a monthly online shop for heavy things).

Other than that I'd never dream of driving around London - it takes ages and it's environmentally selfish if you don't need to. At the moment I cycle, usually I'm on the tube.

When we need a car out of London it's far cheaper to rent one or take taxis than it is to have a car of our own.

Assuming you don’t work, awkward shifts, taxis expensive, public transport crap at 5 am.
Love having a car gives me freedom

Central-ish London and I’ve thought about getting rid of my cars from time to time but decided that as long as it’s affordable to run them, they’re too handy to get rid of. If we leave London for e.g. daytrips or weekends away it almost always works out far cheaper to drive than for train tickets for DP and I. We recently moved house and it’s been used daily for collecting DIY equipment, buying furniture etc - we couldn’t have had the same convenience with a car club. Ultimately, I also just really enjoy driving a really nice car and am happy to acknowledge that this is selfish and that I don’t really consider environmental concerns.

A good test of “will I miss my car?” is to give your keys to a friend for a few weeks. See how often within that time you really regret doing it, how easy you found the alternatives, how often you struggled with shopping, whether you end up spending a fortune on cabs etc. Maybe try that?

My car keys would have to be prised out of my cold dead hands.

Why on earth would you choose to go on public transport when you don't have to?

All those stinking dirty people and their germs and noise. No thanks.

I will give up most things for the environment and recycle, refuse, reuse - but use of public transport is only under duress or no other option.

We live in Central London and don’t have a car. One child, and one on the way. It’s completely manageable- we get the big shop delivered, and walk, cycle or get public transport wherever we need to go. For trips outside of London it’s easy to hire a car, and much more cost effective than paying to insure, tax and store a car that’s parked 40 weeks of the year. If we lived somewhere more rural or with less good public transport it would be different, but I just don’t see the point in spending around £4K a year running a car when we’d barely use it.