Could do you do without your car?

[anon2334]

Or would you never consider that ? Public transport? Cycling? Walking all good options depending on where you live. I’m cutting back, school runs I need the car though , but definitely walking more into town etc and to parks. Just doing occasional trips out etc.

Yes.

However I don’t want to.

I only bought a car this year and it’s been so liberating for me. I’ve spent more than 30 years getting public transport and lugging shopping around, walking everywhere and having to get taxis to the vets/hospital and now I finally have freedom.

My car is less than a 1 litre engine and I love it.

No. I live out in the sticks, the road is not a safe walking road, there is no footpath and two lorries cannot pass each other safely so one has to stop to let the other through. There is no way I would attempt it with a double buggy and the dog. The nearest major town is a 45 minute drive away and there is no public transport.

I lost my licence for a year.

It was hard and not something I want to do again.

Yes, we are in London and could do without our car. It does make life more convenient though and we'd probably ditch some activities which are possible/ much easier because of having the car.

Yes. I walk to work, DH cycles, kids walk to school. My food shopping is delivered and I walk into the city centre in 40 mins, or get the bus if it’s rainy or I have too much to carry.

BUT, I have ageing ILs who live rurally, two hours away. In an emergency, public transport would take all day, and although we could in theory hire a car, car hire places are not open 24 hours.

I use the car to do the things I can’t walk to, or anything after dark, so choir in the winter, going to places that are on the outskirts of my city, like IKEA, Hobbycraft etc, occasionally dropping the kids to friends etc. I often go to the cinema during the week with a friend, who drives us; so not me driving, but a car required. I actually really enjoy driving on big journeys, but walk locally if at all possible.

No, probably not. Dd and I could walk to work and school is very close by too. But public transport is rubbish really so getting the kids to different clubs and visiting family etc would be really hard and pretty much impossible in some cases so we definitely do need a car.

My area has very minimal public transport - one of the worst for it in the UK. I walk places when it's feasible, but being without a car in my part of the country (the Fens) just isn't an option.

No. Public transport is expensive and not very regular.

No. Moved here 4 months ago and haven't seen one bus yet.

If I could live on bread, croissants, honey and a regular hair cut then all would be fine as we have those in the village. Otherwise we need a car to get anything else.

I could at a push walk to work and the children's primary school. The high school is to far.

That said, when we lived in the West Midlands (until I was 27), we didn't have a car and while sometimes inconvenient, we made it work.

Yes but we've arranged our lifestyle over the years to not be car dependent.

No. Rural location, public transport is only a rumour, nearest town 6 miles away, no pavements, fast traffic (because they all think the roads are empty until they come up against tractor/horse/cyclist/lorry), the need to pick up wood, take equipment and gardening supplies down to the land (wouldn't think of leaving tools, lawnmower, etc down there because of the continual thefts from land, farms, barns, etc).
Leisure pursuits simply wouldn't happen without transport, especially considering dark, weather, distance.
I lived without one in London.

I think it would be difficult TBH. Buses here are fairly good ,but having to wait when you can just jump in your own vehicle isnt appealing .I havent caught the bus since before Covid due to worries abou illness .

We live in London. We sold our car 10 years ago, couldn’t be happier. Walking, bicycle, bus/underground/overground. I work locally and DH cycles to work or sometimes goes by bus (works in central London). I don’t at all understand everyone’s obsession with cars (unless you live rural and literally can’t be without one).

Yes in theory - but so many things would take too long. For example I’d have to walk 30 mins and then take a 15 min train, then 15 min walk to get to DC if school called to say they were ill and I had to pick them up. And I’d have to be lucky it coincided with the train times. I’d also have to put youngest into childcare after school on days I’m at the office.

So not impossible but not ideal

I would say yes but life would be a lot more boring for me and DS with no car as there are no baby groups, swimming etc within walking distance so would be a lot less socialising for both of us

DH works from home and I will be working from home when maternity is over so that would be fine and we could walk to DS nursery and the primary school we are hoping to send him to is walking distance too

We will already be using the car is little as possible with diesel at almost £2 a litre

I could easily as i wfh 3 days a week and then go into the office on the train the other 2 days.
DP does need it to drive to work though as he has a lot of equipment and starts very early in the morning and finishes late at night so there simply isn’t convenient public transport.

We do live in zone 2 though so can easily cope with just the 1 car. When we move out of London later this year we’re debating getting a second car as DP works weekends and is often away for the whole weekend so I may end up feeling quite isolated if I can’t get out and about easily.

Never, never, never, never, never. Never! My car is my life. My lifeblood, my wheels, my access. My life. I don't think much of people that haven't bothered to get their licence (illness exemptions don't count obviously).

It’s also the cost of public transport. DP needed to spend the whole weekend in Newcastle recently for work which cost around £60 in fuel for the round trip. One of his colleagues took the train instead and just the train home on the Sunday night (DP ended up giving him a lift there) was £300!

Yes, been without one since November and have managed fine, but Im a sahm with the schools witihin 5 mins walk and enjoy my bus trip to town each for the shop where my daughter gives me a lift home.

@Idkiibu

We live in London. We sold our car 10 years ago, couldn’t be happier. Walking, bicycle, bus/underground/overground. I work locally and DH cycles to work or sometimes goes by bus (works in central London). I don’t at all understand everyone’s obsession with cars (unless you live rural and literally can’t be without one).

Proving my point!

Yes, I’m sure living and working in London it is very easy to walk/cycle/tube to places and not restrict your life at all. I don’t think you have to live very rurally to need a car, you just need a job that can’t be done at home or isn’t in your town.

I’d love to work close by but there are no vacancies in the local schools for me so I’ve had to go further afield.

Yes, and did so many years ago, even with small DC. We don’t have any cars at all. But public transport is cheap and plentiful, and all DC’s activities were easy walking distance.

@PinaColada123456

Never, never, never, never, never. Never! My car is my life. My lifeblood, my wheels, my access. My life. I don't think much of people that haven't bothered to get their licence (illness exemptions don't count obviously).

You don't 'think much' of people who never bothered to get a DL? Have you maybe considered driving is a choice for many and such me simply choose not to do it? Why do you not think much of someone who chooses to use public transport over owning a car. Tbh I don't think much of people with small minds and superior thinking.

No. No public transport here and the nearest town is 8 miles away.